The Tarkine: Too Precious To Lose

North-west and
West Tasmania
The communities in north-west and west Tasmania are in large
part defined by their historic and ongoing interactions with
the Tarkine. European colonists described both their efforts to
conquer a region they viewed as inhospitable and their awe at its
natural beauty and grandeur.
Extraction of the Tarkine’s natural resources began in the 19th
century and has remained an enduring focus of the regional
economy, principally consisting of logging, pastoralism and
mining. Governments have largely supported these activities as
the principal source of local income and jobs, a view not always
in accord with the local community and emerging opportunities.
In fact, the combination of wresting a livelihood from a land
remote from government attention while appreciating the
Tarkine’s spectacular natural landscapes has forged a unique
community character. Local historian CJ Binks wrote:
There was a recognition from the beginning that west coasters were
a people apart, who had to fight for whatever they needed in a world
which tended very easily to forget their existence. They joined battle
with unresponsive governments just as persistently as they battled
against an unresponsive country to establish a place for themselves
and carve an industry and society out of a wilderness. From this
fight they emerged with a strong political and social identity. xii
From the earliest days Europeans mimicked the local Aboriginal
population’s reliance on the Tarkine’s abundant wild foods.
A love of the region’s seafood, bush meat and leatherwood honey
is an integral part of the local culture.
The Tarkine has also remained a source of local spiritual and
artistic inspiration and recreation for residents and visitors alike.
The long-established practice of using basic coastal shacks for
recreational fishing and holidaying continues today. Four wheeldriving,
hiking, freshwater fishing and surfing the spectacularly
rough coastal seas are beloved traditions that celebrate the
wildness and connection between the Tarkine and its community.
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Photos from top: Tarkine, Luke O’Brien; Tarkine Coast, Rob Blakers.