Meehan Range

The Meehan Range is largely covered in native bushland and serves as critical habitat for a variety of flora and fauna. The range forms part of the South-east Tasmania Important Bird Area, identified by BirdLife International for its importance in conserving woodland birds, including the endangered swift parrot and forty-spotted pardalote.{{cite web | url=http://www.birdata.com.au/iba.vm | title=IBA: South-east Tasmania | work=Birdata | publisher=Birds Australia | access-date=13 October 2011 | url-status=dead | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706102341/http://www.birdata.com.au/iba.vm | archivedate=6 July 2011 }}

Native vegetation include Eucalyptus amygdalina,{{cite web | title=Statement of Evidence in the Tasmanian Planning Commission |first=Andrew |last=North | url=https://www.planning.tas.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/700448/Submission-Andrew-North-22-February-2023.PDF | access-date=2025-02-04}} Eucalyptus viminalis and Eucalyptus risdonii, commonly known as the Risdon peppermint, a rare mallee-form eucalypt endemic to Tasmania. The Risdon peppermint is greatly confined to the dry slopes of the Meehan Range, facing north-east to west, along the eastern shore of the River Derwent between Risdon and Grasstree Hill, with a smaller population at Mangalore. The species grows on Permian mudstone, ranging from sea level to elevations of {{convert|150|m}}.{{cite web |title=Eucalyptus risdonii - Threatened Species Link |website=Threatened Species Link |date=2025-01-25 |url=https://www.threatenedspecieslink.tas.gov.au/pages/eucalyptus-risdonii.aspx |access-date=2025-01-25}} Its glaucous blue-gray foliage produces an aromatic, menthol-scented peppermint oil. The Risdon Peppermint is classified as "rare" under the Tasmanian Government's Threatened Species Protection Act 1995.{{cite web |title=Eucalyptus risdonii |url=https://www.utas.edu.au/dicotkey/dicotkey/MYRTS/sEucalyptus_risdonii.htm |publisher=University of Tasmania |access-date=2019-12-15}}

Efforts by the Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service aim to preserve the range's biodiversity while accommodating sustainable recreational use. However, its natural bushland makes it highly vulnerable to bushfires during dry summers, as evidenced by the 1967 Hobart fires and the 2016 Tasmanian bushfires, which caused significant damage.

The Meehan Range is characterised by its Jurassic dolerite, formed approximately 165 million years ago during volcanic and tectonic activity. The range also contains older sedimentary rocks from the Permian and Triassic periods, as well as occasional basalt outcrops.{{cite web | title=Land Capability Survey of Tasmania: Derwent Report | publisher=Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment | url=https://nre.tas.gov.au/Documents/Land_Cap_Report_Derwent.pdf | access-date=2025-01-21 }}

The range's predominant rock type is dolerite, formed when magma cooled slowly underground. This coarse-grained igneous rock creates cliffs, ridges, and nutrient-rich soils, supporting diverse vegetation.

Beneath the dolerite are layers of sedimentary rocks, including mudstone, sandstone, and limestone, deposited in ancient marine and riverine environments.

Less common than dolerite, basalt outcrops in the range formed through surface volcanic eruptions and add to the area's geological diversity.

The Meehan Range includes several notable peaks, each offering unique geographic and recreational features:

• Mount Direction: {{convert|418|m|ft|0}}, known for its historical significance and views of the Derwent River.{{cite web | url=https://www.peakbagger.com/peak.aspx?pid=136260 | title=Mount Direction | publisher=Peakbagger.com | access-date=23 January 2025 }}
• Gunners Quoin: {{convert|361|m|ft|0}}, recognised for its dramatic dolerite cliffs and distinctive shape.{{cite web | url=https://www.peakbagger.com/peak.aspx?pid=136258 | title=Gunners Quoin | publisher=Peakbagger.com | access-date=23 January 2025 }}
• Flagstaff Hill: {{convert|435|m|ft|0}}, the highest point in the range and the centre of the Meehan Range Nature Recreation Area.{{cite web | url=https://www.peakbagger.com/peak.aspx?pid=161873 | title=Flagstaff Hill | website=Peakbagger.com | access-date=23 January 2025 }}
• Eagles Hill: {{convert|396|m|ft|0}}, offering panoramic views and accessible trails.
• Craigow Hill: {{convert|395|m|ft|0}}, popular for bushwalking.
• Golden Hill: {{convert|261|m|ft|0}}.
• Tunnel Hill: {{convert|273|m|ft|0}}.
• Caves Hill: {{convert|246|m|ft|0}}.

