Tasmanian History Sparking Interest!
May 18th, 2010 | 
Author: It’s a Miracle! Tasmanian History is Fascinating.
Tasmanian History: making teaching (and learning) easier! Anyone with school-aged kids will know this: you have to offer them something exceptional to spark an interest in history.
Tasmanian History is Monumental…
Here’s the thing with Tasmanian history – the whole state is a monument! Every way you turn, there’s bridges and buildings built by convict hand. There’s a whole attraction at Port Arthur dedicated to transportation, focused on the colonisation of Australia. And what about the naming of the towns and features?
Tasmanian History: Campbell Town bridge, Heritage Highway
Exploring Tasmanian History…
When crossing from Melbourne to Devonport on the Spirit of Tasmania, the stretch of water dividing the two (Bass Strait) refers to George Bass. Explorer Bass has been granted multiple naming rights, if George Town in the north of Tasmania can also be credited to him. And with good reason – with Matthew Flinders (as in Flinders Island), history records them circumnavigating the state, proving that Tasmania was actually an island. Probably saved the next batch of explorers a great deal of travel time!!
George who? Naming features in Tasmanian history.
Local Indigenous Tasmanian History…
Aboriginal heritage also plays a part in naming. It is believed the Bay of Fires was named by explorer Furneaux seeing the flames of the natives’ fires along the coastline as he sailed by in 1773. That sounds reasonable!
Get Your Hands on History in Tasmania…
It’s also reasonable to assume that history as a subject is enhanced by practical excursions. My children enjoyed exploring the remains of the Coal Mines on the Tasman Peninsula, and have retained that information more than anything else they have read about convicts. Amazing, considering this site is free to visit and easily accessed in a day-trip from Hobart.
Coal Mine site, the budget-friendly historic cousin of Port Arthur
Tasmanian history is naturally woven into the visitor itinerary: the expeditions of Bass and Flinders, the heritage of convicts and the study of the indigenous inhabitants. Great when you want your kids to just absorb some extra learning without even knowing it.
Tasmanian History: Oatlands, Heritage Highway
A good excuse for a holiday in Tasmania – as if anyone needed an excuse!! Tasmanian history offers extra curricular activities for the kids, it’s got nothing to do with that wine tour, or the chocolate factory, or the market day, or…
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This from an article written by Julian Burgess published in The Examiner (Launceston) on Saturday 26 March…
In December 1811, Governor Macquarie… decided to call his proposed settlement George Town (“in honour of our beloved Sovereign”).
So there you go! King George, not George Bass at all. Happy to provide a bit more information, with thanks to the author for all his research.