The climate of eastern Tasmania indicated by its lichen flora

During a visit of five weeks to Tasmania, in February and March, 1891, while exploring for lichens in the 'neighbourhoods of Launceston, Mount Arthur, Ulverstone, Hobart, Mount Wellington, the Huon River, and St. Mary's Pass, I was struck with the general and unexpected poverty of the lichen flora, and, on looking about for the cause of this, I noted the evident frequency of bush fires, which are the most destructive enemies of lichen growth. This, however, did not wholly explain the matter, for, even where the plants might be expected to recover from the action of the fire, their vitality seemed to be checked by the dryness of the climate.
This was a discovery surprising to a Victorian, who had been accustomed to consider the climate of Tasmania a humid one.
An examination of meteorological authorities, however, showed that in the eastern portion of the island the rainfall is rot only less than it is in the western, but less than it is in Victoria. In the west and the highlands of Tasmania 75in. of rain have been registered in one year, and the average of the whole island is said to be 35in.; but the annual rainfall at Hobart is only 21-52in.