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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Stanley

Back in the early 19th century, speculators in the UK thought they could make money of all that unused land in the new colonies without actually having to travel out there, by establishing agricultural companies to grow fine wool that would be sold back home. One of these, the Australian Agricultural Company set themselves up in northern NSW. Another, the VDL Company, went to VDL. The colonial government wasn’t too happy about this intrusion, so they found themselves shoved up into the far, distant corner of the island.

Distance

So in 1827, a boatload of livestock, indentured servants and other necessities were dropped at Circular Head, where they proceeded to farm sheep for wool and the sheep proceeded to die. You might have noticed from the photos that the climate up that way is a tad different to the climate down through the Midlands, where the successful wool properties are.

(The whole process is all rather interesting in the complicated way of money & politics, and ideas on paper meeting reality, but the only half-decent account I can find online is the ADB listing for Edward Curr, the manager.)

Three shops
So that’s why Stanley, which is one of the oldest towns on the island, is sitting up there among towns that didn’t develop until the following century.

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