General info

W for West Hobart

Miss W. General info , , , , , , ,

West Hobart is an inner suburb west of the city of Hobart in Tasmania. Originally it was farming land like hops, orchards, market gardens as well as poultry and dairy. But being on the foothills of kunanyi (Mt Wellington), there was also coal mining, quarrying and a brick works.

Nowadays the suburb has many artists and musicians living there. It has changed from the working class suburb from the 1960’s.

How does West Hobart relate to my family?

My father lived in Goulburn Street and went to school at Lansdowne Primary School in West Hobart.

My grandmother lived in Warwick Street while married to my step grandfather. He was a keen gardener and as a family we would often go at Christmas where he decorated a huge tree in the backyard. They also had lots of small birds and a great vegetable garden.

As kids we would often go to Knocklofty Terrace to go tadpoling.

Mum’s first cousin was born at Elim Salvation Army home in Lansdowne Crescent.

J for Judbury

Miss W. General info , , , , ,

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Judbury is a rural area in the Huon Valley which is south west of Hobart in Tasmania. It was originally called Judds Creek in 1855 named after the earliest settler there John Cane Judd.

If visiting Hobart on the second Sunday of the month, then a great drive down to Judbury for their market is well worth the time. Great food over the lunch time as well as local products. It is held at Calvert Park which is the Judbury Recreation Ground.

My parents enjoyed bike riding and one of their favourite places to go with the Hobart Walking Club bike riders was down around the Huon Valley area especially Ranelagh to Judbury. In the photo above, mum wasn’t well enough to cycle so I drove her in the car while dad joined their friends. We met them at Judbury for lunch.

G for Glenorchy

Miss W. General info , , ,

Prior to white men arriving, the land now known as Tasmania was occupied by Tasmanian Aboriginals. The first  land grants were allotted in Glenorchy to the free settlers who arrived in 1804. The first settlement in the area was known as O’Brien’s Bridge in 1809. From this time it was farm land and there were many orchards leading to the first cool store built in the 1880s. Many German immigrants arrived in the 1880’s and built small townships called Bismark and Glenlusk in the foothills of the local mountains.

I spent the first 12 years of my life in Glenorchy. I attended the local primary school and one year at the high school. As a family we attended Glenorchy Methodist church which was across the road from the school. In 1967, bushfires came down over the mountains and into the outskirts of Glenorchy.

Glenorchy is a suburb of Hobart but it officially became a city in 1964. It is now a retail area as well as many industries including the Zinc Works at Risdon. At the opening of the new Glenorchy City Council Chambers, the Girl Guides and Brownies were asked to help plant the roses in the gardens.