Abstract:
Port Davey and Bathurst Harbour, two connecting embayments located on the southwestern coast of Tasmania, comprise the only large estuarine system in southern Australia without significant human impact. No roads or river impoundments are present within the 2000 km 2 catchment area. Vegetation has not been cleared from land within the catchment other than ca. 1 km 2 of alluvial tin mine workings at Melaleuca south of Bathurst Harbour, and small abandoned settlements for timber workers and bay whalers developed in the early 19 th century, with associated selective logging of huon pine along rivers at that time. The resident population during the past century has not exceeded 20 persons, and presently comprises two tin miners, supplemented by seasonally varying numbers of fishers, and increasing numbers of tourists, scientists and managers.
Coastal southwestern Tasmania, including the Port Davey region, has a long history of Aboriginal occupation, most likely extending back at least 35,000 years. Aboriginal inhabitants modified the coastal landscape by establishing foot tracks and by frequent firing of vegetation to maintain moorlands. Because of relatively low plant productivity in hinterlands, much of the Aboriginal diet consisted of marine animals, including periwinkles, abalone, fur seals, rock lobsters, limpets, oysters, cockles and mutton birds, but apparently not finfish (Luckman & Davies 1978).
