A season of transition, Autumn in Tasmania extends from 1st March through to 31st May, and generally weather patterns are more settled, with average temperatures varying from as low as 5°C overnight to an average 14°C daytime, though quite often we have days reaching a pleasant 18° to 22°C.

Autumn in Tasmania (photo by Carol Haberle)
Autumn In Tasmania: Season of the Senses
by Carol Haberle
A season of the ‘senses’ in Tasmania, Autumn is the time of fresh harvests, beautiful days of clear autumn light which bring a clarity to the subtle hues of our coastlines and a ‘magic’ is created in our wilderness as vivid colours come to life. Autumn is also the season where ‘twilight’ is much more pronounced in Tasmania, that ‘golden hour’ just before sundown, when the sun is low on the horizon creating a rich glow to be cast across the countryside, turning all a golden amber just before darkness descends.
Historic Autumn
Though much of our Tasmanian landscape blazes with colour during Autumn, we give thanks to our history for this, as our ancestors, convicts and free settlers brought with them on sailing ships, seed from the huge deciduous trees of their homelands in the hope of making their new homeland, then known as the convict colony of Van Diemen’s Land, a little like the one they left behind. As settlement took place, botanists also came to explore the ecology of this newfound wilderness, to test what would grow here under what were considered harsh conditions.
From England, Ireland and Europe we gained the mighty Oak, the Ash and the Elm trees, the sheer beauty of which can be seen in our historic towns of Westbury, Hagley, Richmond and Ross, to name but a few. They also brought with them seed from the Hawthorn, we see as hedges which line our country roads, the beautiful cool willows which line our riverbanks, all of which today put on a myriad Autumn display of either vibrant autumn leaves, rich red berries or glowing pink/orange branch tips. And from the North Americas we gained the tall, sweeping Lombardy Poplar, it’s beauty in Autumn best seen upon entering Latrobe via Spreyton. Latrobe, the home of Bell’s Parade, a once thriving major port in the mid to late 1800’s, now a beautiful park on the banks of the Mersey River, where the sheer magnificence of Ash and Elm trees over 100 years old, can be seen in their Autumn glory.

Latrobe Tasmania (photos by Carol Haberle)
Rural Autumn in Tasmania
As one travels through the rural, farming countryside, signs of Autumn become a patchwork of rich golden shades of yellow turning to greens, after winter fodder for livestock has been harvested and the early autumn rains replenish the fields, and of rich red/browns where the rich, fertile basalt soils are being freshly turned in preparation for winter crops.

Autumn: Forth, Tasmania (photo by Carol Haberle)
Rainforests in Autumn
No autumn experience in Tasmania is complete without a visit to our rainforests, whether it be on the rugged West Coast, The Tarkine in the far north-west or down south in Mt Field National Park. Cool night time temperatures and warmer days bring a feeling of ‘magic’…the soft mosses underfoot swell and grow rapidly as they draw in the moisture, becoming soft, damp sponges underfoot. The greens in the canopy of the huge myrtles overhead, the dogwoods and the tree ferns become deep, rich and vibrant. Feeding from the fallen leaf mulch, the fallen dead trees and decaying undergrowth, mosses in every conceivable shade of green and lichens in rich whites, yellows and oranges, begin to spread rapidly, and the fungi begins to burst forth, shades and hues of every colour.

Autumn rainforest: Tasmania (photos by Carol Haberle)
Turning of the Fagus ~ Uniquely Tasmanian
We have a purely endemic experience which goes almost unnoticed, only ever seen in Tasmania: ’the turning of the fagus’.
Tasmania can lay claim to only one native deciduous tree, Deciduous beech (Nothofagus gunnii), or fagus as it is best-known. The Deciduous Beech is a direct link back to the ancient supercontinent of Gondwana. Fossil records found at Cethana in northern Tasmania date back 35 million years to the early Oligocene period. A small tree, usually growing to 2 metres or less, and found only in places many would call inhospitable. Known also by European Settlers as ‘tanglefoot’, it can be the bane of a bushwalker getting caught in it’s twisted, ground hugging branches. But this usually insignificant tree is Australia’s only winter-deciduous tree, and can be found nowhere else in the world. The autumn display it gives is a kaleidoscope of greens, yellows, oranges and browns, and generally begins to occur around ANZAC day and only lasts two to three weeks.
Scientists, botanists, naturalists, conservationists and bushwalkers the world over have been known to make an annual pilgrimage to Tasmania to see what is locally known as ‘the turning of the fagus’, where it can be best seen creating a fiery blaze on mountainsides at Cradle Mountain–Lake St Clair National Park or in regions of Mt Field National Park.

