1 2 Early Recorded Visits
1.2.2 Early Recorded Visits
1830 Description: A rare Almanac for that year describes the Jones River which "flows from a lofty range of hills called Mt Field ..... which runs into the Derwent .... Reports say it comes from a source beyond these hills .... Beyond the last farm are several streams ..... the principal ones of which are the Broad and Repulse" (1830, P.82).
Baron Von Mueller's Botanical Expedition, 1869
The earliest recorded visit to Mt Field East was a week long trek in early 1869 by Australia"s foremost botanist, whose papers and specimens are now held by the Royal Botanical Gardens, Melbourne. In 1870 his "Contributions to the Phytography of Tasmania No.2" lists some of the plants collected in this expedition and includes specimens taken from Lake Fenton and Mt Field East (Royal. Soc. of Tasmania P. & P., 1870, T.L see appendix). To date, no correspondence on the planning of the trip is extant in the archives of the Royal Society, but his paper refers to "Mess. Rayner" as his companions. On a later trip, Rayner recalled his earlier trek into Mt Field East with Von Mueller, who, despite the summer heat, "persisted in wearing his two flannel scarves, a habit the Baron always adopted, both in town and country life" (see below).
Mueller recorded a number of plants found on Mt Field East (for example Eucalyptus unigera, E. coccifera and E. gunnii) and others around Lake Fenton (for example, Donatia novae Zelandie) lion moist alpine meadows bordering Lake Fenton to about 3,000 ft elevation. The remarkably rigid white flowers scattered like pearls over the shining green cushions of the foliage impart to this plant a singular beauty" (iibid, P. 13).
Rodway and Nicholls c 1887
A newspaper article at the time of the Park's "formation records an early visit to the Mt Field high country in the late 1880s by Leonard Rodway recalled:
that about 30 years ago he and some others including Sir Herbert Nicholls the Chief Justice, Mr Eustace Maxwell and the late Mr F.G. Kelly, used to form camping - out parties at Christmas and explore the mountains. Long before there was any track to what is now known as Jollytail Lake, Mr Rodway and Mr Nicholls went through from Ellendale to Mt Field East. They dropped down on the lake, and, after spending a day or two there! they followed the creek which led down to Russell .Falls in those days the surroundings of Lake Jolly tail consisted of dense bush, but when the big bush-fires occurred (ie. in 1898), the whole country was swept bare, and the beautiful approach to the lake disappeared. At present there is nothing but dead logs everywhere (Mercury extract, 1917, PWH Library).
First Release of Trout, 1898
In December 1898, Rayner again acted as guide and carrier to Rodway and Lord when rainbow trout were released into Lakes Webster and Fenton (Tasmania Mail 3/12/1898, P.19-20) (see below). This article includes the first photographs of the Mt Field plateau.
Tasmanian Tourist Association Excursion, 1907
A 12 strong party of members camped in the plateau in 1907, and included 4 women in the party, apparently the first to explore this area. The party stayed at "Athlone", accommodation house of James Clark jnr. at Ellendale, before being guided by him and (unspecified others) over the ridge, onto Mt Field East and through to Lake Fenton. The newspaper report included a number of photographs of the visit (Tas. Mail, 16 Feb. 1907, P. 21-22 T.S.A).
1.2.3 Tourism Promotion - 1880-1911
Tasmania experienced a steady rise in visitors over the final 20 years of the 19th Century. Influential figures in the north and south of the island realized the economic value of tourism, as locations were popularised by the growth of guide books and extension of the railways.
The Tasmanian Tourist Association
In 1889 the first of a number of associations promoting tourism was established _ (the Launceston City and Suburban improvement Association). This was followed in 1893 by the Tasmanian Tourist Association, whose main aim was to popularise key natural features especially Russell Falls, Mt Wellington and the Hartz Mountains (Morris, P.24-S). In 1899 the island became the first colony to use stamps to feature these scenic attractions. Using Beattie photos, Russell Falls and (Mt Wellington) were key views (Robson, P. 285).
Henry Dobson, lawyer, was founder/chairman of the ITA and at that time, premier of Tasmania, and later a state Senator. An avowed Federalist and Imperialist, Dobson was instrumental in persuading Thomas Cook to establish a travel agency in Tasmania which promoted scenic routes and coordinated visitor needs and accommodation for the first time. The ITA he hoped would soon be "making Tasmania the playground of Australia" (C.T., P 46). To this end, tracks and huts were installed by the Public Works Department under the ITA's direction, and trout released into streams and lakes.
Other main members of the ITA were P.S. Seagar, (SJreme Court Registrar and member of the Fisheries Commission, an expert on i'the introduction of trout into Tasmania), L. Rodway, (government botanist), J.W. Beattie (photographer), Rev. J. B. W. Woolnough (upper-class Anglican cleric who had recently purchased the Model Prison, Port Arthur, with the intention of converting it to a "motel").
The Railway and Tourist Departments
Although a private body, the ITA was government-subsidised and caused friction by promoting motor excursions (Le. for the wealthy) to the detriment of the general public and the government-run railway system. In financial chaos in 1911, the government took over the ITA and control of tourist administration "finally committing itself .... to the principle of fostering tourism for the sake of increased railway revenue and other indirect financial benefits to the state" (Mosley thesis, P. 37). The new tourist department began life as a subsidiary of the Railways Department, and was put in charge of a young, capable clerk, T.E. Emmett who later became secretary of the National Park Board. The foundation of scenic reserves and National Parks was, in hindsight, a logical progression.