Situated at Eaglehawk Neck in Tasmania/Iutruwita, Tasman Cottage offers a peaceful get-away steeped in natural beauty. Nick’s place is nestled amongst native gums, and with views over the Tasman Sea. The two-bedroom cottage was originally part of the Penzance Motel and is now carefully renovated to honour the wild natural environment of the Tasman Peninsula with locally sourced timber and stone featured to create a warm atmosphere. Here, you can let your own creativity loose amongst the collection of books, artwork and records, and enjoy home-cooking from the fully equipped kitchen.

Tasman Cottage already gives you a chance to reconnect with nature, yet its manager Nick has taken an important next step. He recently purchased 150 trees in collaboration with us here at Fifteen Trees, action which builds green corridors and ensures vital habitat for our native fauna.

– one native tree planted for every stay –

Zoodoo is set on the hinterlands of the Coal River Tier, a beautiful bushland backdrop directly adjoining the zoos rear boundary. Situated between the towns of Tea Tree and Richmond, the 2000 acres of dry forest clads the western escarpment of the Coal River Tier. Zoodoo manages around 15% of this significant patch of threatened vegetation. It is at this site, that we organised the planting of Nick’s 150 native trees.

Towering 350m above the zoo, the Tiers forested slopes are isolated from other bushland remnants in the region by adjoining human modified environs. The bushland has become an ‘island adrift in a sea of agriculture’. After a preliminary assessment of the site by Tasmanian Land Conservatory, the refuge has been found to hold significant biodiversity values. Early results of monitoring in the refuge with automatic wildlife detection cameras have identified multiple individual endangered Tasmanian Devils and vulnerable Spotted tailed quolls breeding and living on the Tier.

Other interesting animals recorded in the area include; eastern barred bandicoot, Green and Gold Frog, Tasmanian Bettong, wombats, pademelons, bennetts wallabies, echidnas, Tasmanian Devils and wedgetailed eagles.

Zoodoo is protecting and managing this reserve at Coal River Tier for its natural values plus promoting connectivity and ecosystem services. Developing innovative approaches to engage the community and zoo visitors in this exciting project will be instrumental in defining future directions for Zoodoo.

Some neighbouring properties along the Tier have also recognised the natural values of this vegetation with a conservation covenant on one 320 acre title and a Land for Wildlife block on another 55 acres. The Zoo hopes to seek further collaboration with the aim of promoting the protection and management of this valuable native forest remnant.

This is a great example of increasing your impact! Through the support from Nick and Tasman Cottage, this project is now growing by leaps and bounds.

For the chance to enjoy ocean views from a wrap-around veranda and access the natural wonder of Waterfall Bay directly from the property, check out Tasman Cottage.

If you would like to know more about sponsoring community tree planting projects and how we can assist you in becoming a more sustainable business, please contact Colleen at <[email protected]>.

Writer – Lou Ridsdale

Lou a green thumb, Earth Lover, big-hearted nature freak, plus a savvy media and horticulture expert, who passionately believe that everyone can lead a more nourishing and sustainable life. Lou founded Food Is Free Inc., a unique grassroots food security platform specialising in food security education. She fell in love with trees after reading The Magic Faraway Tree as a child. You can find Lou here