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TASMANIA History
Some 68 000 years ago, Tasmania was connected to the main continent of Australia by a strip of land, providing Aboriginal people with easy access to both of these locations. However, as the Ice Age came to an end and the ice melted, causing the sea level began to rise significantly, this land bridge dropped below the level of the water, separating Tasmania from the mainland completely. The Aboriginal people of Tasmania were nomadic and well-adapted to their environment. Their culture was well developed and each tribe and clan displayed different languages, customs and cultures, making it a complex race.
Able Tasman was a Dutch explorer that spotted the island for the first time in 1642 and had named it Van Diemen’s Land. He was followed by Captain James Cook and explorer La Perouse, who both stopped on its shores to meet with the local people. The British felt somewhat threatened at the French’s increasing interest in this land and felt it necessary to establish additional colonies in order to cover a wider area.  Tasmanian Flag This early colony did not do well. There was a severe shortage of food, the residents consisted mainly of inexperienced convicts and there were escaped criminals who were running free and uncontrolled by the government. Conflicts between the settlers and the local Aboriginal people became serious. The indigenous folk were treated abysmally, with no dignity or human rights. Because the Tasmanian Aboriginal tribes were confined to this island, they reacted more aggressively than local tribes in other areas of Australia.
Port Arthur was constructed in 1830. This port, along with the Macquarie Harbour on the opposite end of the island, was feared for its endless vantage points and heavily guarded access locales. Even the most seasoned of criminals was humbled under these conditions.
Over the course of many decades, Tasmania continued to develop and grow. Apples, timber and copper mining became veritable industries in the region.
During the 1930’s, the economic depression made a huge dent in the progress of Tasmania. As a result, the many rivers were being reconsidered in terms of power generation. This would save energy and money and would allow other industries to relocate to this island in order to take advantage of this natural energy supply (this process was called hydro-industrialisation). This worked well and Tasmania soon felt the positive effects.
Today, Tasmania is particularly environmentally-conscious. Its rich diversity of fauna and flora are valuable, both in terms of natural wealth as well as for the tourism industry. For this reason, Tasmania is committed to ensuring that these resources are sustained in a safe and responsible way.
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