Mawbanna is a small rural settlement in tasmania's North West. The locality of Mawbanna was the site of the last recorded kill of a thylacine (Tasmanian Tiger) on 6th May 1930. local farmer Wilf Batty shot the thylacine after seeing it kill poultry on his Mawbanna property. The bullet had penetrated the shoulder of a male Tasmanian Tiger, leaving him alive for another 20 minutes.
The carcass was sold to animal dealer James Harrison of Wynyard for £5 who in turn sold it to the Hobart Museum where the body was prepared for taxidermy before being sent on a tour around Australia. The now extinct marsupial looked like a cross between a hyena and a tiger. A memorial signpost marks the spotwhere the animal was shot, with a photo of Wilf and his Tiger.
Dip Falls Nature Reserve
Dip Falls Nature Reserve is basically a deserted rainforest that surrounds one of the prettiest waterfalls in Tasmania's north west. It is a pleasant bushwalk through private property to the falls. The walk is quite steep, and is pretty much all stairs to get down. The stairs are pretty narrow and get slippery from the moisture in the air, so be careful. When you get to the bottom there is a great view of the falls, and they are quite unique with the water running over basalt which as formed many hexagonal columns.
The Big Tree
Another attraction in the forest is The Big Tree, a 400 year old browntop stringybark tree standing head and shoulders above all the other much smaller trees in the surrounding rainforest. The Big Tree is 62 metres tall, and at 16 metres, it definitely has the widest circumference of any tree in Australia.
Where Is it?
Mawbanna is 25 minutes south east of Stanley (27 km), en route to Dip Falls.
Water Wheel Creek Timber Heritage Centre
Water Wheel Creek Timber Heritage Experience is located on 20 hectares (49 acres) of forested land. Here you can take a guided tour to see Tasmania's only working example of a timber tramway. Discover the spirit of early pioneers in the Heritage Museum and browse the displays of restored pioneer machinery, artefacts, photographs and memorabilia to gain an insight into life in the early timber communities of Tasmania's north west.
You can also take a guided Forest Experience Walk. On this gentle, tracked walk through native forest you will discover a complex eco-system and the diverse wildlife it supports. See Tasmanian rainforest trees including blackwood, sassafras and myrtle and walk in the shade of giant tree ferns. You may even catch a glimpse of an elusive platypus or giant Tasmanian freshwater crayfish.
Visit the Bushman's Cafe to try freshly made cakes and scones, sustaining snacks and steaming tea and coffee. Soak up the atmosphere of the surrounding forest on the outdoor deck.
Major Attractions
