In 2011, the world celebrates International Year of Forests. It’s a big event given the importance of forests in Australians’ lifestyles and the role our forests will play in the effects of global warming.
Huon Bush Retreats, part of Mount Misery Habitat Reserve, located at Ranelagh, 50 minutes south of Hobart, is playing its part to preserve forest habitat for recreational enjoyment and also environmental benefits.
Mount Misery Habitat Reserve is a loose collection of cooperatively managed private properties of about 13 square kilometres (3,250 acres). 100 hectares of this reserve is owned by Huon Nature Trust and leased to Huon Bush Retreats for its unique accommodation and walking track network.
At Huon Bush Retreats, five kilometres of walking tracks, ranging from very easy to moderate, winds its way through a range of habitats including fire-recovering dry eucalypt regrowth forest, wet gullies with dogwood over story and moss-blanketed ground, a rainforest gully with majestic myrtle and sassafras trees, tree ferns and moss covered logs and the incredible old-growth eucalypt forest where 350 year old trees reach 60 metres tall, eventually climbing up to sub alpine heath land. You can see all of this in just a 2-3 hour return walk.
So, Huon Bush Retreats is definitely catering for recreation, but how does the environment benefit from a tourism accommodation venture? Well, they are proud of conserving natural and cultural values and sharing them with their guests.
Huon Bush Retreats outperforms the Best Practice level for Green Tourism certification, including CO2 produced. However, onsite carbon absorption is not accounted for in the Green Tourism calculations. Calculations using National Greenhouse Office methodologies indicate that Huon Nature Trust’s 100 hectares absorbs and protects approximately 3,388 tonnes of CO2 per year. This gives an overall carbon balance of 3,898 tonnes positive per year.
At Huon Bush Retreats, well designed, comfortable, modern accommodation and a serious approach to environmental sustainability enable an intimate experience with nature - not only trees, but also an abundance of wildlife.
All walks are open to overnight and day visitors free of charge, although they do welcome donations for maintenance of their tracks.
For those who want to stay and experience a real bush retreat, choose from a deluxe tipee, luxury studio cabin, two bedroom cabin, or a campervan and campsite for the budget-conscious.
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