Tasmanian Tour 2009
18 - 26th September
2009
It is with great pleasure that the Australiana Society is now able
to tell you of our proposed tour to Tasmania in September this year.
Every effort has been made to make the journey interesting and to
include a wide range of activities which will best describe the
history, art and diversity of this beautiful state. We are particularly
pleased that interest has been Australia-wide across the membership.
Against the wonderful background of spring flowers such as daffodils
and early wattles, our tour of Tasmania will include visits to historic
sites, private and public houses, collections and gardens. Some
of them are well known, others are more off the beaten track. It
is thanks to the generosity of private individuals that some of
these venues have been made available.
There will be visits to public galleries and museums such as QVMAG
in Launceston and TMAG and the State Library in Hobart, where some
of their treasures will be shown to us by the curators of particular
collections. As well, we have made time to board and sail Hobart’s
picturesque harbour on the wooden replica vessel “Lady Nelson” and
explore the nature of square-rigging at the time of early ship’s
travel in Tasmania. Included in the tour are various talks by experts
in their given fields. At the kind invitation of His Excellency
The Honourable Peter Underwood AO, Governor of Tasmania, we will
be made welcome at Government House in Hobart to view its furniture
collection and from there proceed to the neighbouring Botanical
Gardens for the annual and unforgettable Springtime display of flowers
in the conservatory.
The joy of antique hunting has not been forgotten, and time has
been set aside to attend the Evandale Markets and individual antique
dealers along the way.
To keep costs down and to allow maximum freedom of movement between
venues - even to take an unscheduled rest!- transport will be in
the form of self-driven cars. If travelling from the mainland, it
is recommended that participants book their cars ahead of time,
to be picked up at Launceston airport after arrival in Tasmania,
as the tour starts in nearby Evandale.
For those participants who do not wish to drive themselves, it
is suggested that they team up with others: we can put you in touch
with other tour members who are willing to travel in a small group
of four. The cost of hiring a car and purchasing petrol works out
at about $125 per head for the whole tour if four people share one
compact, four door saloon.
From Evandale we will then proceed to our second base in Hobart,
by way of the midlands, pausing in Campbell Town, with trips out
from these two centres. This gives participants the freedom of leaving
luggage and belongings in their rooms during the day.
All accommodation will be in 4 star comfort, in a peaceful location.
Many meals are included in the cost of the tour, as well as morning
or afternoon tea where time allows and champagne and nibbles following
a late afternoon event.
Travel Insurance is mandatory and participants will need to take
out a policy covering themselves for the duration of the tour.
As some of the venues are run by the National Trust, it is a good
idea to join the National Trust if you are not already a member,
as the tour cost does not include entry to National Trust sites
where the participant is not already a member.
COST AND BOOKING APPLICATION
$ 1,425 per person twin share or per person double room.
A single supplement of $ 125 applies where a participant does not
want to share accommodation and requests sole occupancy of a room.
Due to any unforeseeable circumstances and the present world financial
situation this price could vary slightly, up or down.
Cost Includes:
8 night’s accommodation.
8 breakfasts, 7 lunches and 4 dinners.
6 morning or afternoon teas.
All talks and guided tours..
Entry to all non National Trust venues.
Cost Does not Include:
Fares to and from Tasmania.
Travel Insurance.
Entry to National Trust venues.
All talks and guided tours.
Car Hire.
Bookings will be taken in the order in which they are received
by the tour organiser.
The final balance will be due one month, i.e. August18th, before
departure. Although maximum numbers are limited, the tour can still
operate well with a modest group of members. If, however, applications
exceed our capacity, applicants will be placed on a waiting list
and offered any available place in the event of a cancellation.
Payment of the balance will need to be accompanied by a Travel Insurance
reference.
In the event that the tour is cancelled, a full refund will be made
by the Australiana Soc.
Please email us for an application form.
