In the northernmost and the newest (established 2001) Tasmanian National Park, on the largest island in the Kent Group in the Bass Strait, there live volunteer caretakers Cathie and David. Not only have they worked and volunteered for the Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment (DPIPWE) over many decades, but they are even participating in the upcoming Tasmanian Ranger Relay, to help raise funds for the Forest Guards in Timor-Leste. Cathie has described her work and island life for us:
My husband David worked in the agriculture section of DPIPWE for 40 years (and then the agriculture section was closed down!) and has been retired since the end of 2014. I worked for PWS in various capacities for 20 years before returning to my previous career of nursing. Now semi-retired, David and I both do a lot of volunteer jobs for DPIPWE, various Wildcare groups, Bush Heritage and the Tasmanian Land Conservancy. There’s plenty of volunteer conservation work to be done!
Here on Deal Island our chief requirement is that we are a ‘presence’ for the Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service (PWS) on the remote Kent Group National Park for the protection of the cultural heritage buildings, operation of the Kent Group Museum, and to do minor maintenance on the buildings as well as some weed management, visitor meet and greet (we’ve not had any visitors, but they would be assured of a warm greeting and well-kept site if they arrived!). Also maintenance of airstrip re mowing and fence maintenance (airstrip strictly for PWS use only) and track maintenance re mowing, brush-cutting. And tending the vegetable garden for the ongoing use by the caretakers who swap at roughly three month intervals.
Jobs we’ve done to date in the last fortnight:
· Mowing of the compound area (around the houses, museum, workshop)
· Maintenance to water tanks (installation of new steel cables and painting and greasing existing cables.
· Spray interior of historic light house for mould (and will do follow-up here)
· Weed removal (horehound, agapanthus, arum lily, ragwort). Just digging these out as we have no herbicides.
· Other minor maintenance jobs.
We’re also very much enjoying the views, learning about this remote island, reading, birds(!) walking, and just being here and the isolation.
Cathie will be walking on Deal Island during the month of the Ranger Relay, and we will be sharing her adventure here and on social media - possibly delayed by the temperamental reception!