Historical Australian Towns: Evandale, TAS: Georgian Town and Penny Farthing Championships

Evandale, Tasmania, is located about 20 km south of Launceston, on the banks of the South Esk River.

This picturesque town is known for its well-preserved late-Georgian and early-Victorian buildings.

The Palawa Aboriginal People (Panninher Clan?)

Aboriginal people arrived in Tasmania (Trowunna) about 40,000 years ago. Then about 30,000 years ago, the sea level dropped about 120 metres when an ice age began. Papua New Guinea and Tasmania became one landmass.

Slowly over time, Bass Strait formed as the ice began to melt and Tasmanian Aboriginal people became separated from the Australian mainland and the rest of the world about 12,000 years ago.

The Palawa (Panninher Clan?) Aboriginal people occupied the area of Evandale and campsites and artefacts have been found on the river flats just below the present site of Evandale (now Rotary Park).

Tasmanian Aboriginal people did not wear clothing but insulated their bodies with ochre, charcoal and grease.

Rock shelters were used for protection from the weather and habitation. Aboriginal people also made temporary beehive-shaped structures from wood and bark.

The Aboriginal population was seriously depleted from warfare and disease, but in recent years, Tasmania has been leading the way with the teaching of Palawa Kani, which translates as "Tassie black fella talk".

Palawa kani is a constructed language created using a composite of known languages once spoken by Tasmanian Aboriginal people.

Charles A. Lesueur | Terra De Diemen: Vue De La Cote Orientale De L'ile (Van Diemen's Land). Tasmanian canoe and spears by Charles-Alexandre Lesueur, (French expedition from 1800 and 1804)

1642: Abel Tasman

Dutchman, Abel Tasman in 1642, became the first European to set foot on the island of Tasmania which he named Van Diemen's Land. Tasman knew that the island was occupied as smoke from fires was visible. He went ashore and noticed trees with notches cut into the truck, which he presumed were made for climbing trees.

European powers who discovered previously unknown lands usually acted in three main ways. Firstly, if a sovereign state was friendly, then a treaty would be struck, as Tasman did with Japan. If it was an unfriendly sovereign power, however, like the New Zealand Maori, they were declared an enemy. If there was no evidence of a sovereign power, or unified government, then the land was claimed for the Netherlands. This concept of terra nullius referred to a land deemed to have no sovereign power. Tasman thus claimed Van Diemen's Land for the Dutch.

Portrait of Abel Tasman, his wife and daughter. Attributed to Jacob Gerritsz Cuyp, 1637 (not authenticated)

1802; The French

The French ships, Géographe and Naturaliste, arrived in Tasmania in 1802.. The scientific expedition led by Captain Nicolas Baudin to map the "unknown" coast of Australia had artists Charles-Alexandre Lesueur and Nicolas-Martin Petit onboard. Nicolas-Martin Petit made sensitive portraits of Aboriginal people, while Charles-Alexandre Lesueur made detailed landscape and animal studies.

Sauvage de l’Île Van Diemen (détroit de D’Entrecasteaux), 1902, Sauvage de l’Île Van Diemen (détroit de D’Entrecasteaux)

1803: The British

The British settled Tasmania in 1803, and unsurprisingly, the European settlers and Aboriginal people were so culturally and technologically different that intense frontier conflict ensued, resulting in Tasmania’s Black War (1824-31).

The first British settlers to arrive at Evandale in the 1800s were herders looking for land to graze their livestock.

Governor Lachlan Macquarie passed through the region and camped on the river-bank below its current site on his trip of inspection of Van Diemen's Land in 1811.

Macquarie decided that a town be built in the area, which he called Honeysuckle Banks. The site he proposed, however, was located about 3 km south-east of where the present town is now situated.

So, Evandale was originally a military post established by order of Governor Macquarie in 1811. The name Evandale is thought to be for George William Evans, the first surveyor-general of Tasmania. Before this, the area was called Collins Hill, Paterson Plains, Gordon Plains and Morven. Becoming Evandale in 1836.