These peaks are interconnected by trails, making the range a hub for outdoor recreation.

The Meehan Range is a popular destination for outdoor activities, including bushwalking, rock climbing, and mountain biking.

The range features an extensive network of trails, including tracks leading to scenic lookouts with views of the River Derwent, Hobart, and Pitt Water.

The Meehan Range is home to the Clarence Mountain Bike Park, which offers a variety of trails ranging from beginner-friendly routes to advanced downhill tracks. Recent upgrades have enhanced the park's facilities, including the addition of the Jack Jumper Jumps Trail, a technical track designed for experienced riders.{{cite web |url=https://pulsetasmania.com.au/news/clarence-mountain-bike-parks-latest-jack-jumper-jumps-trail-excites-riders/ |title=Clarence Mountain Bike Park's Latest Jack Jumper Jumps Trail Excites Riders |publisher=Pulse Tasmania |access-date=23 January 2025}}{{cite web |url=https://www.ccc.tas.gov.au/2024/03/a-boost-to-mountain-biking-in-clarence/ |title=A Boost to Mountain Biking in Clarence |publisher=City of Clarence |date=March 2024 |access-date=23 January 2025}}

== History ==

The Meehan Range has a long and significant history, extending back thousands of years. It was originally home to the Mumirimina people, a tribe of the Paredarerme nation, whose presence reflected a deep connection to the land through traditional practices such as corroborees, hunting, and other cultural activities. However, colonial records provide only sparse documentation of their way of life.{{cite web | title=Aboriginal Cultural Heritage of the proposed Mangalore-Pontville Heritage Landscape Precinct |publisher=Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre |page=14 | url=https://tacinc.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/MANGALOREPONT-ABORIGINAL-VALUES-23-8-12-FINAL-2nd-ED.pdf | access-date=2025-01-26}}

In 1803, Lieutenant John Bowen established a settlement at nearby Risdon Cove, marking the beginning of British colonisation in Van Diemen's Land (modern-day Tasmania). The dispossession of the Mumirimina people from the Meehan Range and surrounding areas occurred early, rapidly, and extensively as European settlement expanded. By the early 19th century, most of the tribe had been displaced, with little documentation of their traditional lifestyle surviving in historical records. Archaeological discoveries, such as tools crafted from dark green bottle glass found alongside stone tools near the Bagdad Rivulet, Kutalayna levee at Brighton, and Crooked Billet, suggest intermittent Aboriginal presence in the region after European contact.

The Meehan Range was named after James Meehan, a surveyor who conducted mapping work in the area during the early 19th century. Between 1803 and 1806, Meehan explored the upper Derwent Valley and eastwards to Pitt Water, searching for land suitable for settlement and grants.{{cite web | title=Exploration by Land | website=University of Tasmania | url=https://www.utas.edu.au/library/companion_to_tasmanian_history/E/Exploration%20by%20land.htm | access-date=2025-01-26}}

Decades later, the range was traversed by a railway tunnel {{cvt|173|m}} long and situated {{cvt|12|m}} below the surface as part of the Bellerive–Sorell train line, which operated from 2 May 1892 until its closure on 30 June 1926.{{cite web | last=Rääbus | first=Carol | title=Bellerive and Sorell communities fondly remember 'Idiotic Railway' 90 years on | website=ABC News | date=2016-07-18 | url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-07-18/90-years-since-bellerive-to-sorell-railway-closed/7637854 | access-date=2025-01-26}}

In the 1960s, the Meehan Range became home to the Canopus Hill Observatory. The observatory’s 1-metre optical telescope played a key role in international research, including the detection of exoplanets through microlensing and the study of the atmospheric structure of giant stars. Notable contributions included identifying a dense atmosphere around Pluto and researching the optical counterparts of X-ray pulsars and transients.{{cite web | title=Astronomy | website=University of Tasmania | url=https://www.utas.edu.au/library/companion_to_tasmanian_history/A/Astronomy.htm | access-date=2025-01-26}}

By the mid-20th century, parts of the Meehan Range were repurposed for military use, including training exercises and the development of communications infrastructure.{{cite web | last=Peck | first=Damien | title=Camouflaged wartime history of Air Force Gully unveiled by Tasmanian long-time locals | website=ABC News | date=2015-09-18 | url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-09-18/camouflaged-wartime-history-of-air-force-gully-unveiled/6786760 | access-date=2025-01-26}}

Passing through the Meehan Range, the first section of the Tasman Highway between Rosny Hill Road and Mornington opened in 1974. During the 1990s, the section of highway between Mornington and the Hobart International Airport was fully duplicated with funds from the federal government.

