History of Early Tasmania
1642: Abel Tasman charted the coast of Tasmania. He called it Van Diemens Land. He did not realise it was an island.
French and British made many more visits.
1773: Frenchman du Fresne sailed the Derwent River.
1773: Frenchman Furneaux rested in the Derwent River.
1773: Bruni d’Entrecasteaux planted vegetables at Recherche Bay.
1773: Hayes named the river the Derwent River after the river Derwent in Cumbria.
1777: British James Cook rested in the Derwent River.
1798-1799: Bass and Flinders circumnavigated and proved Van Diemens Land was an island. The British claim to the east coast of Australia did not apply to Van Diemens Land.
1792-1802: French and British fought each other in Europe.
1802: French explorers Baudin and Freycinet explore Tasmania.
1803: The Governor of NSW decided to settle Van Diemens Land to prevent a rival French colony.
He sent Bowen (23 years of age) to claim the island as British. Bowen settled at Risdon Cove.
21 male convicts; 3 female convicts; soldiers; a few free settlers.
1803-1804: David Collins arrives at Sorrento in Victoria. He is dissatisfied with the location and moves his settlement to the Derwent River.
When Collins arrives in Van Diemens Land he takes charge. He outranks Bowen. He dislikes the settlement at Risdon. Poor water supply. Poor port. When tide was out the port could not be used. He moves everybody to the Hobart Rivulet. Better water supply. Better port.
Tents erected at Sullivan’s cove on 20.2.1804.
Rev Knopwood conducts a religious service on 26.2.1804.
Hobart was originally called Hobart Town by David Collins. He wanted to please the Secretary for the colonies.
1804: Paterson arrives to establish a second colony on north of the island. Launceston begins.
24.2.1804: A wharf was built on Hunter Island. A store house built on Hunter Island. Access to Hunter Island was by a sandbar at low tide.
1805-1806: Conditions in the colony were tough. Supply ships did not arrive. The heat of summer was very annoying. Short rations for all.
1806: Whaling begins.
1807: Laycock rode overland by horse from Launceston to Hobart. And back.
1807-1808: Settlers arrive from Norfolk Island.
1810: Collins dies.
1811: Governor (of NSW) Macquarie toured Hobart Town. He saw a disorganised rabble.
He made plans for the town. The streets to be wider and an orderly grid. A community square. New church; new courthouse; the Bond Store; hospital, barracks; new market; signal stations.
1814: Several farms existed. Land grants to settlers or ticket of leave convicts.
174 km2 of land had been granted. The land holders were the new gentry. Most had not been gentry in England.
1816: 20,000 sheep in Van Diemens land. The Midlands.
1820: Population of Hobart was 10,000. The docks were busy. In came flax and rum. Out went whale oil, seal skins, wool. The port was a major cog in the British Empire. Resupplied ships.
1828: Cascades Female Factory built. The male convicts constructed infrastructure.
1831: Campbell St gaol opens. The Penitentiary.
Hobart’s isolation proved a very good place to transport convicts. The isolation also led to nefarious people hiding or escaping from the law coming to Hobart. Wapping was full of crime, prostitution and drinking.
Fruit was found to grow very well. Livestock did well. The harbour turned out to be one of the best deep water harbours in the world. Whaling and sealing become very important industries. Many of the whaling boats were built and repaired locally.
Inland roads were seldom and slowly built. Boats were the primary means of transport. Even with Launceston.
In good years wheat was exported to Sydney.
French and British made many more visits.
1773: Frenchman du Fresne sailed the Derwent River.
1773: Frenchman Furneaux rested in the Derwent River.
1773: Bruni d’Entrecasteaux planted vegetables at Recherche Bay.
1773: Hayes named the river the Derwent River after the river Derwent in Cumbria.
1777: British James Cook rested in the Derwent River.
1798-1799: Bass and Flinders circumnavigated and proved Van Diemens Land was an island. The British claim to the east coast of Australia did not apply to Van Diemens Land.
1792-1802: French and British fought each other in Europe.
1802: French explorers Baudin and Freycinet explore Tasmania.
1803: The Governor of NSW decided to settle Van Diemens Land to prevent a rival French colony.
He sent Bowen (23 years of age) to claim the island as British. Bowen settled at Risdon Cove.
21 male convicts; 3 female convicts; soldiers; a few free settlers.
1803-1804: David Collins arrives at Sorrento in Victoria. He is dissatisfied with the location and moves his settlement to the Derwent River.
When Collins arrives in Van Diemens Land he takes charge. He outranks Bowen. He dislikes the settlement at Risdon. Poor water supply. Poor port. When tide was out the port could not be used. He moves everybody to the Hobart Rivulet. Better water supply. Better port.
Tents erected at Sullivan’s cove on 20.2.1804.
Rev Knopwood conducts a religious service on 26.2.1804.
Hobart was originally called Hobart Town by David Collins. He wanted to please the Secretary for the colonies.
1804: Paterson arrives to establish a second colony on north of the island. Launceston begins.
24.2.1804: A wharf was built on Hunter Island. A store house built on Hunter Island. Access to Hunter Island was by a sandbar at low tide.
1805-1806: Conditions in the colony were tough. Supply ships did not arrive. The heat of summer was very annoying. Short rations for all.
1806: Whaling begins.
1807: Laycock rode overland by horse from Launceston to Hobart. And back.
1807-1808: Settlers arrive from Norfolk Island.
1810: Collins dies.
1811: Governor (of NSW) Macquarie toured Hobart Town. He saw a disorganised rabble.
He made plans for the town. The streets to be wider and an orderly grid. A community square. New church; new courthouse; the Bond Store; hospital, barracks; new market; signal stations.
1814: Several farms existed. Land grants to settlers or ticket of leave convicts.
174 km2 of land had been granted. The land holders were the new gentry. Most had not been gentry in England.
1816: 20,000 sheep in Van Diemens land. The Midlands.
1820: Population of Hobart was 10,000. The docks were busy. In came flax and rum. Out went whale oil, seal skins, wool. The port was a major cog in the British Empire. Resupplied ships.
1828: Cascades Female Factory built. The male convicts constructed infrastructure.
1831: Campbell St gaol opens. The Penitentiary.
Hobart’s isolation proved a very good place to transport convicts. The isolation also led to nefarious people hiding or escaping from the law coming to Hobart. Wapping was full of crime, prostitution and drinking.
Fruit was found to grow very well. Livestock did well. The harbour turned out to be one of the best deep water harbours in the world. Whaling and sealing become very important industries. Many of the whaling boats were built and repaired locally.
Inland roads were seldom and slowly built. Boats were the primary means of transport. Even with Launceston.
In good years wheat was exported to Sydney.