‘To The Westward’ Meander Valley Heritage Study Stage 1: Thematic History Prepared by Ian Terry & Kathryn Evans for Meander Valley Municipal Council October 2004 © Meander Valley Municipal Council Cover. Looking west to Mother Cummings Peak and the Great Western Tiers from Stockers Plains in 1888 (Tasmaniana Library, State Library of Tasmania) C O N T E N T S The Study Area.......................................................................................................................................1 The Study ...............................................................................................................................................2 Authorship ..............................................................................................................................................2 Methodology ..........................................................................................................................................2 Acknowledgments ..................................................................................................................................2 Abbreviations .........................................................................................................................................3 Historical Context .................................................................................................................................4 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................4 1.0 Environmental Context.....................................................................................................................5 1.1 Climate and Topography ....................................................................................................5 1.2 Flora and Fauna..................................................................................................................5 2.0 Human Settlement ............................................................................................................................6 2.1 Aboriginal (Palawa) Occupation ........................................................................................6 2.1.1 Pre Contact History ...........................................................................................6 2.1.2 Palawa Resistance and Displacement................................................................7 2.2 Settlement Patterns .............................................................................................................9 2.2.1 Early Settlement ................................................................................................9 2.3 Convictism..........................................................................................................................12 2.4 Migration............................................................................................................................14 2.5 Land Selection & Closer Settlement...................................................................................15 3.0 Economic Development....................................................................................................................20 3.1 Exploration.........................................................................................................................20 3.2 Exploiting Natural Resources.............................................................................................20 3.2.1 Hunting..............................................................................................................20 3.2.2 Fishing...............................................................................................................21 3.2.3 Mining and Quarrying .......................................................................................21 3.2.4 Timber Based Industries....................................................................................22 3.3 Farming Industries..............................................................................................................23 3.3.1 Grazing..............................................................................................................23 3.3.2 Breeding Stock ..................................................................................................25 3.3.3 Agriculture ........................................................................................................25 3.4 Communication ..................................................................................................................28 3.4.1 Postal Services...................................................................................................28 3.4.2 Electronic Communication................................................................................29 3.5 Transport ............................................................................................................................29 3.5.1 Roads and Bridges.............................................................................................29 3.5.2 Railways and Tramways....................................................................................31 3.5.3 Air Transport.....................................................................................................32 3.6 Natural Disasters & Environmental Manipulation..............................................................32 3.6.1 Natural Disasters ...............................................................................................32 3.6.2 Land Clearing....................................................................................................33 3.6.3 Irrigation............................................................................................................35 3.6.4 Acclimatisation..................................................................................................35 3.7 Industrial Development ......................................................................................................36 3.7.1 Processing Food and Drink ...............................................................................36 3.7.2 Manufacturing ...................................................................................................38 3.8 Finance & Depression ........................................................................................................40 3.9 Retailing and Commerce ....................................................................................................41 3.10 Media................................................................................................................................43 3.11 Entertainment Industry .....................................................................................................43 3.12 Medicine...........................................................................................................................43 4.0 Township Development....................................................................................................................45 4.1 Selecting Township Sites................................................................................................... 45 4.2 Suburbanisation ................................................................................................................. 51 4.2.1 Public Housing ................................................................................................. 53 4.3 Services.............................................................................................................................. 53 4.3.1 Light & Power .................................................................................................. 53 4.3.2 Water ................................................................................................................ 54 4.3.3 Fire Prevention ................................................................................................. 55 4.3.4 Sewerage........................................................................................................... 55 4.3.5 Garbage Tips .................................................................................................... 56 5.0 Employment..................................................................................................................................... 57 5.1 Convict Labour .................................................................................................................. 57 5.2 Women and Children......................................................................................................... 57 5.3 Agricultural Workers......................................................................................................... 58 5.4 Crime ................................................................................................................................. 59 5.5 Unemployment................................................................................................................... 59 6.0 Education......................................................................................................................................... 61 6.1. Libraries & Mechanics Institutes ...................................................................................... 61 6.2 Schools .............................................................................................................................