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Tasmania
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Phil Northeast is Feature Writer for Photography at
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Kingston Beach -Tasmania
Tasmania....Island State
Phil Northeast
Tasmania is one of the world's island paradises, although not of the tropical type. It has a delightful cool temperate climate that is neither too hot nor too cold.
It sits south of the Australian continent in the middle of the "Roaring 40's." No, it isn't some retro swing band but weather system that goes halfway around the world from the tip of South America across the ocean before it arrives at Tasmania. This delivers to Tasmania some of the cleanest air and purest water in the world water. Tasmania hosts a scientific site that measures the baseline of the world's air quality at Cape Grim.
Welcome to a local's view of one of the world's true island paradises.
Tasmania is sparsely populated with only 450,000 people occupying its 26,000 square miles. To give you some idea, compare it to West Virginia that is about the same size and has nearly two million people.
High quality food and wine products are important contributors to the island's economy. Sniffer dogs patrol our airports and sea terminals. They aren't looking for drugs or explosives that you may see in other parts of the world; they are searching for people bringing in fruit and plants. Many diseases that afflict farmers elsewhere are not present here and strong measures are taken to try and keep it that way.
To go with this clean green image our hydro electricity is our main source of eletric power. All the major river systems from the rugged central highlands have been dammed to form lakes, and then the water is used to drive large water wheels that spin the generators.
The population is mainly Caucasian of British origin, stemming from the early days when Tasmania was part of the British of penal colony system. The capital, Hobart, is the second oldest city in Australia and was established in 1804. It is situated on the banks of the Derwnt river in the shadow of Mt Wellington.
The population mix has broadened over the years with influxes of immigrants from the worlds trouble spots, such as central Europe following World War II.
Join with me as in future articles I share some of the delights and treasures of my island home.
© Northeast Media 2009