Historical Australian Towns: Colebrook, Tas: Remnants Of a Convict Station

Colebrook, situated in the Coal River Valley in the Southern Midlands of Tasmania, is 39km north from Hobart.

The town was called Jerusalem, then Colebrook Dale and afterwards became Colebrook, with historic buildings, such as the Police Station and Colebrook Courthouse, built in 1834.

Oyster Bay People ((Paredarerme)

The land of the Oyster bay People covered the east coast from St Patricks Head to the Derwent estuary and Tasman Peninsula, to the mouth of the Jordan River and inland to St Peters Pass in the midlands, east to the Eastern Tiers, and northeast back to St Patrick’s Head.

The Oyster Bay people moved about according to the season and food availability, collecting ochre, making stone tools, collecting reeds and grasses for baskets making.

Many Aboriginal people practised scarification of the skin for reasons such as, identity and status, grief and patterns showing tribal affiliation.

Francois Peron, part of a French expedition, visited Tasmania in 1802 as naturalist on the Geographe, making drawings of Aboriginal people. He reported that pieces of bark covering a burial mound at Oyster Bay had "some characters crudely marked," similar to those which the aborigines tattooed on their" forearms".

John glover, danza d'indigeni della terra van diemen (tasmania) al chiar di luna, 1831-45 ca. Sailko

John Henry Cox, an English explorer, visited Oyster Bay in the Mercury in July, he reported that several Aboriginal people were "tatowed in a very curious manner, skin being raised so as to form a kind of relief (Mortimer, 1791).

According to Jørgen Jürgensen, 1780, a Danish convict, the Oyster Bay people made "ring dollars" in the small of the back.

By the early 1830s, the thirty-year conflict between the Tasmanian Aboriginal people and the European settlers was coming to an end. Warfare and disease, to which they had no immunity, had severely reduced Aboriginal populations.

By 1833, George Augustus Robinson, Chief Protector of Aborigines, befriended Truganini and made an agreement with the Big River and Oyster Bay peoples to move to Wybalenna Aboriginal Establishment on Flinders Island.

Shortly after arriving, the 14 Aboriginal children, aged between six and 15 years, were sent to live with the storekeeper and the catechist. (1.)

In 1848 some settlers around Huonville remembered, visiting Oyster Cove Aboriginal people who had been transported in 1847 from Wybalenna, whitening their faces when performing corroborees, to frighten the rain away. Here

Oyster Bay People, Flinders Island, TAS

William Blythe, who was interviewed 19 January, 1909, was told by eyewitness that in 1847, he saw Aboriginal people make fire twirling a stick. "They would put the spear point in the hard wood, and two or three would twirl it in their hand. Another way is to work a hard pointed stick in a groove in a flat wood; I can get the smoke and then I am knocked out; don't know where I heard they did this second way." Here

1800s

In 1806, with severe food shortages in Hobart, soldiers were sent into the Colebrook area to hunt game. On this expedition, Private Hugh Germain, an educated member of the Royal Marines, bestowed names to various sites, such as Bagdad, Lake Tiberius, Jericho, the Jordan River and the Jerusalem Plains.

It is thought that the Seven Hills surrounding the town inspired the name Jerusalem. The railway station, that burned down in 1967 had a Star of David in the fretwork.

1820s

Andrew Tolmey was granted land at Colebrook Park in 1828, buiding a house by 1831.

1830s

The Police Station and Colebrook Courthouse were built circa 1834.

Colebrook began as a Convict Probation Station to house convicts being moved between Richmond and Oatlands, and was known as Jerusalem.

Part of a larger grant to Tasmania’s Governor Arthur, the property was known as Jerusalem Estate.

The original Hospital in the Jerusalem Probation Station dates from 1835. The building was designed and surveyed by the Royal Engineers and constructed with convict made materials and labour. There are remnants of a the convict prison cell downstairs.

Colebrook was developed as a convict probation station in 1839. The probation system replaced the assignment system, but this experiment was unsuccessful.

1840s

The building of the Jerusalem Probation Station began in 1841, one of 75 probation stations established across Van Dieman’s Land. This system of reform entailed labour and religious instruction, which could lead to a probation pass and perhaps eventually qualifying for employment by free settlers.

Courier (Hobart, Tas. : 1840 - 1859), Friday 15 July 1842

1850s

The perimeter walls of the probation station were demolished in the 1850s.

"The Chimneys" was the home of the district constable in early 1854. However, In July 1854, it became a convent until closing in 1967.

Construction of St Patrick’s Catholic Church began in 1855, one of three churches in the State designed by Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin.

1860s

Mercury (Hobart, Tas. : 1860 - 1954), Tuesday 3 July 1860

Mercury (Hobart, Tas. : 1860 - 1954), Wednesday 3 October 1860

1870s

Hardwick Mill was operating in 1871. The building was originally constructed as a steam flour mill

Jerusalem Probation Station’s Church was used by the Anglican Church until the 1870s.

Weekly Examiner (Launceston, Tas. : 1872 - 1878), Saturday 2 December 1876

1880s

The building of St. James Anglican Church ("The Old Prison Church") began in 1882.

