Tasmania is an island full to bursting with strange and wonderful wildlife. It is unlike anywhere else on Earth. 150 miles south of mainland Australia, next stop the frozen expanses of Antarctica. However, with snowy mountains, temperate rainforests, pristine sandy beaches and glacial lakes, Tasmania is truly as unique and awe-inspiring as its giant neighbours.
Tasmanian people have always seen themselves as distinctive. Australian, yes, but with a twist. The same is true of the wildlife because this little island is home to the biggest, most vicious carnivorous marsupial of them all, the Tasmanian devil. Other creatures found on the mainland are in prolific numbers here. The bizarre platypus, the echidna and the bumbling wombat to mention just a few.
Along sheltered, rocky coasts swims the smallest penguin in the world, aptly called the fairy penguin. Its presence along Tasmania’s shoreline is a result of the island’s proximity to the bountiful waters that surround Antarctica.
Moving between the lives of these key creatures as the seasons progress, we showcase the landscapes that make this island so special. We also meet a whole cast of other Tasmanians – including white wallabies, eastern quolls, jumping ants and glowing worms.
’Tasmania: Weird and Wonderful’ is a visual feast filled with intimate stories and amazing discoveries from one of the few places on the planet that can still be considered truly primeval.