Tasmanian Working Sheepdog Association driving 3050 sheep from Central Highlands to Bothwell
It might still be autumn but kunanyi/Mt Wellington is looking like a winter wonderland. Even an arctic blast, however, was not enough to stop the annual Tasmanian highlands sheep muster. SEE THE PICTURES AND VIDEO
Tasmania
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UPDATED: It might still be autumn but kunanyi/Mt Wellington is looking like a winter wonderland as Tasmanians and tourists flock to the summit to frolic in the snow.
Matt Bailey, of Western Australia, took advantage of the chilly conditions to show his three-year-old son Louie snow for the first time.
The arctic blast wasn’t enough to stop the hardy drovers and dogs on the annual Tasmanian highlands sheep muster.
A small team of drovers from the Tasmanian Working Sheepdog Association will spend the next three days driving 3050 sheep from the state’s Central Highlands down to their home property Dungrove near Bothwell.
Organiser Michael Grant said this was the coldest start to the drove they have had since the association started doing it about six years ago.
“We’ve been blessed with pretty good weather most of the other years, so it had it come at some stage I suppose,” he said.
Members of the TWSA do the drove as a fundraiser each year and the sheep’s owners, the Downie family, donate the money they would have otherwise spent trucking the sheep home.
Bureau of Meteorology forecaster David Matthews last night confirmed yesterday was Hobart’s coldest day this year, reaching a top of 12.7C. Today will reach a maximum of 16C.
“It snowed down to about 600m in the West and the South of the state,” Mr Matthews said.
“We’re certainly not expecting snow as low as we got today for the rest of the week.”
Mr Matthews said a front would cross Tasmania around midday today, causing westerly winds to increase and become strong and gusty.
FOR THE LATEST WEATHER WARNINGS, CLICK HERE
The damaging winds are expected to average 50 to 60km/h with peak gusts faster than 100km/h possible about central and southern parts of Tasmania.
The winds are expected to ease later this evening but there’s a severe weather warning in place for people in the Western, Upper Derwent Valley, South East, Central Plateau and parts of the East Coast and Midlands forecast districts.
Locations which may be affected include Orford, New Norfolk, Bothwell, Hobart, Geeveston and Dover.
EARLIER: Not even an arctic blast was enough to stop the hardy drovers and dogs on the annual Tasmanian highlands sheep muster.
A small team of drovers from the Tasmanian Working Sheepdog Association will spend three days driving 3050 sheep from the state’s Central Highlands down to their home property Dungrove near Bothwell.
This morning thick snow and strong winds made it a very chilly task.
The sheep were mustered off holding paddocks just west of the Great Lake at daybreak, before being started down the road.
Organiser Michael Grant said this was the coldest start to the drove they have had since the association started doing it about six years ago.
“We’ve been blessed with pretty good weather most of the other years, so it had it come at some stage I suppose,” he said.
The sheep are owned by the Downie family and are grazed on their highland run country over the warmer months.
It is a 33km journey home for the ewes, which will be put out with rams when they return ready for the lambing season in spring.
Members of the TWSA do the drove as a fundraiser each year and the Downie family donate the money they would have otherwise spent trucking the sheep home.
This year the team also includes Bernard McGlashan, Carol Walduck, Paul Jones, Kevin Norris and Louise Grant, along with eight working dogs.
Mr Grant said it had been a challenging start so far.
“The sheep are actually a bit unsure about the snow, so they haven't been travelling very well, but I’m sure they will settle after a little while,” he said.
Extra traffic because of the nearby wind farm development is another issue the drovers have to deal with this year.
“The trucks are pretty good, but the tourists are the biggest problem because they stop and get out to take photos which makes the sheep stop or go off into the bush,” Mr Grant said.
The sheep will be rested overnight and again tomorrow night on the journey down before arriving at Dungrove on Sunday.
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