Wind

Reflections on Tasmanian wilderness, Earth Day 2021
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Reflections on Tasmanian wilderness, Earth Day 2021

At 600,000 hectares the UNESCO-listed Southwest National Park is Tasmania’s largest, famed for its wild rivers, impressive water bodies, jagged mountain ranges, button grass moorlands, ancient rainforest and myriad plant and animal species. It is a spectacular and truly elemental place, with wild and changeable weather the norm. The region encompassed by the Park has an extraordinary history of human habitation by Aboriginal Nations, reaching back tens of thousands of years. More recently intrepid individuals such as the Kings and the Claytons, who lived permanently in the region, have sparked people’s imagination. Part of the larger Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area, there are many stories to tell about the southwest. On Earth Day 2021, my reflections focus on a day trip from Hobart to the region by plane and boat in mid-April 2021.

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Elemental immersion on the Overland Track, Tasmania

Walking the Overland Track in Tasmania was transformative. At the completion of the six-day, 80 km walk my body felt infused to the core with wild nature. This sense of peace, pureness and oneness with life was singularly special. Indigenous Tasmanians, early Europeans, hikers, ‘influencers’ like Sarah Wilson, and many others have traversed the ancient, rugged and awe-inspiring landscape before me. Each person responds to the energy and pull of this place in their own way. My experience was fully immersive in the capricious elements for which the high country is renowned. At the close of each day I intuitively chose which element had captured my spirit the most. On returning home, it was timely to reflect on the local and global environmental changes that have occurred since the walking track was formalised in 1931. The extent and magnitude of these changes challenge the conservation and protection of this rare and precious World Heritage site like at no other time.

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Shinto Moments on the Three Capes Track, Tasmania

Awakening to a glorious sunrise over Munro Bight was one of many unforgettable experiences on a recent four day trek in SE Tasmania, Australia. There is something universally uplifting about the rising sun, especially when vibrant colours fill the sky. Like rainbows, they touch the soul and make you feel grateful to be alive. Spending several days experiencing the awe and wonder of the Three Capes region was a privilege, especially in Spring. By good fortune I had read the book ‘Shinto Moments‘ just before departing. The perspectives it contained were both complementary and contrasting to ‘Encounters on the Edge‘, the guide provided for the Three Capes Track.

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The wondrous winds of Patagonia and Antarctica

Patagonia is windy. Very windy, in places. So is Antarctica and the surrounding waters, at times. Both regions in the ‘extreme south’ bear the brunt of the westerly winds that travel around the globe, unheeded in these low latitudes by other land masses. So when you travel to these parts, as I did over the 2019/2020 summer season, you are well advised to take wind-proof clothing. Given that the winds are sometimes so strong that they can blow you over, these precautions only go so far! Visiting a part of the world where wind is so dominant has given me a better appreciation of this enigmatic and energetic element and the role that the wind plays in the history and climate of the globe.

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