Skip to main content

Taranna & Norfolk Bay - Tasman Peninsula

Taranna

Taranna is a tiny hamlet on the Arthur Highway, on the way to Port Arthur, around 10km from Eaglehawk Neck, with an estimated population of 277 residents.

It is believed that 'taranna' is the local Aboriginal word for 'kangaroo'.

Taranna's main attractions are the Tasmanian Devil Conservation Park, Unzoo, the Tasman Historical Museum & Coffee Shop, and The Norfolk Bay Convict Station.

Its real claim to fame, however, is that it was the terminus for the infamous human 'railway' which ran between  the jetty at Little Norfolk Bay and Port Arthur and was powered by four convicts pushing the carriages along the crude 7 km of track.


Norfolk Bay and Port Arthur Tramway
~~~~~~

NOTE: Clicking on 'coordinates' will take you to the appropriate Google map.
The Norfolk Bay Convict Station 

Norfolk Bay Convict Station, originally the Commissariat Store, was built in 1842.

It is a red and white-roofed building on a side road and was built by convicts with bricks that were were brought to Taranna from Port Arthur.


Historic Bed & breakfast accommodation on the Tasman Peninsula,

The building has had a chequered history, with some of the details on a plaque near the jetty.

The jetty site at Little Norfolk Bay - opposite the Norfolk Bay Convict Station

It was originally the Commissariat Store, which was specifically built to hold stores that were landed at the Little Norfolk Bay jetty and pushed along the tramway to Long Bay, Port Arthur.

When Port Arthur closed in 1877 the store was converted into the Tasman Hotel

The Norfolk Bay Convict Station is located just off the Arthur Highway at
5862 Arthur Highway in Taranna
~~~~~~
Old Convict Tramway


When a ship coming down Port Arthur from Hobart entered Storm Bay, it was exposed to the prevailing westerly winds and swells coming all the way from Antarctica.

In good weather a passage to Port Arthur might be accomplished in less than a day, but when the wind blew hard South-West, a sailing ship could be held up for days, sheltering under Bruny Island.

In 1836 Charles O'Hara Booth, then commander of the penal settlement at Port Arthur, oversaw the construction of the tramway to resolve this problem.

The tramway was created to replace the hazardous sea voyage from Hobart to Port Arthur, meaning  ships no longer needed to enter Storm Bay to reach Port Arthur:


A section of the tramway with a convict powered truck at the Norfolk Bay Convict Station

Sometimes called Australia’s first passenger railway it was, in reality, a tramway with wooden rails and trucks pushed by convicts and was a clever adaptation of timber-getting technology that required a great deal of maintenance and large manpower to run.

At the bottom of the Derwent, they could turn to port and stay in the sheltered waters of Norfolk Bay till they reached its southernmost point. 

The gangs of men who pushed the trucks were housed in a camp half-way along the track, and about fifty were needed to work the trucks in relays.

Three or four convicts were used to push the railway the 7 km from Port Arthur to the jetty at Little Norfolk Bay.

One description of travel on the railway, by a Col. Mundy,  reported that the occasional derailings may not have been all accidental, but used as a chance to pick the pockets of the passengers.

Mundy also describes the discomfort of the ā€˜quality’ (especially the ladies) brought into much too close contact with the convicts when the men jumped aboard the trucks to free-wheel downhill ā€œand the d . . .. l take the hindmostā€.


~~~~~~
Tasmanian Devil Unzoo
 Arthur Highway, Taranna
Coordinates: -43.060637, 147.864232

Website: Unzoo

 

Tasmanian Devil Unzoo is a four-in-one wildlife nature experience that combines up-close animal encounters, wildlife adventures, a Tasmanian native garden and original art.

The Tasmanian Devil Conservation Park, also known as The Taranna Wildlife Park, is working to rescue the Tasmanian devil species from the edge of extinction and teach people about this unusual marsupial.

The park is home to a small population of the devils, as well as a number of other Australian native animals, some of whom are unique to Tasmania.

The  Park is all about bringing wildlife to the visitors, and the entire park has been built with this in mind.

Visitors can wander the park and interact with the animals, be involved in feedings, and hear the expert keepers talk about Tasmania’s native animals while viewing the animals in their natural habitat.

Much care has been taken to allow visitors to see the animals, without limiting their lifestyles, including the placement of viewing domes inside the Tasmanian devil enclosure.


A Wombat

Visitors can also wander along the park’s nature trail and view the on-site botanic garden with iconic Australian native plants, and local birdlife.

 In the welcoming visitor reception area you’ll find information, good coffee, light refreshments and gifts, including quality Tasmanian books, clothing and souvenirs.

Pick up your guided map, bird and plant checklists at the reception desk, and chat to one of their knowledgeable guides to find out about the Unzoo or to book your place on the presentations and Devil Tracker Adventures.

You can also find out more about their journey as the world’s first Unzoo and efforts to save the endangered Tasmanian devil through the support of the Tasmanian Devil Conservation Project.


Tasmanian Devil

Young visitors are also welcome to play and explore in the Little Devil’s Playground, which offers an interactive display with information about Tasmanian devils and Tasmania’s prehistoric mega marsupials.

