Long Marsh
The buildings on this site were constructed built as the barracks and support buildings for the construction of a dam in the 1840s using probationary labour, with the intention of providing irrigation for farms in the Midlands, but was abandoned a few years later due to economic and political factors. The site consists of a partially completed dam, an abandoned sandstone quarry and the nearby settlement that housed the workers. The original post on Live Journal was in three parts, the earliers parts providing more background information (and photos of the road in) and photos of the abandoned dam site
Among the trees are the remains of paths, boundary walls and chimneys.
Hadspen
Along the fifty kilometre stretch between Launceston and Deloraine there are five towns, Hadspen, Carrick, Hagley, Westbury and Exton. Each town originated a coach stop on the road west, or so we were told. I don’t know if that’s true, but this is the old coaching inn at Hadspen.
I’ve seen a couple of mentions that Hadspen was “established” in 1820, but I haven’t found anything that says where that date comes from. Possibly something associated with Entally, which was built the previous year. Most of the buildings in the town date from the 20th century, except for this stretch of street.
Deloraine & Alveston
Fifty kilometres along the Bass Highay, almost directly west of Launceston, is Deloraine. Here the highway turns north and heads up to the north west coast.
I have to admit, I don’t know much about the history of the Deloraine (which might not seem that unusual except um…) other than somewhere back in the dark ages, one of the governors, I’m thinking Sorell, said, “We need more agricultural land. Go west and see what you can find.” What they found was a land of brown soil and good rainfall, that is very good for growing potatoes and other vegetables, and poppies it seems. Also dairy cows and fat lambs.
A few years back, the highway was redone and the towns along this part all by-passed. It doesn’t seem to have hurt the town though. The main road always seems to be busy, lots of cars and lots of people, and quite a bit of tourist orientated businesses. At least on one side of the river.
The main road that used to be the highway rans through the town, crosses the river and then runs through the main shopping area.
Branxholm
Runnymede
Buckland
Ye Olde Buckland Inn. I’m not sure that putting “Ye Olde” on the front is really going to have much effect on visitor numbers though. Obviously it was a coaching inn on the Hobart to East Coast road, built in the 1831 (it says, everywhere else says 1840s). At one time, probably an attractive little sandstone building.
Beauty Point
Beauty Point developed as a port for Beaconsfield. It’s seen a resurgence lately with developments like Seahorse World. The pub got upgraded to a swanky drinking place, which is where the first three photos are taken from.
