Tasmania encompasses some of the last great wilderness on Earth, a place of spectacular mountains, untamed rivers, and towering forests, unadulterated by human habitation. With roughly the same area as the Republic of Ireland, it has only a 10th as many people—and nearly half those 500,000 souls live in a single city: the capital, Hobart. The island’s rural areas are populated largely by people who seem attached to bygone ways, pursuing simpler, more sustainable lives. Nevertheless, there are locals—youngsters especially—who feel trapped in a lonely place with too little to do. And for all those who seek to preserve its natural splendor for generations to come, there are many others who regard the island’s untapped resources as their birthright. See it while you can.
Photo: Jagged cliffs overlook Dove Lake in Cradle Mountain-Lake St. Clair National Park.
Jackie Dewe Mathews is based in London. You can see more of her work at jackiedewemathews.com.