~~~~~~
 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Dump Points in Tasmania - A List

Locations of Dump Points in Tasmania For a many campers, knowing where the DUMP POINTS are along your route is crucial to your daily planning. Hopefully, this list will prove to be useful to you on your adventure. Please feel free to copy and paste this list to your favourite word processor to save or print for handy access offline.   Alonnah Bruny Island:  3915 Bruny Island Main Rd, Alonnah. free - public - toilets  Arthur River: Airey Dr, Arthur River. Free - public - water (non-potable) - toilets - car park is sealed - Turning may be difficult for long rigs  Arthurs Lake: 40 Arthurs Lake Rd, Arthurs Lake. Free - public - toilets  Bakers Beach: Bakers Point Rd, Bakers Beach. Free - public - toilets  Beaconsfield: Grubb St, Beaconsfield. Free - public - toilets  Bicheno:  Waubs Esplanade, Bicheno. Free - public  Bothwell Public: Market Place, Bothwell. Public - free - drinking water - enter off William Street - electric power ...

List of Tasmanian RV Campsites and Caravan Parks

  Welcome to your ultimate guide to exploring Tasmania's stunning landscapes, one campsite and caravan park at a time. This comprehensive list is your key to unlocking the island's diverse camping experiences, from serene coastal havens to secluded wilderness retreats. Index to Regions

Tasmania - The Roadkill Capital Of Australia

  Did you know that, on average, 32 animals are killed every hour on Tasmanian roads? Common Wombat  'More animals die per kilometre on Tasmanian Roads than anywhere else in the world,' says Don Knowler, author of Riding the Devil's Highway. Roadkill Tas estimates that over 293,000 animals lose their lives on the road each year in Tasmania. That equals 32 killed animals per hour on average for the year!  Most wildlife is hit by vehicles between dusk and dawn. 50% of these animals die due to us humans driving faster than 80 km/h. What can I do if I accidentally hit an animal? Accidents can be avoided by driving cautiously and keeping an eye out for wildlife, but occasionally they simply happen.  In the event that you do hit an animal, there are a few things that you could do: Stop only if it is safe to do so. Take your time approaching the animal. If the animal is dead, remove it from the road to reduce the possibility that predators will also be hit by cars. It's b...

Gold, gold, gold! Fossicking at Lefroy

Lefroy: The six pub town I have always found it rather interesting that the population and wealth of Australian historic mining areas seem to be always measured by the number of pubs (hotels) it had. Lefroy sits around 15 km south-east of the cottage and 58 km north-east of Launceston. Originally known as Nine Mile Springs it was changed to Lefroy in 1881 after the visit by the Acting Governor, Sir Henry Lefroy. It was a bustling town, which is said to have contained 5,000 people in its peak boom period of 1890-95. It was the fourth largest town in Tasmania,. Gold was known to exist in the hills around Lefroy in the 1840s, but exploration was discouraged because of a fear that the convicts would find out and rebel. Though now only a sleepy rural town with no retail activity at all, Lefroy had a race track, rifle club, cricket club and brass band. There were six hotels, three churches, a state and private grammar school, a masonic lodge and mechanics institute. The town h...

Franklin - Home of the Wooden Boat Centre

 Franklin https://www.willyweather.com.au/tas/southern/franklin.html Franklin is a small township on the western side of the Huon River in the south-east of Tasmania, between Huonville and Geeveston with a population of 1,301. Photo Details Named after Sir John Franklin, Lieut-Governor of Van Diemen's Land in 1837-1843, and his wife Lady Jane Franklin, who subdivided a large property there to settle families of modest means, Franklin offers a post office and ATM, organic food and products, catering, motor mechanic, IT services, general practitioner service, canvas new and repairs, a primary school, aged care facility with respite and so much more. The township has a pet friendly camp ground and off-leash play area for dogs on the foreshore, and is known as a dog friendly town. Buchungssoftware Hotelerie   Franklin Camping Ground Huon Hwy, Franklin -43.092964 147.009204 hvc@huonvalley.tas.gov.au Website Low...

