Download Tasman Peninsula - Tasmania Parks and Wildlife

N AT U R A L VA L U E S
Tasman Peninsula
Landforms, flora & fauna
Parks and Wildlife Service Tasmania
DEPARTMENT of TOURISM, PARKS
HERITAGE and the ARTS
The Tasman Peninsula is well known for its
spectacular coastal scenery, dramatic coastline,
endemic plant and animal species and internationally
significant geological features.
It is located in southeast Tasmania and includes the
Tasman National Park, Eaglehawk Neck and State
Reserves, and approximately 240 km of coastline.
Eaglehawk Neck and the Forestier Peninsula separate
the National Park from the mainland.
The range of habitats found within the small area and
insular nature of the peninsula provide a high natural
diversity. The diversity of flora and fauna is very high
and in a relatively natural state, with several species
endemic to the peninsula and several birds listed as
threatened species frequenting this area.
Landforms
The geological attributes of the Tasman Peninsula are
obvious: the spectacular coastal scenery has
internationally significant geological values.
Erosion as a result of wave action over the last 6,000
years has produced a suite of coastal landforms,
including features such as sea caves, geos, stacks,
arches and collapse features. These are arguably some
of the best examples within a concentrated area in
Tasmania.
The peninsulas are dominated by Permian (marine)
sediments and Triassic (non-marine) sediments
intruded by Jurassic dolerite.
The range of coastal landforms on the Tasman and
Forestier Peninsulas contributes to a varied and scenic
landscape that is appealing to visitors and is of very
high geoconservation significance. A spectacular
example of these landforms is the cliffline between
Pirates Bay and Cape Hauy and Capes Pillar and Raoul
which clearly shows how continuous pounding from
the sea has created features such as the Devils
Kitchen and the Blowhole.
The area is known for the tall sea cliffs reaching
heights of 300m.
The best location to get a general feel of the layout of
the coast is from Pirates Lookout just north of
Eaglehawk Neck. From there you can drive on
towards the Tessellated Pavement and Tasman Arch
to appreciate these natural wonders close up.
There are a number of factors which have
contributed to these magnificent formations. Firstly
the foundations of the coast, that is the dominant
rock types, have a profound effect on the types of
landforms which have developed. Their configuration
and zones of weaknessdetermine their vulnerability to
erosion and weathering from waves and coarse
materials (sand and cobbles) carried by waves. For
example, the dolerites further down the coast give
rise to quite different coastal landforms to those of
sedimentary rocks closer to Pirates Bay.
The final and most important influence is the sea level
which has fluctuated over 100 m several times over
the last 2 million years. It is interesting to ponder
what types of rocky landforms lie drowned below
many of the features. The word from scuba divers is
that there are sea caves, sea cliffs and notches at
depth which resemble those above the current sea
level.
At Deep Glen Bluff and Hippolyte Rocks are the
granite outcrops. The granite at the Tasman Peninsula
is the most southeasterly extension of granite found in
Tasmania, a significant proportion of it occurs further
north along the Tasmanian east coast.
Remarkable Cave
Is a striking example of dolerite contact with
sediments folded in the cave roof. It has formed as
the result of the intersection of two large sea caves,
eroded along two zones of weakness over many
thousands of years. It is called ‘remarkable’ because
some say the opening resembles the map of
Tasmania.
Tessellated Pavement
The pavement appears tessellated or more simply,
tiled due to the cracks in the rocks formed from
fractures. The flatness of the feature is due to the
way the sediments were originally deposited but also
as a result of erosional forces from waves. The
formation of the pavement is ultimately a combination
of chemical (salt wedging) and physical (wave
erosion) processes.
Tasman Arch
This feature is a naturally occurring arch, which is
basically a enlarged tunnel running from the coast and
extending inland. The roof at the landward end of the
tunnel has collapsed but the hole is too large and the
sides too high to form a blowhole.
Wave action has created the
tunnel, from the action of
sand and rock particles hitting
the rock face and fragmenting
it, as well as forcing air into
the crack causing additional
fragmentation.
Devils Kitchen
This feature formed in a
similar way to Tasman Arch.
