Bicheno


The information panel just visible there outlines the Bicheno History Trail and says, in part:

It was the discovery of coal in the 1840’s which led to a permanent settlement at Bicheno. The Douglas River Coal Company shipped coal through Waub’s Boat Harbour. Government officials were brought into the area and support industries were well established. However, the mines were ultimately unsuccessful and eventually closed in 1858.

In the late 19th century, the  commercial potential of the fishing ground off Bicheno began to be recognised, and by the 1930’s the industry was well established.

Tourism was in its infancy around the turn of the century, although Bichno, being relatively isolated by poor roads, was not seen as a visitor destination. Travellers had to rely on the steamer service,  or rail and coach. However, in the period following World War II, the tourism industry on the East Coast really began to take off and remains an important part of Bicheno’s economy today.

There are similar panels around the town. I’ve included some of the text from them below, in italics.

At the town’s major crossroad of Burgess and Foster Street, using £750 in deferred pay form his service in the R.A.A.F., and with the help of his sister, [Brian Winspear] opened a small shop and soon after a service station. The service station was removed in the 1980’s.

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Garibaldi

Two miles more, and we emerge from the forest into a few acres of cleared ground. How changed is the scene! Thirty houses–more like sheds with full dome roofs–stand on both sides of a long narrow street. Each house has the same architecture, or the want of it. Each is built close against its neighbour as if appealing for protections. There are no fences, no gardens, no comfortable look about any. One or two seem to hide away behind poles which may be embryo verandahs. Inside the rooms are small, and crowded with all sorts of things, useful and otherwise. Celestials in European clothes are popping in and out, and if bland smiles are evidence of happy, good nature, these citizens of Chinatown are full of it. Every house sports its Chinese lantern and red paper with Chinese hieroglyphics printed thereon. Fruit, sweets, soups, and all manner of refreshments are given liberally to visitors, and the whole place is a hum of activity.

Leaving the one main street we go a few hundred yards to a separate building of larger dimensions. This is the josshouse. Hundreds of visitors are round about it and here, too, we find most of the Chinese congregated. Beautiful and costly lanterns are hung by the josshouse door. Round some lanterns are paper mandarins, etc. revolving on stately procession. Inside the building one is almost overcome with the strong incense and heated air from multitudes of burning tapers. Heavily decorated silks. etc. shut off most of the end view, where, perhaps, Joss himself has his abode for the time. Most of the decorations are very elaborate, and some are exceedingly beautiful. About thirty yards in front of the josshouse stands a huge gallows, so high that our thoughts go back to the story of Haman; a long rope from the cross has a suggestive look too. While are looking and wondering at all this a fearful sound splits the air besides.
Rest of story.
The Mercury, 1 March 1912

Garibaldi WC
Tin Pot Row, Chinese Tin Miners’ at Garibaldi
Weekly Courier, 21 May 1914

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The Chinese New Year: the celebration of Garibaldi

A GRAPHIC DESCRIPTION
(By Our Gladstone Correspondent.)

From the Mercury, 1 March 1912

The day had been hot, tiring and enervating. Little gusts of wind had played with the quietly sleeping dust along the sandy roads, and the dust, resenting such treatment, had wrathfully risen in whirling clouds and vented its wrath on our poor unfortunate selves–but it is all over now; the sun has sunk below the distant ranges, the gusts of wind have followed, and the half-moon of night looks down upon a quiet, still world about us.

We leave Pioneer about 8 o’clock, and follow a fair bush road out towards the old Garibaldi mine, some three or four miles distant, for this is the Chinatown of the district. The tall gum trees throw their long shadows across our path, and make it a seemingly corduroy track. Not a leaf is stirring. Not a sound is heard. It seems as if night were once more mourning the death of another day, and a peculiar loneliness steals over us as only an Australian bushman can know. Two miles more, and we emerge from the forest into a few acres of cleared ground. How changed is the scene! Thirty houses–more like sheds with full dome roofs–stand on both sides of a long narrow street. Each house has the same architecture, or the want of it. Each is built close against its neighbour as if appealing for protections. There are no fences, no gardens, no comfortable look about any. One or two seem to hide away behind poles which may be embryo verandahs. Inside the rooms are small, and crowded with all sorts of things, useful and otherwise. Celestials in European clothes are popping in and out, and if bland smiles are evidence of happy, good nature, these citizens of Chinatown are full of it. Every house sports its Chinese lantern and red paper with Chinese hieroglyphics printed thereon. Fruit, sweets, soups, and all manner of refreshments are given liberally to visitors, and the whole place is a hum of activity.

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Lefroy

(This post is a copy of this post.)

Lefroy, population 2000. Once upon a time.

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Gold was found at Nine Mile Springs at various times, maybe even the first place on the island where it was found, but an 1869 discovery was the find of significance. (I think it was alluvial gold, being the sort you pick up off the ground/out of rivers so it attracts inviduals and small groups. Your typical gold rush scene. Most of the gold though the district is in reefs, which requires investments of time and money, and companies.) This discovery attracted a small but increasing number of miners. I found a picture of some from 1870! A year later at the opening of a new mine, the population was given as 120

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Weldborough

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Weldborough: Former mining town in the middle of the rainforest, established in the 1870s. That’s the whole town, other than a few houses. Once upon a time it was much bigger (and if you go to Google Maps and look at the town in map view, you can see the outlines of the now-gone roads in the property boundaries).

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I regret to say our time did not permit us to visit the Argus, Garibaldi, and ether mines in that vicinity, our business taking us on to Weldborough. This place is a good-sized township, and situated on a large plain, it also being known by the name of Thomas Plains. There is a Chinese camp, butchers’ shop, hotel, store, also a Government school and resident schoolmaster, who, we found, gave every satisfaction. On this large plain there is a very nice farm which is an ornament to the place, the owner being Mr. Bryce. I may mention here that the scenery is very pretty, the plain being surrounded on all sides by a myrtle country.
Launceston Examiner, 4 August 1888

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Franklin

Franklin is a long, thin town, running alongside the Huon River. Population about 300. (Compared to 3400 in 1891 census.)

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The tourist information board says:
Franklin became a busy river port and the cultural and commercial centre of the region. Franklin’s foreshore was reclaimed in 1922 to provide housing and recreation facilities in anticipation of greater population growth and ambitions that Franklin would become the third town of importance in Tasmania, after Hobart and Launceston. However, the replacement of river transport by roads led to Franklin’s relative decline especially in the second half of the 20th century. The River was no long the road.

Most of the buildings are on the inland (western) side of the highway.

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On the eastern side of the road is the river, sports grounds, jetties and the Wooden Boat Centre.

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Kempton

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Kempton, formerly known as Green Ponds, was a coaching town, and the highway ran through the middle.

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The Wilmot Arms was originally a licensed inn. To the left, you can see some people waiting for a coach.

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