前言: 塔斯曼利亞一向俾人感覺係一個 parsdise，簡單，少污染，隨住旅遊業迅速發展，呢個地方究竟仲係咪好多人心目中嘅樂土呢？今次搵到係塔斯曼利亞做導遊嘅 Dan 傾計。
1. Are you from Tasmania? Have you been working as a tour guide in Tasmania?
No. I am from a small town called Albury. I have been working as a tour guide for 10 years and have been staying in different parts of Australia, including Tasmania. I will be based in Tasmania in the next couple of years as I will be studying next year and I will have tours during weekend.
K: Why do you choose to stay in Tasmania in the coming years?
Aside from the wish to study, I have 50 acres of land in Central Tasmania and that’s why I decided to come back.
2. What do you like best about Tasmania?
We have the friendliest people here. We have good scenery, fresh air, the mountains and clear water.
3. It is given the impression to outsider Tasmania is a paradise. What do you think?
Tourism grows quickly here, especially in the last 5 years and for Asian market. However, the rate of increase for infrastructure is not catching up and that cannot fulfil the demand from tourists.
K: Do the people here welcome the growth of tourism?
Usually shop owners welcome the development while non shop owners don’t. The people here are getting a bit frustrated with the increasing number of cars.
Actually there is an accommodation crisis in Hobart (capital of Tasmania). Many people buy and rent the flat as AirbNb and that causes a rise in the price of the property.
4. From my impression Tasmania is a simple place. Is it still valid now?
Tasmania was old school in the past but we are now catching up. It is our Museum of Old and New Art that makes Tasmania more famous as it is a world class museum and many people come to visit this place. On top of that, University of Tasmania is getting better reputation too.
5. What’s the perception of the locals towards wildlife?
No matter which place, there are always some people who don’t like animals but most people here welcome them.
6. Is the Tasmanian government taking a proactive role in protecting the precious natural resources?
Our government is quite conservative and is not taking a proactive role. Instead, the government prefers making money than environmental protection. They only have special policy in world heritage listed areas or national parks.
7. Do you think Tasmania is a good example to demonstrate the co-existence of human and wildlife?
I think only in some areas of Tasmania. Actually a lot of animals are hit by cars in Tasmania. And we have bad historical records. For example, the Tasmanian tigers were endangered in 1936 because they were all hunted. The Tasmania Devil got a detrimental disease in 1996 and it was suspected that forestry poison was the cause of the disease and killed so many of them.
I always think we can do better. One good example to show the co-existence of human and wildlife would be Maria Island where we have minimal disturbance to the wildlife and at the same time we have many tours here.
後記: Dan 當日就係我去 Maria Island 嘅導遊，見到可愛野生動物例如袋熊，袋鼠當然想接近啲，但 Dan 有提醒我地唔好打亂佢地日常生活，所以我地都只係係遠處靜靜觀察，係呢個荒島真係好感受到人與動物嘅共存。
Dan 有介紹一套 YouTube 影片 “Devil Island”，內容講述以前 Tasmanian Devil 如何受疾病影響，政府又如何保育 Maria Island，有興趣嘅讀者唔好錯過。
有故事的人 Story Teller | Kenry Lee 