Once again the vertical cracks
have resulted in obvious weak
links, causing the steep sides of the arch. It seems
likely that a tunnel could eventually extend from the
Devils Kitchen through to Tasman’s Arch.
The Blowhole
The blowhole occurs from the roof of a tunnel
eroding, usually through wave action, along a weak
link in the rock. The waves tend to compress air at
the back of the tunnel eventually forcing enough
pressure to create a hole in the tunnel. Eventually the
hole will extend and gradually form an arch.
Flora
The area of the Tasman and Forestier Peninsulas is
less than 1% of the state, yet the number of plant
species present is over one third of the total plant
species found in the state; some 536 plant species.
The vegetation types present include coastal heaths,
dune vegetation, wetlands, saltmarshes, dry and wet
sclerophyll forests and some small areas of sub alpine
scrub and rainforest. Tall open forest and coastal
heathlands dominate the vegetation in the eastern half
of the Tasman National Park.
The Tasman Peninsula is known for the habitat it
provides many endemic plants. The park also marks
the most southern distribution of plants such as hairy
guinea flower (Hibbertia hirsuta) and Olearia
archeri.
Vegetation Communitites
Wet heaths in poorly drained areas are characterised
by the presence of swamp heath (Sprengelia
incarnata), dogrose (Bauera rubioides) and sword
sedge (Lepidosperma filiforme). The dominant tall
shrubs are manuka (Leptospermum scoparium),
scented paperbark (Melaleuca squarrosa)and swamp
melaleuca (M.squamea).
Dry heaths occur on skeletal dolerite soils and on
shallow sand sheets overlying dolerite. Around Cape
Pillar, Mount Brown and Cape Raoul extensive
heathland and coastal scrub communities are found
and to a lesser extent at Cape Hauy.
page 2
dry euclaypt forest
In exposed sub coastal and cliff top areas silver
peppermint (E.tenuiramis) woodland is the major
eucalypt community, with wet and dry heaths
comprising the understory layer, depending on site
drainage.
From Pirates Bay to Cape Pillar dry eucalypt forests
predominate, with stringy bark (Eucalyptus obliqua)
and bluegum (E. globulus) open forest the most
comon plants.
Higher up the slopes the wet eucalypt species such as
mountain gum (E. delegatensis) and blackwood
(Acacia melanoxylon) grow as a secondary species
with a dogwood (Pomaderris sp.) and blanketleaf
(Bedfordia sp.) shrub layer.
On wetter sites such as gullies and more shaded slopes
rainforest or mixed forest are dominated by
mountain ash (E. regnans).
On drier rockier sites stringybark (E.obliqua) and
silver peppermint (E. tenuiramis) open forest occurs
and other wet sclerophyll and short prickly shrubs
with saggs (Lomandra longifolia) or bracken
dominate the ground and replace the dogwood
(Pomaderris sp.) shrub layer.
Endemic plants
The park contains several plant species,which are
otherwise rare in Tasmania. They are four species of
eyebright (Euphrasia semipicta, E. phragmostoma,
E.amphisysepala and E. sp. ‘fabula’). These species
are found only in coastal heathland communities in
Tasman National Park.
In the vicinity of Cape Pillar the sheoak
(Allocasuarina crassa), stiffly erect heath (Epacris
marginata) and thick leaf coastal heath (E. myrtifolia)
are present.
The park and reserves are also important for the
conservation of several orchid species including the
tapered leek orchid (Prasophyllum apoxychilium), the
chestnut leek orchid (P. castaneum) and the pretty
leek orchid (P. pulchellum).
The Australian fur seal occurs and has haul-outs at
Hippolyte Rocks, Tasman Island, Visscher Island and
Capes Hauy, Pillar and Raoul.The leopard seal,
elephant seal and New Zealand fur seal have been
observed in the waters and rocks off Tasman National
Park.
