Dry rainforest is rare. It is confined to deep, south-facing rocky gullies in the driest parts of the state. It has a dense, closed upper canopy of small trees, most notably native olive (
Notelaea ligustrina), pinkwood (
Beyeria viscosa), and dogwood (
Pomaderris apetala), with occasional emergent blackwoods (
Acacia melanoxylon).
Where to see dry rainforest
The walking track that passes along the northern bank of the dam in the Trevallyn State Recreation Area passes through a stand of dry rainforest, as does the track in the Truganini Reserve, south of Hobart.
Biodiversity values of dry rainforest
Dry rainforest is rare and carries a high conservation value.
Refer to
Threatened Species page for more information.
Management issues in dry rainforest
The main management issue for dry rainforest is the exclusion of fire. This vegetation type is not suitable for planned burning because of the fuel loads. Fire can lead to the destruction of dry rainforests, especially when repeated.
Extreme stock disturbance or logging can open up the understorey sufficiently to allow the invasion of some weeds, notably blackberry (Rubus fruticosus).
The management recommendations for dry rainforest are:
- exclude fire
- control woody weeds
See also
Weeds on this site for more information.