Fagus in the Snow

Mt Field National Park, Tasmania

Mid-April is generally a little early for the fagus to be showing its best autumn colours, but with fresh snow falling at Mt Field, I figured it was worth heading up for a look.

Fagus (Nothofagus gunnii) is a pretty remarkable little tree. It's Australia's only native winter-deciduous tree, found only in Tasmania, mostly in the cooler alpine and subalpine areas. It's also been around for millions of years, with its ancestry stretching back to the ancient forests of Gondwana.

For much of the year, it's fairly easy to walk past without giving it much thought. But come autumn, those small, crinkled leaves begin changing from green to yellow, orange and deep red. Sometimes you'll find several colours on the same branch.

Mt Field National Park is one of the best places in southern Tasmania to see the annual turning of the fagus. Around Lake Fenton, you can find patches without walking too far, while the Tarn Shelf has some wonderful displays for those happy to tackle a longer walk. Up there, the fagus grows amongst the rocks and alpine tarns, and in a good year, the colour can be quite something.

The best time is usually around Anzac Day, although every year is a little different.

I headed up on 12 April, knowing it was probably a bit early for the full autumn display. As expected, there was still plenty of green, but the snow made up for it. Fresh snow had settled across the rocks, amongst the fagus and along its twisted branches, with patches of yellow and orange starting to appear.

Autumn colour and fresh snow together. Not something you get to photograph every day, and well worth the trip up the mountain.