In 2015, the Astronomical Society of Tasmania in collaboration with UTAS relocated its telescopes to the purpose-built Mount Pleasant Radio Observatory near Cambridge.{{cite web | title=Astronomical Society Tasmania | website=Astronomical | url=https://www.astas.org.au/professional_relationships | access-date=2025-01-26}}

In October 2006, a bushfire ignited in the Meehan Range, rapidly spreading due to strong winds and dry conditions. The fire threatened homes in nearby suburbs, including Flagstaff Gully, Lindisfarne, and Geilston Bay. Over 40 firefighting crews worked to contain the blaze, and a timely wind change helped redirect the flames away from residential areas, averting widespread property damage. The fire, however, caused significant environmental damage, burning through native bushland and impacting local wildlife.{{cite news | url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-10-09/firefighters-reflect-on-day-hobart-blessed-by-wind-change/7916250 | title=Firefighters reflect on day Hobart blessed by wind change | publisher=ABC News | date=9 October 2016 | access-date=23 January 2025 }}

Flagstaff Gully Quarry, located at the foothills of the range in Lindisfarne, has operated since the 1960s and is notable for its innovative environmental practices. Managed by Hanson Construction Materials, the quarry features a Terex MJ47 Modular Plant installed in 2015, capable of processing {{convert|350|t|lb|0}} per hour.{{cite web | title=Terex's MJ47 Modular Plant makes Hanson Tasmanian quarry debut | website=AggBusiness | url=https://www.aggbusiness.com/terexs-mj47-modular-plant-makes-hanson-tasmanian-quarry-debut/ | access-date=4 February 2025}} The site also utilises an {{convert|840|m|ft|0}} downhill, power-generating conveyor, reducing energy consumption and environmental impact.{{cite web | title=Downhill conveyor solution wins innovation prize | website=Quarry Magazine | url=https://www.quarrymagazine.com/downhill-conveyor-solution-wins-innovation-prize/ | access-date=4 February 2025}}

In 2016, the Environment Protection Authority approved a 24-hour bitumen plant at the quarry, increasing production capacity from {{convert|20000|t|lb|0}} to {{convert|50000|t|lb|0}} annually.{{cite web | title=Bitumen quarry expansion receives approval from Environment Protection Authority | website=The Mercury | url=https://www.themercury.com.au/news/tasmania/bitumen-quarry-expansion-receives-approval-from-environment-protection-authority/news-story/bc3c94ea899bfe796241738760948eb0 | access-date=4 February 2025}}{{cite web | title=EPA considers proposal for bitumen plant at Flagstaff Gully, Lindisfarne | website=Tasmanian Times | date=9 August 2016 | url=https://tasmaniantimes.com/2016/08/epa-considers-proposal-for-bitumen-plant-at-flagstaff-gully-lindisfarne/ | access-date=4 February 2025}} The EPA imposed conditions to manage air emissions and noise pollution, including emission controls and monitoring of vehicle movements. The quarry has received environmental awards for its sustainable practices and continues to operate under comprehensive environmental management plans.{{cite book | author=John Miedecke and Partners | title=Flagstaff Gully Quarry: Environmental Management Plan 2000 | publisher=John Miedecke | year=2000 | url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/238711222 | access-date=4 February 2025}}{{cite book | author=John Miedecke and Partners | title=Pioneer Concrete (Tasmania) Pty. Ltd.: Flagstaff Gully Quarry, Stage 2: Quarry Development and Environmental Management Plan | year=1990 | url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/238711251 | access-date=4 February 2025}}

• Mount Direction
• Gunners Quoin
• Flagstaff Hill

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{{Southern Tasmania |state=autocollapse}}

Category:Geography of Hobart

Category:Important Bird Areas of Tasmania

Category:City of Clarence

Category:Protected areas of Tasmania