Terra Tasmania: Once the Apple Isle

From Strahan we headed north, passed the old mining towns of Zeehan and Roseberry, once rich in silver, lead and zinc, but like their tin counterparts in the east, depleted now, with just a couple of Op shops functioning, and a few plucky and proud locals left tending their tidy faded towns.

Zeehan was one of the very early settled towns as Trial Harbour, down on the water, offered a reasonable shipping dock, but that soon gave way to Strahan. When silver mining here was at its height Zeehan's population was as large as Hobart and Launceston with some 20 hotels and a variety theatre, the Gaiety. The remnants of those glory days exist today.

Arthur River is at the end of the road in the north and the west. If you want to go further you need to find a boat to cross the waves, or walk. Arthur River is not as picturesque as the eastern coast but there is a rugged beauty in its remoteness: lost timber logs cluster like coffins around the bays and red rock lichen is so pervasive it looks like ancient thickly-laid rock art, all red and ochre.

We drive deep into Leven Canyon country and follow roads that twist and groove in these water-cut ranges till we come across flatter fertile fields planted with onions, leeks, celery and swede, and would you believe, poppies -- for the licit production of morphine and codeine mendicants. I had no idea.

Tasmania was once called the Apple Isle. No more. Most of the apple trees have been ploughed into the ground as costs for production grew too high. We barely saw a single tree on this trip, except for the occasional back garden variety.

Potatoes, though, are widely grown, but there is a fear they, too, may go where the apple went. While we were in this region the large frozen food company McCains, who processes some 70,000 tons of Tasmanian potatoes each year, was threatening to close their potato chip plant in Smithton if prices were not better controlled. Out to Stanley on the peninsula we drove loving the scenery and the picturesque church and presbytery on the point.

Further on we were pleased to see that Sheffield has grown and is looking quite prosperous while it continues to encourage and develop its mural draw card, bringing in lots of tourists.

This quadrant of Tasmania looks the most prosperous outside of Hobart, and if the traffic on the roads is any indication there are non-stop trucks going to and from the ports and the factories.

Despite this, there are still too many For Sale signs, even here. And that was what bothered us as we then headed for the ferry and a quick trip home. Those For Sale signs left us with a rather haunting impression of much of the Tasmanian hinterland.