Settlers

Captain Andrew Barclay, who had served in the Royal Navy, was granted 500 acres near Evandale in 1816. His cottage named "Trafalgar" was later sketched by John Richardson Glover. In 1824, Barclay built the now-demolished homestead of "Cambock" on the village's outskirts, which had a bell tower to warn workers of fire or impending attack from Aboriginal people or bushrangers.

"Cambock", built by Captain Andrew Barclay, Evandale, TAS, now demolished, Mercury (Hobart, Tas. : 1860 - 1954), Wednesday 15 May 1946

In 1826 the Georgian-style "Prosperous House" (now "Fallgrove") was built by Kennedy Murray, one of the immigrants from Norfolk Island. Murray became the inaugural Chief Constable of Evandale in 1835.

Drawing of "Prosperous House" (now "Fallgrove"), built 1826, Evandale, TAS

Briar Lane House was built in 1826 by George Collins. Rollins and Mungo Summerville gave nine acres of land between them for the Church of England chapel, parsonage and cemetery.

Prominent early settlers to Evandale were James Cox, the son of William Cox, who built the first road across the Blue Mountains, NSW; Kennedy Murray, who would become Evandale's first chief constable, who built the house now known as "Fallgrove", and John Batman, the contentious "founder" of Melbourne, who later left for Port Phillip Bay.

Conflicts between settlers and Aboriginal Tasmanians increased during the 1820s.

llustration from The Last of the Tasmanians" by Benjamin Duterrau - Mr Robinson on his conciliation mission. George Augustus Robinson befriended Truganini, promising food, housing and security on Flinders Island until the situation on the mainland had calmed down. With Truganini, Robinson succeeded in forging an agreement with the Big River and Oyster Bay peoples, and by the end of 1835, nearly all the Aboriginal people had been relocated to the new settlement.

1836: The Convict Station was established to provide accommodation for the convict workers in 1836, with a brick kiln, gaol, store, office, hayshed, blacksmith shop and convict huts.

Convicts and Bushrangers

The convict, bushranger, serial killer and cannibal, Thomas Jeffries, was captured by John Batman, Anthony Cottrell and the Aboriginal William "Black Bill" Ponsonby on the bank of the South Esk River near Evandale. A few weeks later, the Brady Gang, led by convict, Matthew Brady ("Gentleman Brady"), were involved in a shootout at Glendessary, near Evandale and Brady was captured by Batman.

"Black Bill", named William Ponsonby, was raised by James Cox of Clarendon. He was recommended by Batman to receive a 100 acres land grant. Two other Aboriginal men received their grant but Ponsonby may have died before receiving his land.

Anthony Cottrell was "....constable and pound keeper for Gordon's Plains between the Nile district where he had his grant and Evandale. He was raided by the blacks several times, and does not seem to have had an idle minute, helping his friend John Batman catch them, as well as chasing bushrangers when necessary. Their best catch together was the cannibal bushranger and baby-killer, Jeffries." (Steiglitz, A History of Evandale)

Drawing of bushranger Matthew Brady

John Glover: Landscape Painter

In 1831, a well known English landscape artist left England to live in Tasmania, at the age of 63. John Glover settled at Mills Plains (Deddington, near Evandale) on a property that he called "Patterdale".

John Glover's house "Patterdale", near Evandale, TAS

Mr Williatt's cottage, Evandale, Tasmania, circa 1850 / John Richardson Glover. National Library of Australia

Sydney Gazette 1831 - John Glover's arrival in the colony

Grand Plans

In 1834, an ambitious water plan was devised to divert water from the South Esk to the catchment of the North Esk, to bring fresh water to Launceston using the engineering innovations of the Romans. Convicts were brought in as labour and to dig a huge tunnel, which was not a great success, as it was constantly flooding and some of the convicts died due to cave-ins. After two and a half years, the scheme was abandoned.

However, although the water scheme was not successful, the ambitious project, which was visionary, is still admired by modern day engineers. Historian John Dent has discovered where the Kings Meadows Road Station was located and the 100 acre site used to house convicts.

Joseph Solomon

Joseph Solomon, a former convict, built a bakery with an attached general store in1838 at Evandale in partnership with his brother, Judah. The store was raided by bushrangers.

Joseph built "Riverview" at Evandale in 1836. Originally Jewish, Solomon converted to Christianity and is buried at the Church of England cemetery in Evandale. He was the grandfather of Albert Edgar Solomon, a Premier of Tasmania.

