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Oceania » Australia » Tasmania » Longford
February 6th 2013
Published: February 6th 2013
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We have been immersing ourselves in ‘old’. Yesterday morning, before leaving Stanley, we went to Highfields, the original homestead in the area. This was built by the Van Diemen Company in 1824 when they brought out a team of people and 5000 sheep to establish their company in Stanley, then known as Circular Head.

The old home fell into disrepair before being taken over Parks and Wildlife and is being restored over time and its elegant Regency design, convict barracks, barns, stables, and a chapel were once surrounded by a large ornamental garden.

We stayed the night at Latrobe and this morning drove to Launceston. This was through beautiful country with sheep, cattle, poppy fields (Tasmania grows 50% of the world's poppies that are used for medicine), berries and potatoes. We had a lovely time tasting and buying yet more cheese and a big 2kg bag of strawberries for $5 - they are huge and delicious.

At Launceston, we drove up the high high hill and then down down down the other side to Cataract Gorge and, after a good look around the city, we continued on through more dear little old towns, one, Evandale, holds a penny farthing race each year.

On then to Woolmer Estate, yet another old homestead from the 1820’s (old by Australian standards). This was continually owned by the Archer family from 1821 to 1994.

The first, Thomas Archer was given 800 acres by the government - their way of colonising the country. He became a member of the Legislative Council when Tasmania (then Van Diemens Land) gained its own government. With the help of convict labour, the family increased their holding to 25,000 merino sheep on 5,000 hectares and subsequent generations added more buildings to the site, and added to the house.

One interesting thing was that the family seldom threw anything away, so the original furnishings, china etc. are all there on view. The beautiful rose garden was originally an apple orchard, planted by the last Thomas Archer, who died unmarried and so Woolmer was bequeathed to the Nation.

There are many old buildings and old towns in this central Tasmania road. Tomorrow we’ll be visiting the old towns of Ross and Richmond as we head to Hobart. There are gum trees flowering everywhere, beautifully coloured trees. The roses are magnificent and it seems every garden has agapanthus in white and a deeper blue than at home. Everything seems about two months later than the gardens at home but growing prolifically.


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