Parks and recreation...
The reserve is quiet and peaceful no matter the pace of your chosen pursuit. It is very close to houses and the city. Many would consider us fortunate, but we take it for granted.
That was ... until it closed.
As children we never thought of the Recreation Area as forest - it was just the bush.
Self-seeding trees, scrub and stumps. Widowmakers, firebreaks, clay, rocks and water and significant bush litter that crunched under your feet and tyres. It was an adventure playground and an extension of our backyards.
Fast forward a few years and I recently found it difficult to ascertain which tracks were open due to the current restrictions. When I entered from one spot some of the tracks appeared closed, but if gaining access by hopping over a pre-existing rock bollard there wasn't a sign. Ignorance is bliss and I couldn't spot a helicopter.
The fire trails were partially open until the top of a hill that is known to cause heartbreak. That spot underscored the customs control point between the City of Launceston and the Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service, marking a delineation of responsibilities and a different set of rules.
Confused yet understanding accurately described my mood.
At our entrance trees have been planted covering Launceston's original mountain bike pump track. When I witnessed the new growth, my disappointment was all heart on sleeve. The Dolly Parton's America podcast overwhelming my ears was immediately paused but our West Highland Terrier was far more interested in chasing scent than stopping to feel sentimental.
When the tracks reopen it will no longer be possible for kids of the suburb to shift a spade from the garage, grab a couple of logs and a few examples of local dolerite, and build the jumps that defined our childhood.
The 30-kilometre radius proposed by the state government to gain access to reserves was a talking point when restrictions eased last Monday. Screenshots of Google Maps were prominent on the socials as a result.
I suspect it may be exaggerated when considering proximity to the North-East mountain bike mecca of Derby. Perhaps a defence could be offered: "We are training for the World Championships".
For all the battles that have been fought over Tasmanian Forests, I regularly see the irony in those of us who desperately hunger for protected areas. Often not politically aligned nor activists of the 1982 Gordon-below-Franklin Dam project dispute, rather, just average punters who wish to escape the grind to relive a misspent youth by clicking in and haring down the hill on a far more expensive dual-suspension chariot than their 1980's BMX.
May 5 is the birthdate of the late Gustav Weindorfer. He is often hailed as a pioneering hero of Cradle Mountain, even an environmentalist. However, Mr Weindorfer didn't mind a bit of development including significant road infrastructure. Not all trees survived. He wanted to create less arduous access to encourage guests to book and stay at the chalet, perhaps Tasmania's first Airbnb.
The proposed Dove Lake Viewing Centre at Cradle Mountain, designed by a leading local architect, is due for commencement having passed planning hurdles - some people don't like it while others think it will be perfect. Welcome to Tasmania.
Maria Island National Park was proclaimed to protect animals like a modern-day Noah's Ark.
Prior to that Diego Bernacchi built a concrete batching plant using the island's limestone. It wasn't very successful because times were tough with little money to be made. Some years later Parks and Wildlife tried to blow-up the reinforced chimney stack with dynamite, but it barely left a scratch.
In 2020 we struggle to accept any form of new development to accommodate tourists on Maria Island. It is a bit tough to understand. And who doesn't want to stay close to Freycinet National Park at Safire which is considered the best boutique hotel in the world. You can also camp in the National Park for just $16 per night, which is the ultimate bliss.
For those of us who spend so much time on beaches and in reserves and Recreation Areas and State Forests and National Parks and World Heritage Areas, it was difficult to understand why they were all closed. Of course, they are popular spots where people congregate and that needed to stop, but all of them?
The unintended consequence was folks moving to areas that remained open to ride a bike or walk the dog. The North Esk River where it meets the Tamar River, not well-known for its natural beauty and often secreting a distinctive aroma, became our substitute exercise area. As other reserves reopen, I suspect the numbers may ease on the trail constructed during the Ribbon of Blue...project by the City of Launceston.
My family ventured further into our recreation area as soon as we were permitted, and the dog returned to the scent. I can find peace there walking with Dolly Parton or even when descending at a fair clip.