Category — History & Heritage
Gateway to Antarctica
In an era before air transport, the port of Hobart was the city’s ‘gateway to the world’ including Antarctic and sub-antarctic regions.
Waterman’s Dock was a hub of port activity from the mid-19th century for many decades. Here, goods and passengers ferried to and from larger vessels moored in the Derwent River were loaded and landed.
When the Dock was built in 1854, people, timber and food were being shipped every week out of Hobart to gold rushes in mainland Australia and California, so it quickly became a centre of city life.
Today it is a reminder of the city’s strong and enduring economic links with the Antarctic and Southern Ocean.
There’s more fascinating information about Tasmania’s Antarctic connection on the PolarPathways website.
June 28, 2007 No Comments
History for sale
Found on the web: Cabinet of Discoveries has an interesting selection of old prints of Hobart and Tasmania for sale.
Cape Pillar near the entrance of the River Derwent, Van Diemens Land, by Joseph Lycett from Views in Australia or New South Wales and Van Diemens Land Delineated, in Fifty Views with Descriptive Letter Press, London, 1825
June 26, 2007 No Comments
