Category — Tasmanian Tales

Vet Alex Kriess with Cedric the Tasmanian devil

A Tasmanian devil by the name of Cedric may hold the key to the future of his species.

He is an extraordinary devil, guinea pig and possible saviour, who is naturally resistant to the contagious facial tumours which have already killed half the devil population in Tasmania.

Cedric was caught by scientists this time last year. Now it seems he is the best chance yet scientists have to developing a devil-saving vaccine.

By working with their colleagues at Sydney University, Hobart scientists have discovered it is Cedric’s genes that are protecting him from the cancer.

Great Lake is at record low levels. (Andrew Fisher photograph. ABC)

Recent rain has done little to replenish Hyrdo’s Tasmania’s storages.

Storages fell to around 18 per cent over the summer period, the lowest in over 40 years, and Hydro’s energy resources manager, David Marshall, says the Basslink power cable and the gas-fired Bell Bay power station are being used extensively.

He says he does not expect power rationing this year.

A fire that has blackened 17,000ha on the West Coast was started from a car accident on the Western Explorer Highway, a controversial road damned for its scarring of the Tarkine, home to Australia’s largest temperate rainforest.

Tasmanian Greens leader Peg Putt said conservation groups had warned that the road would prove a source of destructive activity and an ignition point.

‘The Greens are now warning that no further roading into remote Tarkine wilderness should be allowed, although the Government is actively pushing such an agenda via Forestry Tasmania,’ Ms Putt said.

Alex Wade of Surf Nation reports:

Alex ‘Alfy’ Cater won the Oakley Surfing Life Biggest Wave Award. He took home $20,000 and a Sea-Doo personal watercraft.

Marti Paradisis bagged the ‘best overall performance’ award — this shot of him at Shipstern Bluff on the Tasman Peninsula shows why.

(Via Surf Nation)

Found on Flickr. Taken by Hobart photographer Andrew Skeggs who says “I am happy to live in a world where people do this kind of thing.”

And regular contributor Peter Daalder managed to get a photograph before the flags disappeared.

The background:

An enterprising Northern Midlands farmer has built a giant grass castle out of hay bales.

Philip Osborne builds a hay bale structure each year at fairfield near Epping forest on the Midlands Highway.
 
Last year Mr Osborne, in his fifties, made a straw version of the ancient Stonehenge, called Hayhenge which proved popular with passing motorists.

The farmer uses a loader to put each 300kg bale in place based on a sketch made by his wife Louise.

‘I do it for my own amusement,’ Mr Osborne said.

‘Farmers are miserable sods but we do have a lighter side.’

(Via The Mercury)

Here’s his version of Stonehenge which kept Midlands Highway motorists amused last year.

Photograph: Maria Fletcher

Tasmania’s very own royal, Crown Princess Mary of Denmark has enrolled in the Danish Home Guard.

The Crown Princess will learn how to handle and fire a weapon, first aid, marching drills, signal training, fire-fighting and rescue skills while she attends elementary training at the Home Guard training centre.

When she finishes her training, Princess Mary will be attached to the Home Guard ‘total defence’ region in Copenhagen.

She continues a long line of family tradition by joining the Home Guard.

Her mother-in-law, Queen Margrethe, reached the rank of Major in the Home Guard Women’s Flying Corps.

Jelly would have to be one of the luckiest cats alive.

Nine-year-old Jelly spent some time yesterday walking around with a deadly Lowland Copperhead snake wrapped around her neck.

Owner Wendy Wallis said Jelly wandered back in to their property, which borders the creek at Sorell, about 11.30am yesterday carrying the snake with her.

She called wildlife rescuers who removed the snake.

‘Both the cat and the snake seemed quite happy,’ Ms Wallis said.

‘She didn’t show any signs of a bite last night, but this morning she was almost paralysed.

‘She’s at the Montrose vet at the moment being pumped full of anti-venom, but the vet says she’ll recover fully.’

Ms Wallis said she snapped the picture through a glass door, but didn’t dare open the door as the cat would have walked inside.”

(Via The Mercury)

Here’s one of the best videos we’ve found that features Tassie’s greatest surfing destination – the irrepressible Shipsterns Bluff.

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Found: A Tasmanian Tourist Bureau video advertisement from the 1980s … we wonder if they paid a commission to The Sound of Music?

A fine female rainbow trout weighing more than 6kg was released in Bradys Lake a week ago.

She’s shown above with Inland Fisheries Officer Brett Mawbey shortly before release.

Tasmanian anglers have a chance to catch her with the opening of the trout fishing season this weekend, and if they do there’s a bonus — she’s been tagged and is worth $1000.

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