Evergreen Explorer Magazine

Freycinet National Park Located on the east coast of Tasmania, Freycinet is considered one of the state's most picturesque coastal areas and it attracts many visitors each year. The winning formula of imposing granite peaks and white sandy beaches lining azure bays – coupled with a mild maritime climate – has made this park home to many bird species including the rare white-bellied eagle and yellow-tailed black cockatoos. Some of the highlights of the park include the variety of granite deposits, the pinky orange boulders at The Hazards, and the fine silica sands of Friendly Beaches which are highly-sought for glass production. Tasman National Park This region is renowned for dramatic landscapes from spectacularly tall sea cliffs, diverse forest and pristine coastline as well as the abundant wildlife including seals, penguins, dolphins and whales. Australian fur seals inhabit the rugged coastline for breeding and resting, while fairy penguins nest along the foreshore. Many birds including gannets, scarlet robins plus endangered wedge-tail eagles and white-bellied sea eagles call this park home. For budding botanists, the park also contains a number of plant species found nowhere else in the world, including three beautiful and rare species of euphrasia, found only in coastal heath communities of the Tasman National Park. Franklin Gordon Wild Rivers National Park This national park lies in the heart of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage area. It is a region of dramatic mountain peaks, beautiful rainforests, deep river valleys and spectacular gorges. The park is famous for the pristine rivers that twist their way through the wilderness. In addition to being the home of the last remaining wild rivers of Australia, it contains many Aboriginal sites which are a testimony to Aboriginal heritage extending back over 36 thousand years. This park has also been the backdrop to a rich European history of convicts and piners and, more recently, it has been the stage for the largest conservation battle in Australian history which prevented the damming of the Franklin River. 1982 saw the national park receive UNESCO World Heritage Listing, where it had satisfied more criteria than any other World Heritage area on earth. This listing gives recognition to the natural and cultural values that makes the area of outstanding universal significance. As one of only three remaining temperate wilderness areas in the southern hemisphere, the region provides pristine Freycinet National Park, Tasmania A fur seal calls the Tasman National Park home. The mighty Franklin River, Tasmania 3 | Explorer Magazine

• Cover