Colonial Times (Hobart, Tas. : 1828 - 1857), Tuesday 22 November 1836, page 3

James Cox

Clarendon House, located just south of Evandale, was built using convict labour in 1838 by James Cox, son of William Cox, the man who built the first road across the Blue Mountains in New South Wales.

Cox known to treat his convicts well, later played a major role in the abolishment of convict labour and the end of transportation.

The original portico and parapet were removed due to structural weakness during the 1890s.

The property remained in the possession of the Cox family until 1914. In 1962, in need of structural repairs, the house and parklands were given to the National Trust of Tasmania.

Clarendon House, located just south of Evandale, was built using convict labour in 1838 by James Cox,, Mercury (Hobart, Tas. : 1860 - 1954), Saturday 5 July 1947

Renamed

In 1836 Evandale, which had been founded as Honeysuckle Banks was renamed Evandale after Tasmania's first Surveyor-General, George Evans. Evans had achieved earlier fame in 1813, as he had been sent by Governor Macquarie to confirm the path through the Blue Mountains, NSW, made by explorers, Blaxland, Lawson and Wentworth. Evans died in Hobart, but his headstone was moved to St Andrew's Anglican Church, Evandale. See more

Evandale Post Office opened on 1 June 1835. The red brick post office was built in 1888.

Hotels

The Patriot King William IV Inn opened in 1832. However, the building is now known as "Blenheim" and is no longer a hotel. The Prince of Wales Hotel was established in 1836. The Georgian-style Clarendon Arms Hotel was constructed in 1847.

Drawing of the former Patriot King William IV Inn which opened in 1832. However, the building, is now known as "Blenheim", Evandale, TAS

Father of Ned

Farming enterprises became successful around Evandale, but convicts and bushrangers would attack settlers, especially those travelling by road.

John "Red" Kelly, the father of Ned, was transported to Van Diemen's Land for seven years for stealing two pigs in his native County Tipperary, Ireland. He had arrived in Hobart town aboard the Prince Regent on 2 January 1842.

In 1843 convict John Kelly was sent to work for K. Murray of Morven (now Evandale),

Later, he was a labourer on the property of Mr David Gibson, a former convict, who became a successful pastoralist, who established Pleasant Banks station and founded the Presbyterian Church at Evandale in the 1840s.

".......David Gibson, of Pleasant Banks, treated the blacks in a sensible and kindly way, even going so far as to kill a bullock every now and then and hang it in a tree on his property so that the blacks could help themselves and leave his stock alone." (A history of Evandale, K. R. von Stieglitz, 1967)

Drawing of Pleasant Banks, Evandale, TAS

Geelong Advertiser and Squatters' Advocate (Vic. : 1845 - 1847), Saturday 6 September 1845

Advertising

Cornwall Chronicle (Launceston, Tas. : 1835 - 1880), Wednesday 4 January 1854

Churches

St Andrew's Presbyterian (now Uniting) Church with its Classical belltower and Doric pillars opened in 1840. The Anglican Church (1871) is also called St Andrew's.

Mercury (Hobart, Tas. : 1860 - 1954), Monday 5 October 1931

Mercury (Hobart, Tas. : 1860 - 1954), Monday 20 February 1939

1870s

The Tasmanian Main Line Railway Company (TMLR) later opened their Hobart to Evandale line in 1876.

Advertising

Daily Telegraph (Launceston, Tas. : 1883 - 1928), Friday 15 June 1888

"The Owls paid a visit to Evandale on Saturday night, appearing in the Council Chambers in one of their popular variety, entertainments....." Tasmanian (Launceston, Tas. : 1881 - 1895), Saturday 23 June 1888.

1890s: Water Tower

Evandale's water tower is part of the Evandale Water Supply Scheme, which was officially opened in January 1896.

The tower holds 40,000 gals. (80,000 lites) {sec}. It is 40 ft (12 mts) high and has a diameter of 20 ft (6 mts) at the base.

It supplied the town with water until 1968. The tower is kept full of water to preserve the structure.

