TASSIE IS A WORLD APART

Attenborough tells millions of viewers ...

THE world’s most famous naturalist David Attenborough declares Tasmania to be a “weird and wonderful” island “full of surprises” in a new documentary to be aired worldwide.

In the documentary, produced in association with the BBC and shot by a Tasmanian crew, Sir David tells the story of our island’s wildernesses, its seasons — and our unique animals.

“Tasmania is full of surprises: Australia, yes — but with a twist,” Sir David, pictured, says in the 50-minute film that airs on the ABC this Sunday. “Though it lies just to the south, Tasmania is a world apart.

“It’s a world of ancient forests, of pristine rivers, and a coastline that’s both wild and beautiful. This is Tasmania: the weird and wonderful isle at the bottom of the world.”

In the 50-minute documentary, to air this Sunday on the ABC, Sir David discusses the diverse regions of Tasmania, including Cradle Mountain, Maria Island, Bruny Island, the West and North-West, as well as the South and East Coast.

Sir David, 92, delves into Tasmania’s climate, forests, rivers and coastlines, but he also discusses the Tasmanian devil, wallabies, echidnas, spotted quolls, wombats, platypus, penguins and The Freshwater crayfish.

“Tasmania is full of surprises: Australia, yes — but with a twist,” Attenborough says in the film.

“Though it lies just to the south, Tasmania is a world apart. Indeed there’s nowhere on Earth quite like Tasmania.”

The documentary was produced by Tasmanian company Black Devil Productions alongside Humble Bee Films and the BBC. It will also be screened to millions of people across Britain, Europe and the US.

Tasmanian wildlife filmmaker Max Moller, of Black Devil, helped produce the documentary with Stephen Dunleavy and Damon Heath- er. His wife Christine MollerFoster, a scientist, was also chief researcher and script developer for Sir David.

Mr Moller met the naturalist in Bristol about two years ago alongside Mr Dunleavy, where they showed him footage of Tasmania.

Mr Moller said Sir David last came to Tasmania in 1997 and while in Britain they discussed the state’s beauty.

“Tasmania for him was a real gem, he said he loved Tasmania when he was here last,” he said.

“He said he would love to be involved in the documentary. He was very excited … but he couldn’t fly due to his age.”

Brand Tasmania executive director Robert Heazlewood said having the naturalist narrate the documentary would further promote the state’s wilderness image overseas.

“If you sat down and said who you would want to narrate a film about Tasmania, you’d say David Attenborough,” he said. “It’s an absolute gift for us.” But surprisingly, the documentary is Mr Moller’s first and last production.

“I said to my wife that if David Attenborough ever narrated my filming, I’d stop and focus on my engineering work,” he said.

“I came here eight years ago from Melbourne … and it’s amazing here so this is my gift to Tasmanians.”

Sir David opens the documentary by saying: “At the southern tip of the Australian continent lies a remote island — an immense wilderness divided by mountains.

“It’s a world of ancient forests, of pristine rivers, and a coastline that’s both wild and beautiful. Its animal inhabitants are as extraordinary as they are bizarre. This is a land of black devils, of white wallabies; where lights dance in the southern sky, and trees tower to 100 metres. This is Tasmania: the weird and wonderful isle at the bottom of the world.”

The documentary will air at 7.30pm.