The West Coast Geotrail by Ralph Bottrill, Mineral Resources, Tasmania

THE WEST COAST GEOTRAIL UNDERSTANDING THE LANDSCAPE AND GEOLOGY OF WESTERN TASMANIA

Ralph BottrillMineral Resources TasmaniaDepartment of State Growth, 12/8/16

THE HISTORY OF TASMANIA

Arrival of Europeans - ~300yrs Arrival of Aborigines – 40,000

yrs? Arrival of Flora and Fauna –

Millions of years! But the rocks – some may date

back to over 1200 Million years!

The rocks are our foundation, they underlie all our spectacular landscapes and scenery!

UNDERSTANDING THE GEOLOGY AND LANDSCAPE OF WESTERN TASMANIA

The Living Earth Showing how the earth is a dynamic, ever-changing bodyTourists are increasingly interested in natural history, including geologyA Tas Govt initiative in 2015 to help the West Coast by designating a Geopark, which turned into GeotrailDirected by Dept. of State Growth, especially Mineral Resources Tasmania, assisted by the West Coast Council. Each site has a roadside sign either:• a large sign with information, • or a small sign with a QRCode weblink

to the Living Earth website The website (www.thelivingearth.com.au)

has both general and detailed information on all the sites, and downloadable pdfs

The West Coast GeoTrail

LIVING EARTH WEB PAGE

Visit www.thelivingearth.com.au for more information

Sedgwick Bluff

Mt Lyell

West Lyell Open CutNorth Lyell MineCape Horn Mine

Sedgwick Bluff Mt Lyell Mt Owen

North Lyell FaultGreat Lyell Fault

Philosophers RidgeCape Horn

West Coast Range from Spion Kop

West Coast Range from Spion Kop

Darwin

Iron Blow

ZEEHAN ALSO A SIGN AT TULLAH

SPRAY TUNNEL

TRIAL HARBOUR

TRIAL HARBOUR

Trial Harbour

LAKE SELINA & LAKE PLIMSOLL

TYNDALL VALLEY

CHALLENGES!

Logistics Access Parking Phone coverage Sign visibility Different focus groups Coordination Money Advertising

THE FUTURE? A Tasmania- wide Geotrail??• Cradle coast trail

• Waratah-Corinna district

• Cradle Mtn - Sheffield area

• Bay of Fires

• Tamar Valley

• Freycinet

• Tasman Peninsula

• Cygnet

THE FUTURE? A Tasmania- wide Geotrail??• Cradle coast trail

• Waratah-Pieman district

• Cradle Mtn - Sheffield area

• Bay of Fires

• Tamar Valley

• Freycinet

• Tasman Peninsula

• Cygnet

Image by Faye Hulme

THE FUTURE? A Tasmania- wide Geotrail??• Cradle coast trail

• Waratah-Pieman district

• Cradle Mtn - Sheffield area

• Bay of Fires

• Tamar Valley

• Freycinet

• Tasman Peninsula

• Cygnet

THE FUTURE? A Tasmania- wide Geotrail??• Cradle coast trail

• Waratah-Pieman district

• Cradle Mtn - Sheffield area

• Bay of Fires

• Tamar Valley

• Freycinet

• Tasman Peninsula

• Cygnet

Image from the Mercury

THE FUTURE? A Tasmania- wide Geotrail??• Cradle coast trail

• Waratah-Corinna district

• Cradle Mtn - Sheffield area

• Bay of Fires

• Tamar Valley

• Freycinet

• Tasman Peninsula

• Cygnet

Image courtesy of Adam Plucinski

THE FUTURE? A Tasmania- wide Geotrail??• Cradle coast trail

• Waratah-Corinna district

• Cradle Mtn - Sheffield area

• Bay of Fires

• Tamar Valley

• Freycinet

• Tasman Peninsula

• Cygnet

Image courtesy of http://www.tamarvalley.com.au/

THE FUTURE? A Tasmania- wide Geotrail??• Cradle coast trail

• Waratah-Pieman district

• Cradle Mtn - Sheffield area

• Bay of Fires

• Tamar Valley

• Freycinet

• Tasman Peninsula

• Cygnet

Image courtesy of Rob Blakers

THE FUTURE? A Tasmania- wide Geotrail??• Cradle coast trail

• Waratah-Pieman district

• Cradle Mtn - Sheffield area

• Bay of Fires

• Tamar Valley

• Freycinet

• Tasman Peninsula

• Cygnet

Image courtesy of Stephen Kilburn

Image courtesy of Jeff Flueger

THE FUTURE? A Tasmania- wide Geotrail??• Cradle coast trail

• Waratah-Pieman district

• Cradle Mtn - Sheffield area

• Bay of Fires

• Tamar Valley

• Freycinet

• Tasman Peninsula

• Cygnet