………………………………………………………………………………………………
ITINERARY
Day 1, Friday, 18th September
Arrival, afternoon/evening at Launceston Airport. Pick up car or
take taxi and proceed to Evandale (4 kms from airport) and take
up accommodation. 7.00pm Welcome dinner at Clarendon Arms Evandale.
Day 2, Saturday, 19th September
Breakfast at accommodation. Visit to Franklin House,* Breadalbane,
morning tea. Proceed to QVMAG at Esk in Launceston and view paintings
by Glover, Aboriginal Shell Necklaces and other points of interest
with Glenda King, Manager of Collections. Lunch in Esk. In the afternoon,
visit the Tasmanian Design Centre- a must see. Free time now if
available, to explore options on additional list or return to Evandale
and browse antique shops and walk in the village. Dinner at 7 at
Clarendon Arms.
Day 3, Sunday, 20th September
Breakfast at accommodation. Visit the Evandale Antique Markets.
Drive to Deddington to view the site of John Glover’s Patterdale
paintings and the wayside chapel where he is buried. Visit nearby
Clarendon,* home to the colonial Cox family. Clarendon is one of
Tasmania’s earliest and finest houses. Lunch at Clarendon. In the
afternoon proceed to Hadspen and Entally with its fine early furniture,
greenhouse and garden and have afternoon tea there. Afterwards a
choice of The White House* with the unforgettable Pendle Hall dollshouse
or John Temple’s Wilderness Gallery. Both of these venues are in
Westbury.
Day 4, Monday, 21 st September
Breakfast at accommodation. Set out at 8.30am and drive through
the countryside to Mole Creek/Chuddleigh to “Bentley” the home of
collector and antique dealer John Hawkins, who has kindly and generously
invited us to tour his house and garden. John will address us on
the subject of “Establishing The Rural Estate”. Lunch at the village
of Mole Creek/Chuddleigh with John and a leisurely return to Launceston
to arrive at 4.00pm at the home of Dr. John Millwood. The enthusiastic
collector John Millwood has invited us to view his extensive collection
of early Tasmanian landscapes and portraits. We felt this called
for champagne and sustenance and will gladly toast our host’s health.
Return to Evandale tired but happy.
Day 5, Tuesday, 22nd September
Breakfast at accommodation. Leave Evandale and drive around the
corner to assemble at “Brickendon”in Longford 9.00am where owner
and descendant of the Archer family, Louise Archer, will take us
on a tour of Brickendon’s wonderful village of small houses, workman’s
chapel and surrounding gardens. Morning tea at the bakery in Longford
and leisure to visit the antique shop owned by McWilliams and Henley
or Tom Robert’s grave in Longford From there down the road to nearby
“Woolmers” at about noon to inspect the house, restored early cottage,
extensive gardens and grounds and enjoy lunch in Woolmers own restaurant.
Across the road at “Panshangar”, Marie Mills will show us her garden
which she has worked on for many years. In the late afternoon we
head south to Campbell Town to our accommodation at The Foxhunter’s
Return, one of Tasmania’s best old stone inns still in operation,
with hosts Ken and Sheila Pearson-Smith. Dinner at 7 at The Foxhunter’s
Return. Ken has another hat which he wears, that of heritage architect.
He has offered to talk to us about the building and invited us to
view the cellars below the inn which were used by the overseers
to imprison the convicts at night while they were building the inn
and nearby bridge. Only for the brave, this inspection will be done
by candlelight.
Day 6, Wednesday, 23rd September
Breakfast at accommodation and proceed south to Ross. The morning
is free to stroll beautiful Ross with its historic buildings and
antique shops before rendezvouing for morning tea at the Ross bakery
and meeting up with Debra Spohn, historian and currently researching
the Ross Bridge. Lunch in Ross.
In the afternoon we will proceed to Hobart arriving by 3.00pm at
the State Library to view the Allport Collection with Senior Librarian
Marian Jameson. Works on paper, including Prout and some botanical
works will also be accessible. When the Library closes at 5.00pm
we will take up our accommodation in Battery Point, meeting up again
for dinner at 7 pmat the Shipwright’s Arms, a popular destination
in Battery Point because of its connection with the Sydney to Hobart
Yacht Race and justly famed brasserie.
