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Hobart Town (1804) First Settlers Association NEWSLETTER Quarterly June 2015 CASCADES PROBATION STATION AT KOONYA Patron: The Rt. Hon The Earl of Buckinghamshire (Lord Miles Hobart) 1 Hobart Town (1804) First Settlers Association Inc. Email: [email protected] CONTENTS Postal Address: P.O. Box 337, GLENORCHY TAS, 7010 PRESIDENT’S REPORT 3 Website: www.htfs.org.au CONVICTS WITH A HINT OF LAVENDER 4 Hon. President: CASCADES PROBATION STATION 6 Gwen Hardstaff Ph. 6273 7356 THE WRITING’S ON THE WALL 7 Mob. 0427 620 264 Email: [email protected] OUT AND ABOUT 8 Hon. Vice-President: HIGH PEAK 10 Warwick Risby Ph. 6225 1711 THE TOWN ON FAT DOE RIVER 11 Hon. Secretary: ROSES FROM THE HEART 12 Stephany Fehre THE LADY WITH THE FLAG 14 Ph. 6247 6956 WHILE VISITING NORFOLK ISLAND 15 Hon. Treasurer: Mavis Richards NEW BOOKS 15 Ph. 6249 2230 DATES FOR YOUR DIARY 15 Hon. Historian: Kath Lonergan NEW MEMBERS 15 Ph. 03 6228 7479 [email protected] MEETINGS are held the first Tuesday of the month, February to December, at the Parish Room, St Hon. Public Officer: George’s Church, Cromwell Street, BATTERY POINT, Michael Seabrook commencing at 10.00am. Hon. Auditor: MEMBERSHIP PAYMENT David Baulch Members may pay Annual Subscriptions $25.00 (due 1st January) by direct credit to our Association’s Hon. Webmaster: Commonwealth Bank Account. Alastair Douglas BSB 067-006 Account No. 2800-1110 quoting Member Number/Surname. Committee: “The reference number information is essential in Warwick Risby 6225 1711 order for the Treasurer to identify YOUR payment”. Beverley Richardson 6225 3292 No fees or charges. Margaret Long 6243 8606 Charles Hunt 6286 7058 Members may post a cheque for $25.00 direct to the Treasurer at P.O. Box 337, GLENORCHY TAS 7010. Guy McDougall 0448 816 305 Teresa Kingsbury 0488 520 400 All articles and information contained in our Carol-Ann Hooper 6273 1529 Newsletter are accepted in good faith and opinions set down therein are of the authors and Newsletter: correspondents and are not necessarily the Editors: Warwick Risby Stephany Fehre policy or views of HTFS Assn. Inc. Compiler: Guy McDougall 2 PRESIDENT’S REPORT I am happy to have this opportunity to convey all my thanks for the support and confidence shown to me in my new role as President. I have been a member since around 1990, when I was first introduced to the Association on one of the wonderful bus trips Irene Schaffer conducted in the early years. As I had been researching Family History for around 10 years at that stage, the Association was a very welcome gateway for continuing research and furthering knowledge of early settlers of VDL. Work commitments and living away from Hobart made it difficult for me to attend monthly meetings but my interest and contact has continued over the intervening years. My earliest ancestors (on paternal tree) sailed to Risdon Cove with Lt John Bowen’s party and others (both paternal and maternal) with David Collins to Sullivan’s Cove. The more I came to know of our early settlers, I quickly realised how much more I did not know and how much was yet to be learned; a fact that I’m sure all members would readily acknowledge. HTFSA acknowledges the death, in early May, of Keith Johnston a former Life-Member. Keith will be remembered as a reliable and willing helper, in diverse roles, during the early years of the Association. I know many members still have Membership Cards endorsed with Keith’s distinctive handwriting – another task he attended to for many years. Vale Keith; and sincere condolences to the Johnston family. Since the last quarterly Newsletter, our very efficient and hardworking secretary, Stephany Fehre, has organized the wonderful trip to High Peak, ‘Roses from the Heart’ representation at the formal Dinner, the Hunter St gathering of members in their bonnets, plus a trip to Tasman Peninsula. All proved to be very successful ventures. Every organization relies on efficient office bearers and it is evident that the HTFS Assn. is very fortunate in having a group of willing helpers, thus ensuring that all runs smoothly. Gwen Hardstaff PRESIDENT 3 CONVICTS WITH A HINT OF LAVENDER Day at the Tasman Peninsula It was an early start to a full day on the Tasman Peninsula, on May 16, when a busload of our members and friends left Hobart on a cool autumn morning. Our first stop was the ‘Cascades’ property at Koonya, the home of Donald and Sue Clark. It was originally one of six probation stations on the Peninsula, set up in the 1840s. Don and Sue live in what was the hospital, a two-storey brick home rescued from degradation into a fine residence. Cottage at Koonya As the sun slowly warmed, we walked around the grounds viewing the buildings which Don and Sue have gradually restored. At one stage they were used for holiday accommodation, but are now homes Group shot at the Cascades Probation Station for the family. There is a purpose-built museum portraying the history of the settlement and the orchard. The remaining buildings give some idea of the extent of the probation station which only ran for 13 years, closing in 1855. It has been in the Clark family for 100 years. 