Midlands (Tasmania)
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The Midlands is a
Geography
Most of the Midlands is a region of relatively low plains drained mostly by tributaries of the
The climate of the Midlands is the driest in Tasmania, with annual rainfalls ranging from 450 to 600 millimetres (18 to 24 in). Rainfall is evenly distributed throughout the year and the region is less prone to very heavy rainfalls than the eastern coast of Tasmania. Because it is not surrounded by sea, the Midlands has both the warmest summers and some of the coldest winters in Tasmania. In summer, maximum temperatures average 24 °C (75 °F), whilst in winter most days have frosts, sometimes severe. The lowest temperature in the region is around −12 °C (10 °F) in 1902, when snow fell in Hobart city.
Owing to the relatively low rainfall and the presence of recently eroded fertile dolerite rocks, the soils are the most fertile in all of Tasmania. Most of them are quite close to the chernozems of Asia and North America, and consequently the Midlands is rich grazing land supporting intensive rearing of sheep. Some grain crops are also grown, though the summers are rather cool for them.
See also
- Regions of Tasmania
- North-west and west coast councils
References
- ^ "Southern Midlands (M), 2016 Census QuickStats". Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). Retrieved 13 October 2021.
- ^ "Northern Midlands (M), 2016 Census QuickStats". Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). Retrieved 13 October 2021.
- ^ "Welcome". Northern Midlands Council. Archived from the original on 7 December 2009. Retrieved 19 December 2009.
- ^ "Gateway to online information on all aspects of life, including local government, in Tasmania's heartland". A joint initiative of the Northern Midlands, the Southern Midlands, and the Central Highlands Councils. Midlands Initiatives for Local Enterprise Inc. 2002. Archived from the original on 18 May 2009.
Further reading
- Jetson, Tim (1991) History of the Midlands-Central Plateau region : printed sources Hobart: Centre for Tasmanian Historical Studies, University of Tasmania ISBN 0-85901-494-0(Series: Historical bibliographies of Tasmania ; no. 2)