An idea for a Tasmanian Geopark

by Jaap Speeoctober 2014

A Tasmanian geoparkAccording to some experts, Tasmania is a place that is second only to Scotland in geological diversity in the world. It has rocks representative of almost every geological period. There is a huge igneous dolerite sheet, one of only three places in the world. It contains a spectacular landscape, formed from past ice age glaciation effects. Combine this geological attractiveness with a good roads system and a fine range of accommodations, and all the main ingredients are there for anticipating successfully the growth in global geotourism. An increasing number of travelers, especially from China, is seeking for unique geological places to enjoy and to learn about. Probably some of them already find their way to Tasmania. A geopark gives an additional impulse to the reputation of an area of geological interest, especially when it becomes part of the UNESCO Global Geopark Network (GGN). Attempts to establish a Tasmanian geopark should therefore be taken seriously. They improve the chances for sustainable development.

The Queenstown initiativeThe value of a geopark lies in its potential to be used as a basis for enhancing the promotion of geological heritage. A geopark educates people in geological sciences and environmental matters. It ensures sustainable development via geotourism and it protects endangered geological heritage sites for future generation. Presence of the main ingredients is pre-conditional for the existence of a geopark. But the key success factor is the involvement of local communities. The initiative truly has to come from the heart and the mind of the local people. Looking at Tasmania, there is a clear initiative at the West Coast, in Queenstown. People in this historic mining town are looking for ways to embrace the Geopark concept. It’s this kind of initiatives, the Rio 20+1 summit in 2012 was asking for: “a central role of community-based organizations and local initiatives in delivering sustainable development solutions”.

1 a 20-year follow-up to the 1992 Earth Summit (United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development) in Rio de Janeiro.

So the intention of establishing a Queenstown geopark matches the vision of the UN. But it will not automatically result in a membership of the GGN.

Chances of a small geopark To become part of the GGN, a geopark must have a sufficiently large surface area to develop a sustainable development strategy. It must have a clear boundary and it must be managed by a clearly defined management structure. Most geoparks contain an area of somewhere between 1000 and 3000 km². It’s not impossible for a small area to become a GGN member, as illustrated by the English Riviera Geopark (approx. 100 km²). But this vulnerable coastal area, containing 3 main towns and having a very high population density, is forced to have a clear sustainable development strategy. Although the size of the park could be similar, the situation in Queenstown is totally different. It has a much lower number of inhabitants and its position is much more isolated. That will make it difficult for the initiative to end in a GGN membership. For that reason, the initiative needs some more body. A regional approach definitely will increase the chances for a Global Geopark in the West Coast area. The initiative will gain variety and the geopark becomes more attractive as it has different stories to tell.

An extended initiativeIn an attempt to create a sufficient large surface area, neighbor towns Strahan and Zeehan become involved. Together with Queenstown they form a substantial area, appropriate to represent the diverse surface geology Tasmania is renowned for. A diversity that can even be enhanced by adding the Heemskirk Granite to it. A look on the surface geology map learns us that 7 out of a total of 13 different Tasmanian layers of outcrop are present in such an area (see next page). Connecting Queenstown, Zeehan, Mount Heemkirk and Strahan definitely creates a region suitable for a sustainable development strategy. And as can be seen on the map, it’s not very difficult to draw a clear boundary for the geopark that we have in mind.

Surface geology of the geopark:

Boundary of the geopark:

Dorsal Fin Geopark The ‘potential’ geopark covers a surface area of approx. 1600 km². Looking closer to it, it clearly has the shape of a dorsal fin. The fin directly links it to the marine life of Tasmania. The island has one of the most biologically diverse marine environments in the world. Due to its varying climatic conditions, geographical location and cool ocean currents, Tasmania's oceans are brimming with unique sea life. As an exponent, bottle-nosed dolphins are prevalent in Macquarie Harbour. The ancestors of these modern-day dolphins entered the waters roughly 55 million years ago. Cetaceans have played a major role throughout Australian cultural history. By some Aboriginal tribes, they were regarded as a sacred symbol or totem. These tribes engaged in co-operative fishing with the help of local dolphins. Whales were not hunted in pre-colonial times but stranded whales were a valuable source of food and other products. Whaling became a primary industry of the colonies. Later on, Australia was one of the forerunners in the halt to commercial whaling in 1979. Nowadays, whales and dolphins are mainly watched during their frequent visits of the West Coast. Unfortunately, the Macquarie Harbour – Ocean Beach area is relatively often confronted with mass beaching of cetaceans, given its close relationship with the West Coast a gloomy tinge.

Geopark themesGeoparks are often organised around certain themes. To give an idea of how this could work for a Dorsal Fin Geopark, an example is given of 4 themes. Related to a specific area, they represent the geological and cultural past, present and future of this region. In a chronological order, the themes are:I) The formation of Tasmania (Queenstown area) - tells about the geological history of Tasmania. The theme is about the geodiversity of the state, a result of continental drift, ice ages, humid hot conditions and earthquakes occurring over many millions of years. This is where the heart of the geopark is: the “geological treasury chamber” of Tasmania. From high school students to former mine workers, local people are trained to educate