4 From Koonya we went to Premaydena for a meet- and-greet with members of the Tasman Peninsula Historic Society in the Old Court House which they use. James Parker spoke to us about the project they had undertaken to recognise the servicemen from the Peninsula who went to the Great War and did not return. Of course we found connections and enjoyed the opportunity to meet with others who share a love of history and heritage. This was a brief stop on our way through Nubeena to a farm and restaurant called Port Arthur Lavender, north of Port Arthur. We had lunch in the purpose-built facility showcasing Tasmania’s produce. From scallop pies, rabbit pies, fish and chips, frittata and much more. We succumbed to the pleasure of our meals served in sparkling sunshine. The Tasman Peninsula Historical Society’s From there it was a short drive to the Tasman Old Court House in Premaydena Historical Museum, at Taranna, run by Colin Lowe and Marje Turner. They erected the building to house their ever-increasing collection of historic memorabilia. It focused on the local history and raising awareness of the lives of the Aboriginals and the pioneer families. Port Arthur gains a lot of the attention on the Tasman Peninsula but I hope people were able to discover some of the other attractions in this interesting part of the state. Our driver, Stewart of Walker’s Coaches, took us safely and competently on our way and we were able to sit back and relax. A great day out! Stephany Fehre Port Arthur Lavender Farm 5 CASCADES PROBATION STATION The Cascades Probation Station was built at Koonya in 1842 as an outstation for the main Port Arthur prison and by 1845 it reached its peak when the convict population reached 442. While it operated for “procuring timber for general purposes”, many buildings were being constructed including convict accommodation, the superintendent’s quarters, hospital, cookhouse, bakehouse, more convict cells, school, officers’ quarters and workshops. Some of these buildings still remain. The place was originally known as ‘Newman’s Bottom’ and was an obvious site as it had a good stream of water throughout the year and while a gang of convicts was clearing the land near a small waterfall so the area became more known as Cascades. ‘Rotten Row’ at the Cascades Probation Station The first buildings at Cascades were of wood and bark construction and just three months after the first buildings were completed the once sleepy little bay was now a busy settlement. For the prisoners life was tough being locked up at night and toiling by day in damp and leech ridden gullies. By any standards Cascades, despite its idyllic setting overlooking Norfolk Bay, was not a pleasant place and nor were the occupants of its numerous buildings the most pleasant of men. They were there for a purpose and the niceties of life were not part of this isolated and disciplined existence. The Cascades Probation Station was closed in 1855. The Cascades has had several owners, but the current owner is Don Clark. It’s been in his family since 1915 his great-grandfather, Moses Clark, worked here for the then owner, Henry Chesterman a well-known timber merchant. The Clark family have converted many of the remaining convict buildings, which originally housed the married officers, but later it operated as a very successful tourist accommodation. ‘Rotten Row’ at the Cascades Probation Station 6 THE WRITING’S ON THE WALL Early Wallpaper in Hobart Alan Townsend is very well-known for his knowledge and reproduction of wallpaper of the mid-1800s. We invited him to our April meeting to enlighten us on early wallpapers. His interest in historic wallpapers stems from the discovery of layers of fragments in his 1820s Kempton home and simply went on from there. Alan shared with us that wallpaper was originally used in Hobart when the cottages were lined with timber boards. Since inside the cottage was very draughty, the early settlers responded by gluing newspaper with animal glue over the hessian on the walls. The accumulation of wallpaper that was stripped off the walls were up to 26 layers thick. It showed how fashions and tastes had changed over the decades. However some wallpapers were actually a health hazard since they had arsenic in them.

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