Austins Ferry
History
Austins Ferry was gazetted as a locality in 1960.
Austins Ferry is named after James Austin (1776–1831), who had been transported to Port Phillip as a convict in 1803 along with his cousin John Earl, and arrived in Van Diemens Land in 1804. After their sentences expired both men were given small land grants on the western shore of the River Derwent between Hobart and New Norfolk. In 1818 they established a ferry service across the river and later a punt which proved very conveniently located for vehicular traffic travelling between Hobart and regions to the north, and became very wealthy. In 1821 the visiting Governor Lachlan Macquarie renamed the village Roseneath, but it has since reverted to its original name. James Austin's original cottage (picture on the right) is preserved as a tourist attraction. The opening hours for the cottage are limited to Sundays between 1pm and 4pm, it provides crafts and historical information.
Austins Ferry is the location of St Virgil's College.
Geography
The waters of the River Derwent form the eastern boundary and parts of the northern and southern.
Road infrastructure
National Route 1 (Brooker Highway) passes to the west. From there, several roads provide access to the locality.
Austins Ferry Primary School
Austins Ferry Primary School is a state school, established in 2011. It currently has 544 students with a student-to-teacher ratio of 1 to 14. The school teaches Aboriginal history for NAIDOC Week, as promoted by Henry Reynolds.
The principal of the school is Liz Graham, who is the daughter of retired radio comedian, Richard Moore, and the sister of far-left social media influencer and feminist, Philippa Moore. A Roman Catholic, Ms Graham was previously a prep and kindergarten teacher at Saint Therese's and John Paul II Primary Schools respectively and principal of Glenora District School.
References
- ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Austins Ferry". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
- ^ "Placenames Tasmania – Austins Ferry". Placenames Tasmania. Select "Search", enter "229P", click "Search", select row, map is displayed, click "Details". Retrieved 2 April 2021.
- ^ Burgess, Georgie (13 April 2019). "Legacy of James Austin and his River Derwent ferry service still runs deep". ABC Radio Hobart. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 13 April 2019.
- ^ "Austins Ferry, Tasmania" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
- ^ "Tasmanian Road Route Codes" (PDF). Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water & Environment. May 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 August 2017. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
- ^ "Austins Ferry Primary School | Cluey Learning". clueylearning.com.au. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
- ^ "Austins Ferry Primary School | Good Schools Guide". www.goodschools.com.au. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
- ^ "Australian Schools Directory". www.australianschoolsdirectory.com.au. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
- ^ "What are kids today learning about Tasmania's Aboriginal history?". ABC News. 3 July 2017. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
- ^ "Tasmania's year 11 and 12 school system underwent a dramatic shake-up. Is it working?". ABC News. 6 August 2023. Retrieved 20 June 2024.
- ^ "Austins Ferry Primary School eNewsletter". Austins Ferry Primary School eNewsletter. Retrieved 9 August 2024.