Other common off shore mammals include the
common and bottlenosed dolphin, the pilot whale,
southern right whale and humpback whale.
common wombat
Fauna
Despite the early settlement of the Tasman and
Forestier Peninsulas, much of the land still remains
largely unmodified and those areas set aside for
agriculture have developed in a mosaic among the
natural vegetation. The narrow isthmuses at
Eaglehawk Neck and Dunalley isolate the peninsulas
from the rest of Tasmania; thus opportunities for the
movement of animals into and out of the peninsula is
limited.
Tasmanian bettong
Birds
Field surveys have recorded approximately 120 bird
species in the park and reserves, including twelve
species listed under the Tasmanian Threatened Species
Protection Act 1995.
Bird life in the reserves is rich and varied.There are
several little penguin rookeries at Pirates Bay,
FortescueBay, Tasman Island and Hippolyte Rocks
and on the Mt Brown walking track. There are also
short – tailed shearwater and sooty shearwater
burrows and fairy prion nesting areas at Tasman
Island and Hippolyte Rocks.
potoroo
Mammals
The park and reserves contain a great diversity of
wildlife with some species in abundance. The larger
herbivores such as the Tasmanian pademelon,
Bennett’s wallaby and common wombat have
increased in numbers in response to the development
of pastures around the park and reserve boundaries.
Several sea and shorebird species have been observed
on sandy beaches including the pied oystercatcher,
sooty oystercatcher, crested tern, red-capped plover
and hooded plover.Visscher Island north of Cape
Fredrick Henry on the Forestier Peninsula is an
important breeding area for several bird species.
In the 1930s both the Tasmanian devil and eastern
quoll were reportedly more widespread than today.
Both species occur in the park and reserves, but it is
probable that they are in small populations with a
limited distribution.
The Tasmanian bettong and southern potoroo are
found in the drier regions of the reserves.
Dusky antechinus, swamp antechinus, eastern barred
and southern brown bandicoots, all four possums,
swamp rat and water rat, seven species of bats and the
long tailed mouse have been recorded.
spotted pardalote
.
page 3
Fish
There are several permanent streams in the park and
reserves and these carry populations of native fish.
Nine species of fish have been recorded including two
species endemic to Tasmania, the Tasmanian smelt
and Tasmanian white bait.
Common dolphin
The Caspian tern which is listed on both the Japan
Australia Migratory Bird Agreement (JAMBA) and the
China Australia Migratory Bird Agreement (CAMBA)
along with black–faced cormorant, pacific gull, kelp
gull and silver gull all breed on Visscher Island.
In order to protect the breeding habitat for these
birds, Visscher Island has been identified as a
restricted area to which the public does not have a
general right of access. Other offshore rocks and
islands are also important breeding areas for birds.
Invertebrates
The broad toothed stag beetle and Mt. Mangana stag
beetle have been recorded in the park on the Forestier
Peninsula. The spotted microcaddisfly and burgundy
snail have also been recorded and are included on the
list of threatened species. In a statewide survey of
strandline fauna, the sandy beach at Fortescue Bay
was identified as having the richest faunal diversity of
all beaches surveyed and provides a habitat for two
crustaceans: a rare endemic undescribed sandhopper
and an as yet undescribed landhopper.
Further Information
Nature Conservation Branch, DPIWE
134 Macquarie Street, Hobart, 7000
Phone: (03) 6233 6556
Fax: (03) 6233 3477
Blue gum (Eucalyptus globulus) stands on the
foreshore at Fortescue Bay and Stewarts Bay are
important habitats for swift parrots.The park is the
principal foraging habitat for at least one pair of the
endangered Tasmanian wedge-tailed eagles and
walking tracks along the cliff edges often provide
spectacular views of white-bellied sea eagles.
Reptiles and Amphibians
The three species of Tasmanian land snakes have
been recorded in the park. These are the tiger snake,
copperhead, and white-lipped whip snake. Nine
species of lizards are recorded as well as six of the ten
frog species occurring in Tasmania.
The leatherback turtle has been observed in waters
around the park and reserves.
Fur seal
FURTHER INFORMATION
Head Office:
Phone:
134 Macquarie Street Hobart TAS 7000
1300 135 513
Internet:
www.parks.tas.gov.au
December 2003 © State of Tasmania