Cradle Mountain National Park (photos by Carol Haberle)
All photos ©Carol Haberle, H&H Photography. You can follow Carol on Facebook at Haberle Photo Cards
What a wonderful article and how well you have described a Tasmanian autumn, my favourite season of the year.
Hi Lorraine,
I’m so happy you enjoyed my article, and must confess to Autumn also being my favoured season, I feel it truly brings out the ‘magic’ of my home state. Thanks for stopping by.
Great article Carol, the photos match each section perfectly, the colours of Autumn are beautiful.
Hi Erin (Mum), lol,
Thanks for stopping by, so appreciate your comments…Hugs!
It’s easy to see Carol that you are very passionate about your home state. A well written article. Having spent many autums in Tasmania before moving north, reading your writings makes one almost feel the autumn chill of Tasmania here in Qld.
Hi Laurie,
Thanks again for stopping by…and yes, I bet you miss those cool Autumn mornings!!! Hugs!
I simply love this article, and yes, I have to agree Autumn IS awesome in Tassie. But thank you so much for telling us about the turning of the fagus, I’ve never heard of ‘fagus’, now I need to go see it! I am learning so much I didn’t know about my home state from your articles Carol. THANK YOU so much 🙂
Hi Angela,
So happy you enjoyed my article, and I assure you it was a pleasure writing it, with Autumn being my favoured season here…thanks for stopping by.
A second article by Carol that makes me realize how little I know about Tasmania. When living overseas I did so much miss our long and beautiful twilights and dawns. Tasmania is unique in so many ways. I do hope Carol keeps her articles coming – her photography is the best I have seen.
Hi Roseann,
Thank you so much once again…I so value your comments, and must say, “You humble me…Thank you for stopping by once again”…Hugs!
It’s all beautiful Carol. My home state and I love it. The rural areas around Forth and Sassafras are just stunning, and I’ve seen Bells Parade just as you have shown it. I was in Canberra three weeks ago, to experience the magnificent autumn colours there, on my way to Hobart. But not much time to see the beautiful autumn colour changes in Tas. Thank you for sharing.
Absolutely great work, Carol.
I have followed your photography presentations quite closely for some time now, and am always impressed by the professionalism with which you present your work.
This ‘Autumn’ feature is no exception, but takes your work to another level, with the inclusion of so much relevant information to match the imagery.
You have presented such interesting, quality images, with equally interesting, quality information.
Together, they form an interesting, informative & beautiful presentation of what we all, locals & tourists alike, can experience in Tassie at this time of the year.
It is easy to see why we, in Tasmania, are the envy of Mainlanders.
I hope to see more of your talent featured in the future – please keep up the great work!
Hi Ali,
I assure you, it’s pure pleasure to be able to share the beauty of our home state…and the knowledge it’s bringing pleasure to the readers will surely keep me doing it. I’m just so happy ‘Think Tasmania’ have given me the opportunity to do it…and thank you Ali for stopping by!
Hello Tim,
Wow, how you humble me with your words. To receive those comments from a man whom I look up to and admire so greatly is certainly very humbling. What more can I say but, thank you, thank you, thank you…You give me so much inspiration Tim.
Sincerely,
Carol
An interesting article with spectacular photos to match. Makes me proud to be a Tasmanian!
Hi Mia,
Thank you for your kind words, and thanks for stopping by.
Sincerely,
Carol
Hi Carol,
Just read your article on autumn and it was written with such feeling. I really enjoyed it. I also think we live in the the best place.
Keep up the GREAT work.
Danny
Hi Danny,
I’m so happy you enjoyed the article…and yes, I agree, we DO live in the best place, it’s ‘magic’! Thanks so much for stopping by, I so appreciate your support. Hugs!
Carol
I enjoyed reading your comments & photos. I to are a Photographer in the mainland. And hoping to catch tassie”s autumn coloures.God gives us this gift,so its up to us to capture his work of nature, in a creative way to show the public what a beauitful place tassie is. I think you are lucky to be surrounded by loverly images, and capturing in there right perspectives. Keep up the good work ,Carol. I am hoping to be there in 2013 autumn, God bless Luv Arnold.
The noticable season changes is what my dad (originally from Northern Queensland) loved about Tas. And for an artist it is perfect!
So beautiful and magical! My favourite time of the year! Thanks for displaying it so splendidly!