was very clear, and the distant moun¬ 
tains as they appeared rank upon rank 
into the dim distance were. 1 truly a sight 
worth coming far to see. The view* 
from the summit was not the only 
magnificent, panorama, however, for on 
the homeward journey, as the autumn 
evening approached, and the mountain 
mists formed filmy scarfs above the 
autumn tints of the moorlands, the 
ever-changing panorama of hills and 
dales caused one to wonder why so few 
people care to wander from the beaten 
highways and revel in the delights of the 
Tasmanian mountains and moorlands. If 
s<» very few Tasmanians really know the 
magnificence of their heritage, how can 
we expect visitors and others beyond 
the seas to know of it? The rugged 
grandeur of our mountains and the charm 
of the Alpine moors are a closed book 
to most. 
“For what do they know of Tasmania 
V ho only the highways know?” 
When the trail led back to the shores 
of Lake Fenton the autumn day was 
closing in. and its departure was a lif¬ 
ting ending to such a dav. Av r av to 
the west the s un was setting behind the 
distant, mountains, tinging their sum¬ 
mits with pink and gtdd, and lending a 
gossamer effect to the wreaths of moun¬ 
tain mists, which were beginning to col¬ 
lect. Across the moor the last rays 
brought out the beautiful colouration of 
the various Alpine plants which form 
the highland carpets of such places, 
whilst in the foreground was the lake 
itself, its waters still and calm, the. 
setting sun, together with the shadows 
of the hills, causing a colour scheme of 
true magnificence. The surface was as 
though paved with opal, the autumn 
sunset rapidly mixing the pinks and 
blues, merging them into the dark 
shadows of the gnarled eucalypts and 
pines which fringe the banks, whilst ever 
and anon a stray sunbeam, escaping 
through one of the massive chasms of 
stony bastions of the western pinaeles. 
would dart across the surface, lighting 
up the already rich colouration, as 
though with fire. Slowly the colours 
faded. Pile opalescent tints gave place 
to a dull grey and the dark shadows of 
the hills crept further into the hike. 
whilst the mists lightly enfolded tho 
summits of the higher peaks, the honey- 
eaters and jays ceased their calls, and 
one began to listen for the notes of the 
spotted owl. Again, however, the 
scene changed for the rocky ramparts 
of Yeager’s Lookout became bathed in 
light, and over the summit rose the 
Faster moon in all the glory of its 
fullness, lighting up the lake* and its 
surrounding with a soft light, softened 
by filtration through the thin wisps of 
mist, which lent an eerie air to the rug¬ 
ged and gnarled encalypts which stand 
as sentinels along tlu* shore, their twist- 
<‘d trunks affording ample evidence of 
the gales which sweep the mountain--, 
the thought of which caused one to re- 
lleet upon the changes wicli occur in 
such a short, time. It seemed wonder¬ 
ful to think that hut a few hours before 
we had viewed tin* lake in the fierce 
grasp of a westerly gale, its surface 
whipped into foam, whilst showers of 
sleet- and snow blotted out even the 
nearby hills. With all its variations, 
climatic, geological, botanical, and such, 
our island home might well be termed 
the “Isle of Variations.” As Tasman¬ 
ians we should bo proud of our heritage, 
and see that in the future its charms 
are made better known. Already it is 
referred to as tho Switzerland of the 
south, hut its natural beauties arc only 
known in small proportion. The rug¬ 
ged majestic grandeur of our Western 
highlands, with their variety of stony 
pinnacles, open moors, and silver lakes, 
have yet to pome into their own. not 
«>nly as places to he visited in the ■ um- 
nier months, hut as winter resorts, when 
tlu* snow adds additional charm, the un¬ 
dulating slopes provide courses for the 
us of the ski, and the frozen surface 
of the lakes tempt the skater. Those 
<>l us who are fortunate enough to know 
i h*ko regions fed sure that in tlu* future 
they will become famous in a way un¬ 
dreamt of by the present marsupial in¬ 
habitants or even by many of Tas¬ 
mania's present inhabitants belonging to 
tI k* genus homo. 
Amidst such surroundings as these the 
Easter days passed all too quickly. .Many 
of tlu* more accessible beauty spots were 
visited by various parties from the 