The 1900s

Christ Church Sunday School picnic, Evandale, Tasmania, the adults. James Steer, J Masters, Mr Field, Rev W Law, G Cleaver, Alice Weymouth, Isabel Button, others named on reverse. A H Masters photo. Libraries Tasmania, circa 1900

Trooper Jas, Button of Evandale, missing, Weekly Times (Melbourne, Vic. : 1869 - 1954), Saturday 3 March 1900 (The involvement of men from the Australian colonies in the Second Boer War)

Hunt Club Ball, Evandale, TAS, Australasian (Melbourne, Vic. : 1864 - 1946), Saturday 2 November 1901

Cyril St Clair Cameron, Table Talk (Melbourne, Vic. : 1885 - 1939), Thursday 25 April 1901

Loading hay at Evandale, TAS, circa 1903, Trainiac

Hill climbing contest near Evandale. Motor cycles : The Vendic special team. circa 1908, Trainiac

Hill climbing contest near Evandale. circa 1908, Trainiac

Aboriginal Tasmanian children, Leader (Melbourne, Vic. : 1862 - 1918, 1935), Saturday 16 November 1912

Served in WW1 and WWII

The historian Charles Bean called Lieutenant Colonel Henry Murray, “Australia’s most significant fighting officer”. Murray, who was born near Evandale on 1 December 1880, left school at the age of 14 and worked on the family farm. During WWI he rose from the rank of private to lieutenant colonel in three and a half years.

Henry William "Harry" Murray, VC, CMG, DSO & Bar, DCM (1 December 1880 – 7 January 1966) was an Australian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest decoration for gallantry "in the face of the enemy" that can be awarded to members of the British and Commonwealth armed forces.

Victoria Cross recipient, Harry Murray, in the trenches at Gallipoli as a Second Lieutenant in 1915.

Chronicle (Adelaide, SA : 1895 - 1954), Saturday 14 October 1916

1920s

Grain Harvesting, Evandale, Museum Victoria, Jul 1923

H.V. McKay Pty Ltd, Farm Equipment Manufacture & Field Trials, Evandale, Tasmania, Jul 1924, Museums Victoria Collections

Sunshine header harvesting pads at Evandale, TAS, Australasian (Melbourne, Vic. : 1864 - 1946), Saturday 18 August 1928

Examiner (Launceston, Tas. : 1900 - 1954), Saturday 22 June 1929

1930s

Main Street of Evandale Northern Tasmania on sale day, Mercury (Hobart, Tas. : 1860 - 1954), Saturday 5 October 1935

RAAF Hawker Demon. Air show at Evandale, circa 1937. David Lidster collection, Trainiac

1940s

Examiner (Launceston, Tas. : 1900 - 1954), Wednesday 18 April 1945

Streetscape Evandale, TAS, (1940-9). Libraries Tasmania

Mr. R. O'Brien (82) photographed at the Evandale Show on-Saturday. He saw his first Evandale Show in 1869Examiner (Launceston, Tas. : 1900 - 1954), Monday 16 April 1945

1950s

Between 1949 and 1952 prefabricated buildings made by E.C. Mussett and Co., England, were purchased by the Tasmanian government to serve as instant schools for the growing population. Assembled from interlocking panels of galvanised steel, these structures had no known precedent outside Australia and their selection by the Tasmanian government for classrooms contrasted with choices made by the rest of the nation. Examiner (Launceston, Tas. : 1900 - 1954), Monday 20 August 1951 Papers and Proceedings: Tasmanian Historical Research Association

Examiner (Launceston, Tas. : 1900 - 1954), Monday 29 March 1954

Evandale's Vigoro Girls, Examiner (Launceston, Tas. : 1900 - 1954), Wednesday 19 November 1952, Vigoro is a team sport, played mainly by women in Australia, that originally combined elements of cricket and tennis

Examiner (Launceston, Tas. : 1900 - 1954), Monday 19 April 1954

Around Evandale

Front entrance of Clarendon House near Evandale, Tasmania

Convict built homestead, "Stratmore", built in 1826

Built in 1838 by James Cox, Clarendon House is Regency in style. Cox was involved in introducing merino sheep to Tasmania. Cox was the father of 19 children. His first wife Mary died giving birth to the eighth child, he then married Eliza in the same year.