“The Tarkine (named after the Tarkiner people who inhabited the region between 175 and 40,000 years ago) contains the largest temperate myrtle-beech rainforest in Australia.”
Corinna lies at the southern end of the Tarkine and provides an accessible starting point to connect with the many elements of the wilderness. Within the Tarkine, and immediately north of Corinna, is the Arthur Pieman Conservation Area, containing significant aboriginal cultural heritage, highly diverse ecosystems, spectacular coastal landscapes and breathtaking wilderness areas.
The Tarkine covers 450,000 hectares and is bounded by the coast to the west, the Arthur River to the north, the Pieman River to the south, and the Murchison Highway to the east.
The Tarkine can be entered from several points, with the most common being via the Western Explorer from the north west, Corinna in the south, Waratah in the east and Wynyard from the north-east. Wynyard has an interstate airport and sealed road access into the Tarkine.
THE RARE SLENDER TREE FERN, LOCATED ON THE SOUTHERN BANK OF THE PIEMAN
There are a few mammals and birds in the cool temperate rainforest of the Tarkine, but the cool damp conditions make an ideal environment for a multitude of invertebrate species. Freshwater Crayfish, Burrowing Yabbies, large Land Snails and Walking Worms can be seen in the temperate rainforest of the southern Tarkine. Mammals such as Brushtail Possums, Bennett’s Wallabies, Wombats, Tasmanian Devils, Spotted-Tail Quolls and Broad-Footed Marsupial Mice can be found fossicking for food. The lawns at Corinna come alive with Pademelon's at dusk. Reptiles and amphibians such as the Tiger Snake, Metallic Skink and Tasmanian Tree Frog can also be found. Platypus can be found in the Pieman River and its tributaries, though they are rarely seen.
MYCENA INTERRUPTA (AKA PIXIES PARASOL), LOCATED IN THE TARKINE
Cool temperate rainforest is different to the warmer climate rainforest, which is dominated by much larger varieties of animal and bird life, as well as a multitude of tree and plant species. By comparison, Tasmania’s rainforests contain only a few dominant tree species, which include Leatherwood, Celery Top Pine, Sassafras, King Billy Pine, Huon Pine, Myrtle Beech, Pencil Pine, Native Laurel, Soft Tree Fern, Slender Tree Fern, Blackwood, Cutting Grass, Native Plum, Whitey Wood and the commonly named, “Horizontal”. Some eucalypt species like the Mountain Ash, will grow in rainforest conditions. An understory of ferns, mosses, liverworts and fungi form an important part of the rainforest habitat and ecosystem.
WARATAH, TARKINE EASTERN BOUNDARY ENTRY
While predominately known as the largest temperate rainforest in Australia, the Tarkine is a mix of rainforest, wet and dry eucalypt forest, mixed forest, heathland, moorland, buttongrass plains, complex river systems and wild, sandy coastlines.
Significantly, it has a high diversity of non-vascular plants (mosses, liverworts and lichens) including at least 151 species of liverworts and 92 species of mosses. Its range of vertebrate fauna include 28 terrestrial mammals, 111 land and freshwater birds, 11 reptiles, 8 frogs and 13 freshwater fish. According to the Government of Tasmania, the Tarkine provides habitat for over 60 rare, threatened and endangered species of flora and fauna. Further information can be found on the website of the Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment under the 'conservation' tab.
“There are more than 400 species of diverse flora, including a range of native orchids and many rare and threatened species.”
RAYS OF LIGHT FILTER THROUGH THE TARKINE CANOPY
Within the Tarkine, a large proportion of the area is listed on the Register of the National Estate, and significant proportions of the area have been protected to various degrees through inclusion in the Savage River National Park, the Arthur Pieman Conservation Area and the Pieman River State Reserve. Further information on these significant areas can be obtained on the Parks and Wildlife website, under the 'explore our parks' tab.
AZURE KINGFISHER'S MAKE THE BANKS OF THE PIEMAN THEIR HOME
Rainforests are self-perpetuating communities, but have been subject to human modification and damage for an extensive period of time now. Rainforests require the absence of repeated fire to exist – with full regeneration only possible after a fire-free period of 100 to 200 years. It is believed that parts of the rainforest around Corinna have never seen fire. With a changing climate, the threat increases, and there are also various fungal diseases spread by humans that can contribute to the decline of certain species such as the myrtle.
BILLY, A BENNETT'S WALLABY, ONCE A 'RESIDENT' OF CORINNA
Approximately twenty bird species can be found in the Tarkine rainforest; including the Black Currawong, Green Rosella, Olive Whistler and Grey Goshawk. Superb Fairy-Wren's, occasionally referred to as the 'Blue Wren', can be found in abundance in Corinna, and enjoy flitting around the forest and hotel looking for treats. The rare and endangered Orange-Bellied Parrot can be found around the Tarkine if you are lucky. On the Pieman, the White-Bellied Sea Eagle's like to nest, and have a commanding presence amongst the treeline. Often, an Azure Kingfisher can be spotted near the barge along the river line in the early mornings. Other coastal birds include Pacific Gulls, Black Swans, Little Terns, Pied and Sooty Oystercatchers, and Seagulls. Wedge-Tailed Eagles are known to inhabit the Tarkine, but are seen infrequently.
“There are more than 250 vertebrate species of fauna, 50 of which are rare, threatened and vulnerable.”
Corinna Wilderness Village is one of a few Australian tourism products to have achieved an EarthCheck Assessed rating.
EarthCheck is a highly regarded global program for sustainable travel and tourism which currently operates in over 70 countries. Use of the EarthCheck system has provided performance benchmarks for energy use, carbon emissions and waste disposal for the river cruise, accommodation and restaurant operations.
We are proud to have achieved this accreditation for sustainably managed operations. We are committed to maintaining an eco-tourism facility that has a minimal carbon footprint, and which operates in an environmentally ethical way. At Corinna, nature is the hero. Our backyard is 65 million-year-old rainforest, which deserves to be preserved in its natural state.
THE WESTERN EXPLORER (C249) HIGHLIGHTS THE EXTENSIVE REGION
Corinna Wilderness Village takes the conservation of the Tarkine and other Tasmanian wilderness areas seriously. We are conscious of the privileges and responsibilities that come with being stewards of the site for a period of time. We are committed to working alongside other organisations with responsibilities and interests in preserving the amazing assets in the Tarkine, and particularly in and around Corinna. We want to make them accessible in a controlled way to people who will appreciate them.
Corinna is a tourism destination where the owners have restored and developed the assets with sensitivity. Use of solar power, rain water, commitment to off-site waste removal and recycling, chemical free sewage treatment and non plastic packaging, combine to minimize the human footprint at Corinna. We understand that there is still a way to go and collectively strive to learn from, understand, and protect the environment of which we are privileged to be a part.