14 October 2013 - Treasure Island Caravan Park, Berriedale, Tasmania

We huddled late under the blankets, still cold despite their number and weight. When we finally peered out we were treated to an amazing view; snow on Mt Wellington. Yes, snow! We soon learned that snow was down to 500 metres and as I have already recorded, Mt Wellington stands much higher than that.

Encouraged by a few patches of blue in the sky and the lack of gale force winds, we travelled into town. The waves seen crashing against the riverside walkway two days ago were now but memories; we could see ripples on the river, the sort you would expect to see on such a body of water.

Snow on Mt Wellington

Our main focus this morning was to find a suitable garage to undertake the next service on the landcruiser, always aware that we need to follow the conditions of our warranty, especially after the claim debacle, hopefully never to be repeated. Hobart’s Toyota dealer quoted twice that the Repco recommended garage did, so there was no contest really. Mike will take custody of the vehicle on Wednesday morning and we will spend the day taking in the attractions that are within walking distance of the garage in North Hobart.

That sorted, we returned to the cenotaph in search of free parking for the day and were duly rewarded. Again we set off on foot down into the city and to the State Parliament. There we learned that the free tours on non-sitting days were not available this week because security is short staffed, however we are welcome to observe the Parliament in action. That was to be our next question, and so that too is sorted for tomorrow.

From there it was not too far to the Tasmania Museum and Art Gallery housed in a collection of wonderful old buildings near Constellation Dock. The museum was originally established back in 1843 by the Royal Society of Tasmania under the leadership of Sir John Franklin, this making it the oldest Royal Society outside of England.

Fortunately for us, the redevelopment which has been going on for near a year is complete, the central roof having been raised, exhibitions redefined, re-visioned and reworked, and the Bond Store now open with all four floors in use. Of course we have no idea how awful or wonderful it was before all this renovation; it matters not. Today we found the whole complex quite wonderful.

We were particularly taken with the permanent aboriginal exhibitions highlighting history rather than culture. Of course Tasmania’s history in regard to the “invasion” and subsequent behaviour toward the first people is pretty hideous, even more so than on the mainland.

Housed in the main building is the exhibition “Ningina Tunapri” which means “to give knowledge and understanding” and explores the journey of Tasmanian Aboriginal people and is a celebration of all Tasmanian Aboriginal generations. The general understanding about the aborigines in Tasmania is that they were wiped out by acts of colonial violence. There were certainly horrendous acts of violence and abuse, and the numbers were decimated hugely, but there were survivors and they are the ancestors of those who live on the island today. While their aborigine blood has been well watered down in the intervening years, they hold on to that nth degree of aboriginality, far more than most of us hold on to the scrap of some obscure heritage we might have. But then I guess they too have the same mongrel mix as the rest of us. This exhibition spells out simply and factually the events which shame the past colonial administration.

This is all complimented by the permanent exhibition titled “Our Land: Parrawa, parrawa! Go away!” on the top floor of the Bond Store, which tells the story of Aboriginal people and colonists following the invasion of Lutruwita, now called Tasmania, focusing on the Black War.

The art gallery is integrated into the museum in as much as some of the artwork reflects stories in other parts of the museum, none so more than those of the Tasmanian aborigines.

The special art exhibition on at the moment is titled “Illumination: The Art of Philip Wolfhagen” featuring fifty works from public and private collection of this Tasmanian artist. The earlier works referred to the influence of New Zealand’s Colin McCahon, a little evident, a fact which did nothing to enhance the talent of this artist who seems to specialise in big canvases. We did decide we were impressed with the more recent pieces and glad we bothered spending time in the three galleries dedicated to this work.

The museum also has a whole room celebrating the now-extinct Tasman Tiger, the thylacine, Australia’s largest marsupial carnivore of modern times, which has come to symbolise all things Tasmanian from cricket teams, car number plates, and beer to the state coat of arms, as well as being a popular reminder of how easily a species can be lost. Evidence of the thylacine’s existence is now found only in photographs, short excerpts of films, in bushmen’s stories and specimens in museums. I should note here that Launceston too has part of its museum exhibition dedicated to this curious creature.

As the largest carnivorous animal in Van Diemen’s Land, the thylacine was persecuted and killed by graziers, who saw the animals as a threat to their flocks. The Van Diemen’s Land Company offered a thylacine reward and even employed a “tiger man” to hunt them. Agricultural societies also offered rewards, such as the Buckland and Spring Bay Tiger and Eagle Extermination Society in 1884. Several of the specimens now in the museum came from this society. However most destructive of all was the Tasmanian Government legislation of 1888 targeting the thylacine. This established a bounty of one pound per adult and ten shillings per young. More than two thousand payments were made between 1888 and 1909. The last known thylacine died in the Hobart Zoo in 1936.

Then there is mention of the convict system although most of these stories has been left to the museums which specialise in this part of Tasmanian’s history, and this museum just brushes over this, apart from a case showing leg irons and like exhibits.

Modern Tasmania, or rather Second Chance Tasmania began in the 1850s when demand to end the convict transportation became inseparable from those for self-government. John West, a clergyman, led the campaign to garner support to end transportation. The arrival of the last convict transport in May 1853 was met with celebration across the colony. But the campaign’s emphasis on the moral dangers of transportation also alienated many convicts, emancipists and their descendants.

The change of name to Tasmania from Van Diemen’s Land was officially adopted in 1856. Widely used since 1808, it was derived from the Dutch explorer Abel Janszoon Tasman. With the change, Tasmania lost the name that shamed it.

The end of the convict transportation to Van Diemen’s Land enabled self-government to progress. The Constitution Act in 1854 gave the colony responsible government and a two-house parliament. In 1856, elections were held for the new parliament; Mr William Champ was proclaimed the first Premier.

I should have headed this posting up with TLTR which I have been told by a young person means, Too Long to Read. But then this is for my own reference and I am delighted to share this great library of facts and memories recorded for my own dotage.

After more than four hours we decided we had seen enough or could absorb no more, so headed back to pick up the landcruiser and head for home. No sooner had we returned to the caravan that the rain came down yet again. Is there no end?