Mercury (Hobart, Tas. : 1860 - 1954), Wednesday 27 September 1922, page 4


TRAMWAY EXTENSION.

AUGUSTA-ROAD LINE NEARLY

READY.

HISTORICAL NOTES.

INTERESTING DISTRICT BEING

OPENED.

The last rail of the Augusta-road ex-tension of the Hobart tramways has been laid and the line will be officially opened on Saturday.

This extension will link up with the city the charming district at present known as Kangaroo Valley but formerly known as Kangaroo Bottom and until recently was included in the Augusta district. In the early days this dis-trict was settled by bushmen and saw-yers who supplied Hobart Town with large quantities of building timber. In 1815 the property just at the end of the tramway extension was owned by Gover-nor Davey, who built a residence there for his daughter who married Dr James Scott, Colonial Surgeon. The property is still known as Roseway but the house has been rebuilt since then.

Just beyond Roseway Lady Franklin purchased some 400 to 500 acres. That was just after Sir John Franklin, the tenth Lieutenant Governor, was appoint-ed. It is said that Lady Franklin, who frequently visited Roseway, was so charmed with the beauty of the locality that she secured the area above men-

tioned and it was known as Ancanthe. At that time and for a number of years after the only track to Mount Welling-ton was through this property. Lady Franklin built a small cottage close to where the Anglican Church now stands, and had a number of bridle tracks cut, for she was very fond of riding through the bush property, which she desired should be retained for the formation of a native arboreum, which the place al-

most was by nature. Out of her private purse Lady Jane Franklin built that solidly constructed stone building which still retains the name of Lady Franklin's Museum. Sir John Franklin laid the foundation stone of this building on March 16, 1842, in the presence of the masters and scholars of the Queen's School, and others. This building was completed in 1843. The builder was the father of Mr Edward White who is still a resident of New Town. The building, although much out of repair, still stands as a tribute to the excellent workman-ship of the stone-cutters and builders of 80 years ago. Great regret is felt that this historical building is used as an apple store, but we understand that Alderman F. D. Valentine, who has al-ways taken a deep interest in the wel-

fare of this district, and who was in-strumental in getting the cross road, now being built, which will connect it with Glenorchy at Barossa road, is now taking active steps to secure the build-ing and place it in the hands of a re-sponsible body willing to obtain the necessary funds to provide a suitable apple store for the lessee and reinstate the building and put it to some better use somewhat on the lines intended by Lady Franklin.

The district for many years past has been noted for growing apples of the finest quality. The pioneers of this in-dustry were the three brothers Richard, Leonard, and Owen Hickman, who, by their indomitable pluck and energy, cleared the rough but rich land of its timber and surface stones. The pro-

fusion of the latter can still be seen in the miles of stone walls separating the various holdings. Large areas were

brought into cultivation by these pio-neers, and many of the orchards are

still owned and successfully worked by sons of the late Leonard Hickman. The late Richard Hickman was one of the first members and chairman of the Au-

gusta-road Trust, and took a great in-terest in the public life of the dis-trict, as also did the late Mr. Fredk. Alomes, who over 40 years ago resided on the Roseway estate and later pur-chased some 70 acres adjoining Ancan-the, and like the Hickmans, turned his attention to orcharding. Mr. Alomes, J.P., died a few years ago, greatly respected by his neighbours and all who were brought in touch with him.

Other very old settlers are Messrs. Frank and Fred. Moore, whose property is situated at the far end of Pottery road. This road was named from the fact that the industry of making flower pots and other pottery was carried on by the late Mr. Alex. Worbey. This road passes through the property of the Cas-cade Brewery Co., and from here along McRobie's Gully is a track about a mile long and half a mile of road brings one to the Cascade tram line.

There are but three roads in the dis-trict. The Pottery-road just mentioned served to develop the property owned many years ago by Captain Nairn, a number of whose relatives still live in New Town. Then there was Brushy Creek-road, on which the late Richard and Leonard Hickman first settled, and Valley-road, which is an extension of the now important Augusta-road. Au-gusta, the old name of the locality, was given in honour of the wife of Sir Henry Fox Young, who was Governor of the State, 1856 to 1865.

It will be news to many to know that the old main road to Launceston passed through the Augusta district. The route on leaving Hobart turned up El-phinstone-road, across the Newlands Es-tate, along Augusta-road to Mr. Little's property, turned down by Roseway along Creek-road, passing Blackwell's mill, and across the New Town Creek below Prospect.

The visitor, when able to take the tram ride, will be well repaid by a stroll along the Valley-road. The pro-perty to the right is Roseway, now re-duced in area to 15½ acres. The bush land to the left was the last area owned by the late Captain Nairn, and was re-cently purchased by Mr. W. Ashton Jones, who intends to sub-divide it into building lots and small areas. The next property on this side of the road is Malvern, the residence of Mr. W. C. Cato, who for many years has gathered heavy apple crops from his small but highly productive area. On the left is Lansfern, another improving property developed by Mr. Leonard Hickman. Ad-joining and up on the hill side, over-looking New Town and the river, stands the imposing residence of a new resi-dent, Mr. Henry L. Black. This gen-tleman cultivates some eight or ten acres of orchard, as does his neighbour, George Grueber, of Craigmuir. Both these properties were made fruit producing by Mr Ed. Burke, who re-cently retired, and now resides on the Newlands Estate.

Coming to the first bridge which spans the rivulet, the visitor's attention will be arrested by the musical knocking sound of a number of hydraulic rams working in the river, and used by the orchardist as a means of lifting his do-mestic and irrigation supply to his homestead and orchard land. Here are several residences surrounded by gar-dens now bursting into bloom.

After crossing the Brookside Bridge will be seen the new road now being

metalled, which, when finished, will pro-

vide, a beautiful drive or walk to the Barossa Valley. Here are more or-chards. Those to the right are in the occupation of Messrs Stephen and Thomas Hickman, and now the second bridge brings the visitor to the little church on the side of the river. A little further on, and to the left, stands the historical building erected by Lady Franklin. The very productive or-chards surrounding tho building are oc-cupied by Mr. Thos. Bealey and his son. Mr. Bealey has been in occupa-tion of this part of the Ancanthe pro-perty for a great number of years. The next orchard property on both sides of the road is owned by Mr. Alfred Hick-man, a very successful orchardist. His brick villa on the summit of the or-chard commands a magnificent view of the valley of New Town and the river.

The road now passes through Mr. John Hickman's orchard which origin-ally was owned by Mr. Owen Hickman. Over the next bridge, and you are in Glenorchy territory. On the right is Captain Roberts's residence and or-chard, originally owned and occupied by the late Mr. Fredk. Alomes. Passing through the Christ College property, to the left, surrounded by smiling orchards, stands the pretty brick villa, Russelville, the home of Mr. Roland Bealey. The property in the distance is owned by Mr. John Kennedy, who has done an immense amount of work in clearing, draining, and bringing into bearing a large area of orchard. Above this the road turns into a track, which leads to

the waterfalls and the bush beyond right under the Organ Pipes and Mount Wellington.