RV Camps and Caravan Parks - The West Coast, Tasmania

    Corinna Wilderness Camp Ground & Hotel Corinna Rd, Corinna (03) 6446 1170 sales@corinna.com.au -41.651494 145.077767 Some camping sites are available at Corinna, but are limited and booking is advised. Sites are unpowered and suitable for tents, camper trailers, motorhomes and caravans. Facilities include toilets and showers. Pets are not permitted. Savage River Overnighter Western Explorer Rd, Corinna -41.626639 145.07813 This is a free campground. It is accessible to RVs and camper trailers. Camping in tents is allowed. Pieman Rd, West Coast -41.731277 145.135891 This free campground offers swimming. It is accessible to RVs, camper trailers, caravans and big rigs and is dog friendly Granville Harbour Campground Farm Track, Granville Harbour -41.805422 145.028621 This campground offers swimming. It is dog friendly. It is accessible to motorbikes, RVs and camper trailers. Camping in tents is allowed. Rosebery Caravan Park Park Rd, Ro...

RV Camps and Caravan Parks - Tamar Valley

    Return to Index of Regions George Town RV Overnight Rest Area @ Visitors Centre 92-96 Main Road, George Town Tasmania, 7253. Tel: 03 6382 1700. Email: info@georgetown.net.au This paid campground offers drinking water and a dump point. It is dog friendly. It is accessible to RVs. You can stay here for up to 24 hours. You must be fully self-contained. You must book in advance. Low Head Tourist Park 136 Low Head Rd, Low Head TAS (03) 6382 1573 Visit Website East Beach Tourist Park 40 Gunn Pde, Low Head, Tasmania (03) 6382-1000 infoeastbeachtouristpark@gmail.com Visit Website   Beaconsfield Grubb St Recreation Ground Campground (5pm To 9am Only) Grubb St. Beaconsfield, Tasmania This campground offers toilets, a dump point and is accessible to fully self-contained RVs and caravans. You can stay here for up to 24 hours. Beauty Point Beauty Point Tourist Park 36 West Arm Road Beauty Point (03) 6383 4536 Visit the Website Beauty Point, Tasmania is...

Some Tasmanian Tree Sculptures

Is There Life After Death? Tree sculpture at East Beach     If the George Town/Low Head area is anything to go by, there certainly is. This is my second Australia Day back in Northern Tasmania and as I enjoyed the experience at the Low Head Pilot Station last year, I decided to do it again. Sadly, despite the weather being near perfect, the event fell far short of last year's, in almost every respect. I did one quick circuit of the precinct and left - the problem was probably the result of the present depressed nature of the region. Discovering East Beach East  Beach overlooking the Low Head Lighthouse   Rather than waste an outing, even though it is only a few kilometre drive, I took a left turn on the way home to look at a beach. I can be a bit slack and although it is only a longish walk from the Lighthouse Keeper's Cottage, I had not seen it. The beach sweeps east, from the point that houses the Low Head Lighthouse, in a 1.5 km crescent fr...

Fossicking in Tasmania

Fossicking In Tasmania without Prospectors Licence There are many localities within Tasmania where interesting lapidary and mineralogical material occur. In recognition of the recreational activity of fossicking, some of the best of these areas have been set aside for the use of fossickers. A prospecting licence is not required to fossick within declared fossicking areas. For more information on prospecting in Tasmania, please click here. Eleven areas have been declared official fossicking areas under the Mineral Resources Development Act 1995 (MRDA) and have been listed below. These areas, which extend from the ground surface to a depth of two (2) metres, have been set aside for non-commercial use by fossickers and gem and mineral collectors. Under some circumstances, fossicking areas may be included within an Exploration Licence. A valid prospecting licence is not required in order to collect mineral samples within declared fossicking areas. Conditions apply to the use o...

Hobart Convict Gaol: A family connection

James: From Chartist to Supervisor of the Treadmill Remainder of the gaol still stands           I recently took the opportunity to visit my brother - Keeper of the Family History - south of Hobart, spending a few inspiring days with him and his lovely wife. We had to make the 40 km plus trip into Hobart and given that I have had little to do with much of the south of the state, was excited that we were going to visit the Old Convict Gaol where our Great, great-grandfather had been the supervisor of the treadmill. It seems quite strange to me that, having been heavily involved as an organiser with the Chartist Movement in England - an act similar to today's terrorism that was punished by long prison terms or transportation to Australia - he was able to secure a position as Supervisor of the Treadmill in Hobart and then Launceston. Hobart Convict Gaol Layout Hobart Convict Gaol Layout - click to enlarge       The Penite...