Narawntapu National Park (formerly known as Asbestos Range National Park) is a national park in the Australian state of Tasmania. It lies on Tasmania's north coast, adjoining Bass Strait, between Port Sorell in the west and the mouth of the Tamar River in the east. It lies about 20km east of Devonport, 60km north-west of Launceston and 250km north of Hobart.
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Narawntapu encompasses islands in the Port Sorell estuary and the Carbuncle, as well as land extending to low water mark, including intertidalmudflats. The highest point of the park is 392 m ASL. It is listed on Australia's Register of the National Estate.[1]
The park was originally reserved, as the Asbestos Range National Park, on 29 June 1976. The name was changed to Narawntapu in 2000 because of concerns that the word 'Asbestos' was deterring potential visitors. 'Narawntapu' is of Tasmanian Aboriginal origin, referring to the coastal promontories West Head and Badger Head within the park.[2]
Climate
Narawntapu has a temperate maritime climate with an annual, mainly winter, rainfall of 750mm. The prevailing winds are from the north-east and north-west. Mean temperatures are 17°C in January and 9°C in July.[1]
There is also a rich diversity of birdlife in the land surrounding the wetlands. At certain times of the year, several species of ducks, as well as herons, swans, cormorants, coots, bitterns and grebes call the lagoon home.[2]
In 2019, the population of wombats had been reduced to between 3 and 10 individuals following an outbreak of mange that began in 2010. Scientists implemented a drench technique at burrow entrances to treat the animals. The treatment contained the disease for a short while but ultimately all of the mange-infected wombats died.[4]
Anon. (2000). Narawntapu National Park, Hawley Nature Reserve - Management Plan 2000. Parks and Wildlife Service, Tasmania. ISBN0-7246-2122-9"Archived copy"(PDF). Archived from the original(PDF) on 22 July 2008. Retrieved 21 July 2008.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) PDF download