Tasmanian Heritage Festival

The National Trust in Tasmania has produced a program of events each year 1985 - 1995 for the National Trust Heritage Week. In 1995 the format changed to become what is now known as the Tasmanian Heritage Festival held throughout the month of April each year with a state-wide program of events.

Tasmanian Heritage Festival 2008

“Leisure and Recreation – Tasmania’s Magical Landscapes

April 2008 the Tasmanian Heritage Festival “Leisure and Recreation – Tasmania’s Magical Landscapes will provide an opportunity to celebrate the Tasmanian lifestyle and our rich recreation and leisure heritage.  The theme has attracted a broad range of events which include activities around the development of Tasmania’s many parks and gardens, enjoying the natural environment, creating art, photography, sporting events, enjoying celebratory activities such as regattas and picnics as well as enjoying the location of Tasmania’s many heritage – listed houses and places.

With the assistance from the Department of Environment and Water at a Federal level and Heritage Tasmania, the National Trust in Tasmania will produce a program of events to be held across the state.  ABC Radio in Tasmania as a sponsor for the Festival  will pick up events and interview people associated with them. In addition the program will also be included in the three state newspapers at the end of March and Southern Cross TV, a major Heritage Festival sponsor over the years, will profile events statewide.

Major highlights will be the event to celebrate Tasmania’s oldest birthday of heritage sites. Convicts, Conifers and Curios will be a joint anniversary of the Female Factory Historic Site, Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens and the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery.

Participants will be able to take advantage of the living history of the Piners & Miners traveling into rarely explored World Heritage Wilderness and sharing the story of two mining rivals and how they shaped the future of Tasmania’s West Coast. Those taking part will travel along the tracks of the West Coast Wilderness Railway by unique Hi-Rail vehicle to Bird River, before walking the abandoned railway line of the North Mount Lyell Mining company to the historic port of Pillinger, where a delicious gourmet barbecue in the rainforest awaits. Then, to end the prefect day, board the luxurious cruiser Second Nature to enjoy a scenic trip back to Strahan.

Or there is the discovery of Gustav Weindorfer who was an avid bush walker of the early 1900s. Gustav declared that the Cradle Mountain area “must be a national park for the people for all time”.  The event is an adventure package giving  you the choice to discover the Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair national park by 4WD on a Historic Park Drive; or on a guided walk to Hanson’s Lake, with views of Tasmania’s spectacular lake cradled by majestic glacial-carved mountains.

The State Library in Launceston will host a symposium themed on the ‘Stories of Outdoor Recreation in Tasmania’.  The symposium will celebrates the contribution of older Tasmanians in a range of recreational and leisure activities. Topics include bush walking, wilderness photography, landscape painting, canoeing, flying, horticulture, climbing, skiing, swimming and eco tourism.  The speakers are older members of recreation and leisure organisations who have a long association with the activities and knowledge of the history and notable achievements of these groups.

There will be walks through historic towns, and precincts and exhibitions which highlight the significance of Tasmania’s cultural and architectural heritage and Tasmania’s aviation.  Or take the tour traveling along the Heritage Highway to Oatlands and the Coal River Valley visiting historic watering holes. There is so much to do and experience.

• A current Festival Poster is available here
• The full Festival Program is available here

For further information please call the National Trust of Australia (Tasmania)

The Trust wishes to acknowledge the generosity of The Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery for the provision of the photographs displayed above and in the Festival Poster.