Hobart - Exploring the City (3)

As a number of members of my family arrived in Hobart in the early days of the colony I spent much of my spare time walking in the areas where they lived or owned land. I knew that Thomas William Birch had owned 100 acres of land in what is now South Hobart. He also lived in a three storey house, which is marked on many of the early maps of the settlement,  at 151 Macquarie Street.

This information board in Macquarie Street talks about the subdivision of farms that occurred in the 1830s and 1840s. Birch's Farm was the main section of land being subdivided at this time. The South Hobart Progress Association, on its website, provides detailed articles about the subdivision of this land. The land subdivided extended from Davey Street to Salvator Road, and from Elboden Street to D’Arcy Street. The Hobart Rivulet ran through part of the land. Images below show of part of the development of the land today.

Anglesea Street & Davey Street intersection

Darcy Street & Davey Street intersection

Elboden Street

Hobart Rivulet

Approximate outline of Birch's Farm

This was only one section of land owned by Thomas William Birch in Hobart but it was the main area that I explored on this trip to Hobart. I will write more about Birch's properties, the properties of his wife and the husband of her second marriage after T W Birch's death in 1821, George Mackillop and George Guest in my Family Connections blog when I have done a little more research.

Hobart - Exploring the City (2)

The National Championships were held in Hobart in the middle of November when the city was preparing for Christmas. Elizabeth Street Mall was around the corner from the hotel so we walked through it regularly. As you can see the Mall was brightly decorated for the festive season.

There were also Christmas decorations throughout other areas of the central city area. On the morning we left Hobart crowds were assembling for the Santa Parade through some of the city streets.

Further along Elizabeth Street a board outside a cafe welcomed the cricketers to Hobart.

Hobart has many buildings of historical interest. 

The Hope and Anchor Tavern at 65 Maquarie Street is advertised as being the oldest hotel in Australia or at least the oldest hotel continuously operating on one site. Obviously there have been alterations to the original building over the years and also a number of name changes - the Whale Fishery, the Hope, the Anchor and Hope and the Alexandra since its establishment in 1807.

City Hall is located on the block between Collins Street, Campbell Street, Macquarie Street and Market Place. The actual address is 57-63 Macquarie Street. Before being destroyed by fire in 1909 the New Market building occupied this site. The enclosed market building was opened in 1854.

Another interesting building in this area is the Theatre Royal at 29 Campbell Street which was opened in 1837 and is still operating. The above  image is from Think Tasmania blog.

The area from around the Theatre Royal down to the docks was known as Wapping and until recently part of the area was classed as a slum area.

St David's Cathedral is located at 125 Macquarie Street on the corner of Murray Street. In 1817 the foundation stone was laid and the church was opened in 1823. There have been many alterations to the building including the rebuilding of the cathedral in 1868.

The first St David's Church was built in 1811 and was located in what is now St David's Park.

One evening we went for a walk around Arthur's Circus, Battery Point, where there are a number of cottages dating back to the 1840s.

Hobart - St David's Park

When walking down Davey Street stop at the intersection with Salamanca Place where you will come to the entrance of St David's Park. The area where the park now stands has been in use since the early days of European settlement when it was used as the cemetery for Hobart Town.

St David's Park, as we know it today, was opened in 1926 and was designed by L J Liscombe. The park contains many monuments of historical interest.

One of the monuments was erected in memory of David Collins, Lieutenant Governor of the Colony, who was buried in the cemetery in March 1810. This monument was built in 1838.
In 1811 a small wooden church was built with the altar situated above the grave of David Collins. Shortly after the construction of the church it was blown down during a storm. The image below shows an artist's impression of the wooden church as it may have been. The image has been placed in the present setting of the gardens showing a possible location for the church.

Another prominent monument is the memorial to the First Fleeters and others from Norfolk Island who settled in Tasmania from 1807 and 1813. The Norfolk Island settlers who arrived from 1805 are also listed.

Burials were made in St David's Cemetery from 1804 until 1872. A main feature of the park is an arrangement of stone walls covered with the surviving plaques from burial sites in the cemetery. Many bodies are still buried in the park while some were removed to new cemeteries.

The Fellowship of the First Fleeters has also created a memorial to those buried in the cemetery who had arrived in New South Wales in 1788.