Day 7, Thursday, 24th September.
Breakfast at accommodation. 9.30am, visit and tour of the Hobart
Synagogue with Daniel Albert, President of the Hobart Hebrew Congregation.
This synagogue was built and consecrated in1845, is the oldest remaining
synagogue in Australia and is a rare example of Egyptian Revival
architecture.
From the city centre we reconvene at the Battery Point bakery for
the morning tea of a lifetime followed by a stroll round this precinct
which will include Arthur’s Seat and its circle of small houses
and Oakmans and Scotts antique shops finishing at Narryna* where
there will be a tour of the house and contents and early lunch.
Fortified, we will then meet at TMAG at 1.00 PM and meet with Prof.
Hamish Maxwell-Stewart in the Royal Society Rooms to hear his power
point presentation entitled “Convict Skills, tokens, tattoos and
health. Hamish is one of Australia’s foremost historians and we
are honoured to be able to listen to what he has to say. From 2
– 4 pm the time will be spent between TMAG’s storage at Rosney and
in TMAG itself with Peter Hughes, Head of Fine Arts, who will introduce
us to the recently acquired and expanded Huon Pine collection, the
Hamilton Inn sofa and much more. In conversation with Peter Hughes
it was immediately interesting to hear his suggestions. At 4.00
PM, return to the Royal Society Rooms, this time with the great
good fortune to listen to Warwick Oakman talk on “ The Development
and Demise of the Cabinet Maker in Hobart”. This will have been
a long and intense day, so we have no further plans for the evening.
Day 8, Friday, 25th September
A leisurely start to the day with assembly at 10.30 AM at Government
House where we have been cordially invited by His Excellency The
Honourable Peter Underwood, Governor of Tasmania and Mrs. Underwood
to look at the furniture held in Government House. It is hoped at
this stage that Mr. John Hawkins will describe the significance
of the collection. Lunch at the neighbouring Botanical Gardens and
a chance to view the much-praised annual display of spring flowers
in the Conservatory. From 2.00 – 3.30 PM we board “ The Lady Nelson”
and sail around the harbour in the safe hands of her Ship’s Master.
It is very likely that Australiana’s own Carl Gonsalves, who is
a marine artefacts collector, historic wooden boat expert and boat
builder will join us and tell us more about square-rigging and then
the scrimshaw on exhibition at the neighbouring Maritime Museum.
There are no more plans for Day 8 at this stage and this gives participants
the chance to browse the wonderful interior of Kent and Kent, (strategically
placed for all of us between “The Lady Nelson’s” mooring and the
Maritime Museum).
Day 9, Saturday, 26th September
Breakfast at accommodation. Journey north, leaving Hobart to Kempton.
10.30, visit Dysart House, the home of Leo Schofield which he has
kindly invited us to view. The restoration of both this marvellous
house and its surrounding garden has been ongoing since Mr. Schofield
took up residence in Tasmania. Farewell Lunch at Oatlands at the
wool centre Casaveen. From there adieu, disperse and go our separate
ways as this is the end of our tour.
ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDED PLACES TO VISIT
In Launceston.
The Aquarius Roman Baths.
The Umbrella Shop*
Clocks and Watches.
Automobile Museum.
1842 Workshops
Breadalbane
The Tasmanian Glassblower’s Studio.
Longford
The National Rose Garden at Woolmers. Unfortunately not in full
Summer bloom when we are there but still very interesting for the
rose-fancier.
Hobart
Runnymede* at New Town. IXL Gallery, now part of the Henry Jones
Complex.
Cascade Brewery.
Female Factory.
Salamanca Markets.
Floral clock and Arctic plants at the Botanical Gardens.
Theatre Royal (Australia’s oldest working theatre). There will be
performances while we are in Hobart.
New Norfolk
The Oast Houses.
Oatlands The Mill * Denotes National Trust Prop
