Island intersections: a correspondence about educational research in Tasmania

Tasmania: an island placePositioned at 41° south of the equator, Tasmania is the only island state ofAustralia. The state covers a land area of over 68,000 km2, of which half is currentlyin national or state reserves. Approximately 530,000 people live inTasmania, with half of residents living in the greater Hobart precinct (Governmentof Tasmania, 2019). The median age of Tasmanians is 40, and, the percentageof children under 15 years of age in the community has decreased from 22%in 1996 to 18% in 2014 (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2015). Hydroindustrialisation,agriculture, and resource extraction are major contributors tothe Tasmanian economy, while the largest industries for employment includehealth care and social assistance (12%), retail trade (11.3%), public administrationand safety (9%), followed closely by education and training (8.9%) (AustralianBureau of Statistics, 2013; Government of Tasmania, 2017; Stratford, 2008)