St David's Park is an essential place to visit for anyone interested in the history of Hobart Town.
For more information read the post about St David's Park in the blog, On the Convict Trail.

Hobart - Antarctic connections

When exploring Hobart there are many reminders about the city's connection with the exploration of Antarctica.

Mawson Place in the docks area is a reminder of the expeditions of Douglas Mawson and other explorers and scientists to Antarctica.

Nearby is a museum consisting of replica huts used by Mawson and his team.

An information board provides information about the huts.

There are also a number of statues throughout Hobart depicting scenes and animals and birds from Antarctica.

Heading South(1998) is a tribute to the explorer Louis Bernacchi, the first Tasmanian to winter in Antarctica.The sculpture shows him with his dog, Joe. Other dogs, plus seals and pengins are depicted in the scene which is located by the river between Victoria Dock and Macquarie Wharf.

The Reserve Bank at 111 Macquarie Street, Hobart also features statues of penguins

and seals and skuas in one of the front windows. These bronze statues are also the work of Stephen Walker (1984).

The Australian Antarctic Division is based in Hobart.

Hobart - Exploring the city (1)

The trip to Hobart wasn't just cricket. I also spent time exploring the city - sometimes with Robin and sometimes on my own. Hobart is a small, compact city and easy to explore on foot.

Docklands end of Campbell Street

A major feature of the city is the River Derwent and locations around the river.

Elizabeth Street Pier

The docks area is a focal point of the city.

During the week of our visit a large cruise liner berthed for the day dwarfing buildings and other vessels in the area.

A day or two later a cargo ship arrived.

Tug boat

Former warehouse buildings in Hunter Street line the side of Victoria Dock, memories of Hobart's trading past.

Markers in the footpath are reminders that this area once formed the causeway linking Hunter Island in the river to the settlement on the mainland in Sullivans Cove.

Information boards in this area provide information about Hobart's early history.

There is also a memorial commemorating 150 years of European settlement.

Hobart - Restaurants

While in Hobart we had meals at a number of the restaurants by the Derwent River.

On our first afternoon in Hobart we walked down to Elizabeth Street Pier where we had a late lunch at a restaurant called Fish Frenzy. We shared a meal of delicious fish and chips served in a paper cone. This was a good introduction to the seafood of Hobart.

On two occasions we had dinner at Mures on Victoria Dock. This complex has a couple of restaurants, a fishmongers and an ice-creamery. We had our meals at the Lower Deck but there is a more exclusive restaurant upstairs. On our first visit friends, who had arrived before us, warned us that the servings were large so we shared a Fisherman's Basket - a great selection of fish, scallops and calamari. On the second visit we shared a serve of fish and a serve of scallops. With both meals we also selected a serving of coleslaw from the salad bar.

The third fish restaurant that we visited in the docks area was the Drunken Admiral in Hunter Street. The building housing the present restaurant was built around 1825 replacing an earlier timber building on the site. It has had many uses including being a mill and later part of the IXL complex. In 1978 it was renamed the Drunken Admiral and is well known for excellent seafood and for the cluttered marine related decoration of the inside of the building. The restaurant was packed with diners but we managed to get seats at the bar. Robin had the salmon while I had the small serving of scallops and we both enjoyed our meals.

In summary, if you like seafood Hobart is a great place to visit.

Seniors Cricket Australia - National Championships - Hobart - Dinner

The Championship Dinner was held on Friday 20 November in the Tasman Room at Wrest Point Casino.

As usual there were impressive views of the river from the casino. It was hard to believe that only a few hours earlier rain had stopped play for the day.

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 Almost 700 people attended this event.

Most of the Victorian teams were seated on the upper level providing a view of the activity below.

The proceedings began at 7.30 As well as the presentation of awards to the winning team in each division, those players who had participated in each of the 10 National Championships were acknowledged.. The members of the victorious Australian Over 60s team that toured England in June were each presented with a medal from Cricket Australia for winning the Test Match series against England.

A three course dinner was served during the evening. Between the serving of the Main Course and Dessert the guest speaker was former Australian Test Cricketer, David Boon.

All in all it was a great evening with opportunity to catch up with so many of our cricket friends. A great way to finish the National Championships. Next year - Western Australia.