Mercury (Hobart, Tas. : 1860 - 1954), Monday 6 November 1882

1900s

Mercury (Hobart, Tas. : 1860 - 1954), Wednesday 30 November 1904

Railway Hotel, Colebrook, TAS, 1908

WWI

Archie Albert Barwick (7 March 1890 – 28 January 1966) was born at Colebrook, TAS, was an Australian farmer and soldier known for his diaries of World War I. His set of diaries are recognised as one of the most extensive and well written first hand accounts of military service in World War.

Archie Albert Barwick (7 March 1890 – 28 January 1966) was born at Colebrook, TAS. was an Australian farmer and soldier known for his diaries of World War I. His set of diaries are recognised as one of the most extensive and well written first hand accounts of military service in World War.
Unit 1st BattalionBattles/warsWorld War I:Gallipoli Campaign..Egyptian Campaign. Flanders Trenches Campaign. Somme 1916 Campaign. Hindenburg Line Campaign. Ypres 1917 Campaign. German Offensive Campaign. AwardsBelgian Croix de Guerre

Our Colebrook correspondent writes:— "Very much sympathy is felt for Mr. and Mrs. W. E. Smith, of Green Hills, Colebrook, who received news quite recently of the death of their son, Corporal Claud Smith, on the Western front. He had been previously wounded in action there, but recovered. Corporal Smith joined the A.I.F. about 2½ years ago, saw active service at Gallipoli, and thereafter, with his regiment, was transferred to France. He is the second son of the same family to be mortally wounded in action. Private Keith Smith was killed in action there about 15 months ago. Mr. and Mrs. Smith had four sons, and all joined the A.I.F. when the call to arms reached them. Privates Frank and Iven are still on active service in France." Mercury (Hobart, Tas. : 1860 - 1954), Thursday 25 October 1917

1920s

Harvest Time at Colebrook, TAS, Mercury (Hobart, Tas. : 1860 - 1954), Wednesday 11 April 1923

1930s

ST. JAMES' CHURCH, Colebrook, which was opened for divine service on March 13, 1884, by Bishop Sandford. On the right is the "Old Prison Church " a brick building with freestone base, erected in 1834 by the British Government in pursuance of its penal system, and used for church services until St. James' Church was opened. The late Captain R. Storey licensed it for concerts and dances in 1900, when it became known as Waterdale Hall. This ancient structure is now private property. Mercury (Hobart, Tas. : 1860 - 1954), Tuesday 13 March 1934

The Prince meets returned men at Colebrook. Highness was greeted with rousing cheers. Examiner (Launceston, Tas. : 1900 - 1954), Saturday 17 November 1934 (royal visit of Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester)

1940s and WWII

Founded in 1840 by a Mr. Denn, and purchased by the late Mr. Alfred Nichols, father of the present owners, Misses M. and C. Nichols, about 70 years ago, this fine freestone structure, comprising a general store and residence, situated at the corner of Main St. and Rhyndaston Rd., Colebrook, is in a good state of preservation. Mercury (Hobart, Tas. : 1860 - 1954), Friday 23 February 1940

Mercury (Hobart, Tas. : 1860 - 1954), Wednesday 24 March 1943

Five generations of the Marney family, of Colebrook: Mr John Marney, Mr H. Marney (son), Mrs J. T. Beven (grand-daughter), Mrs B. Williamson (great-grand-daughter), and baby Jennifer Williamson (great-greatMercury (Hobart, Tas. : 1860 - 1954), Monday 27 August 1945

Colebrook Football Team. Tasmanian Archives: No date

1950s

Gangs lost no time in starting repairs to the permanent way after the fatal Colebrook rail smash. Mercury (Hobart, Tas. : 1860 - 1954), Monday 29 October 1951

IF you have thousands of acres of land to fertilise, the use of aircraft, depicted here, is the most economical method. If the country is hilly, like this Colebrook property of Mr. L C Reynolds, it is the only woy, because you can't spread fertiliser on steep hüls by any other means. Mercury (Hobart, Tas. : 1860 - 1954), Wednesday 30 July 1952

1960s

Colebrook was almost completely destroyed by the fires on February 7, 1967. One side of the street was virtually wiped out.

On person died in the fires, as well as many farm animals. Also lost were the, state school, post office, the Railway Hotel, the two shops and many houses.

1980s

Colebrook Park, a two-story Georgian sandstone house built in 1822 was lost with the building of Craigbourne Dam which opened in 1986.

2000s

The Southern Midlands Council approved a development application for a Benedictine monastery to be built at Colebrook in 2019. The Monastery, known as Notre Dame Priory, will be located at Hardwick House, 2495 Colebrook Road, Colebrook.

Road to Hobart Town, TAS

Around Colbrook

Original Hospital in the Jerusalem Probation Station c.1835, Colbrook, TAS. The building was designed and surveyed by the Royal Engineers, and used with convict made materials and labour. There are remnants of a the convict prison cell downstairs.

Construction of St Patrick’s Catholic Church began in 1855, one of three churches in the State designed by Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin, Colebrook, TAS

Richmond street, Colebrook, TAS, built by convicts around 1840, part of the downstairs was once an old store and butcher shop (Nichols' Store 34. Richmond St Colebrook)