Douglas-Apsley National Park

Douglas-Apsley is one of the few largely uncleared dry forests in Tasmania. It is a rugged area that more or less avoided the loggers' attention until relatively recently. By that time the political climate had changed in the wake of a Green-Labour minority government. It was made a national park in 1989 and now the Douglas-Apsley area is virtually unique in the diversity of the plants and animals that it harbours.

Here rare and endangered species, some of which are extinct elsewhere continue to evolve. In a world of shrinking diversity the Douglas-Apsley is a beatiful exception. It lies just inland of the east coast town of Bicheno and features rivers, gorges and waterfalls surrounded by dry forest and pockets of rainforest. The tranquil Apsley Waterhole also has a fine lookout.

Further into the park is the surprisingly challenging Leeaberra Track, a two and a half day walk that traverses the park from north to south. Facilities to this new park are still being planned and built but there are picnic tables and shelters, pit toilets and water at the Apsley waterhole.