geotourists in Tasmanian geology. Geological lessons can be learned in the Queenstown area, for instance about its unconformity, a rare geological feature, representing the collision of a number of geological ages. At the various geological sites, visitors get a change to explore, to do experiments, to look for minerals etc.II) Early human settlement (Strahan and Macquarie Harbour area) - tells the story of the Tasmanian Indigenous people.This theme tells the prehistoric story of the people that crossed into Tasmania approximately 40,000 years ago via a land bridge between the island and the mainland during the last glacial period. It’s about the way of life of Aboriginal tribes, living in isolation for 8000 years when sea levels rose. The Macquarie Harbour region and the rivers that flow into it are rich with Aboriginal sites. The region is the traditional territory of the Southwest or Togee tribe, composed of the Lowreene and Mimegin bands. Geotourists can visit archaeological sites and learn about the Aboriginal cultural heritage. Furthermore, it can be an area for studying lost elements of the culture, to enhance the knowledge of the Tasmanian Indigenous people.III) Pioneers in Silver City (Zeehan area) - tells the story of the pioneers and their search for mineralsThis story starts where Abel Tasman noted in 1642 that his compasses were not steady and deduced the presence of mines of loadstone. This was the first prognostication of mineral wealth on the west coast of Tasmania. Two centuries later, it resulted in the arrival of many pioneers, searching for minerals. Geotourists are told about the greatest period of prosperity that Zeehan experienced between 1893 and 1908. At that time, ‘Silver City’ had a population of around 10,000, making it the 3rd largest town in Tasmania. Everything can be learned about minerals too: the way they are formed, their structure, how to detect them, how to gain them etc….It’s also the place where some of the best mineral samples in the world can be viewed.

IV) Challenging the sea (Coastal area) -tells the story of the present and future human relation with the sea. This theme promotes the study and exploration of our present and future relationship with the sea. Sea levels have been rising at an increasing rate since the early 1800s. Tasmania sand dunes and beaches are crucial in understanding the impact of changes in sea level because they erode quickly when the sea is rising. The West Coast has the largest dune fields and largest beach of Tasmania. These beaches and dunes, having little human activity, are interesting objects for monitoring global warming and its impact on coastlines. But they are also suitable for analyzing the effects of repercussion attempts. In this area, Geotourists can learn everything about sea level rise and the impact on coastal settlements. Additional to the topic of sea level rise, this could also be the area for studying the prevention of mass beaching of cetacean. Can human interference help their echolocation system when having difficulty picking up very gently-sloping coastlines? This would be a unique study in the world. And it would be of great value for the geopark when shared with geotourists.

Geopark themes and areas:

Tasmanian Regional Sustainability PlanningThe Australian Government has invested $29.2 million into the Sustainable Regional Development program to secure a sustainable future for Australia's high growth areas. The challenge is to help regional centres achieve

their economic and social potential while safeguarding their environmental assets. Tasmania is one of several areas selected for this program. The Australian Government is working collaboratively with Tasmania to facilitate and support sustainable tourism, with a focus on areas reserved for their conservation and wilderness values. This includes the acquisition of research to inform planning decisions, and a grant to local government to build capacity to facilitate tourism activities and protect environmental matters. The Tasmania regional sustainability planning is comprised of a local government grant and a targeted research project investigating community attitudes to nature-based tourism in Tasmania. A grant of $400,000 has been provided to the Break O’Day Council to assist with regional sustainability planning on Tasmania’s east coast. The initiative towards a Dorsal Fin Geopark could be the beginning of a similar development on the west coast.

To become a goldmine again…..There is a great opportunity for the West Coast region to participate in the Global Geopark Network if the Queenstown initiative can be extended. A member of the GGN has definitely better chances to benefit from the growing number of geotourists around the world, especially from China. There might be already a perfect fit with the Sustainable Regional Development program of the Australian Government, opening funding options for the setup of a geopark. The West Coast Council has a crucial role in adding Zeehan, Strahan and a part of the West Coast to the Queenstown local initiative. Forces have to be bundled to introduce the geopark concept in Tasmania and to bring on all the variety and attractiveness of this region. The geopark will become a place to enjoy and to learn while providing a strong base for sustainable development. A park like the Dorsal Fin Geopark truly has a story to tell about the past, the present and the future. A future where in this region could be turned into a goldmine again……….

Sourceshttp://churchillfellowstas.org.au/fellows/travis-tiddy/

http://www.tasmaniangeographic.com/geotourism-energised-tourism-for-tasmania/

http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/file.aspx?id=6357

http://www.mesa.edu.au/seaweek2005/pdf_senior/is08.pdf

http://www.europeangeoparks.org/?page_id=641

http://www.themercury.com.au/news/tasmania/queenstowns-future-may-lie-underground-with-geo-park-dream/story-fnj4f7k1-1226986133997

http://www.themercury.com.au/news/tasmania/geopark-back-on-queenstowns-agenda/story-fnj4f7k1-1226995286174

http://www.theadvocate.com.au/story/2432830/queenstown-geopark-could-attract-chinese-middle-class/

http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/presscenter/speeches/2012/06/20/helen-clark-the-power-of-local-action-for-sustainable-development/

http://www.climatechange.gov.au/climate-change/climate-science/climate-change-impacts/tasmania

http://www.dpac.tas.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0014/151412/CFT_-_Extreme_Events_The_Summary.pdf

http://www.environment.gov.au/science/soe/2011-report/11-coasts/4-risks/4-3-sea-level-rise

http://www.aboriginalheritage.tas.gov.au/

http://www.mrt.tas.gov.au/mrtdoc/dominfo/download/GSB72_2/GSB72_2.pdf

http://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:62141

http://www.marineconservation.org.au/pages/tasmania.html

http://www.tourismtasmania.com.au/media/facts/whales

http://australia.gov.au/about-australia/australian-story/australias-whaling-industry-and-whales

http://www.acecrc.org.au/access/repository/resource/af30218c-570f-102f-a3d0-40404adc5e91/CFT%20-%20Extreme%20Events%20The%20Summary%20-%20FINAL%20-%20spreads%20lo-res.pdf

http://www.environment.gov.au/sustainability/regional-development/tasmanian-regional-sustainability-planning