OATLANDS

 

1/ Oatlands is in the Midlands of southern Tasmania. The Oatlands Visitor Centre is near the Callington Mill on the northern edge of Oatlands. This is a good place to start your tour from.

2/ The Callington Mill is now the show piece of Oatlands. It was built in 1837 and was only fully restored in 2011. It grinds flower the ancient way and is open for inspection.

3/ The Oatlands' Mill is part of an ancient industrial site, which is also open for inspection.

4/ This close up photo gives you some idea of the size of the sails. The Callington Mill at Oatlands is the only one of its kind still operating in the Southern Hemisphere.

5/ This is a photo of the restored, industrial complex around the Callington Mill at Oatlands. Note the intricate stone work.

6/ This fine sandstone building is the former home of the mill operators of old Oatlands.

7/ The Callington Mill was repaired over a number of years, as the money was raised. This photo shows the Mill in 2008 without its sail on my first visit. For over a century the Mill at Oatlands was just a derelict tower.

8/ This view from the window of the Callington Mill is pure 19th Century. This is why Oatlands is a premiere historic town.

9/ This the Callington Mill approach lane from High Street, Oatlands. Walking down this lane is like stepping back into the 19th Century.

10/ The back gardens of the houses of Oatlands had vegetable patches just like in the 19th Century.

11/ The Court House of Oatlands was built in 1829. Note the plaque in the centre of the building. Behind the Court House was the old Oatlands jail. This is now the scene of major restoration project.

12/ The plaque before the Court House is a good place for historic research. Note the words "...for God, for King, for Empire". In history it is always important to get your facts from primary sources.

13/ The ancient buildings of Oatlands can have a really ghostly atmosphere about them, particularly on a foggy morning. I got a ghostly feeling, when I took this photo.

14/ This is the entrance to the old jail at Oatlands. After the jail was closed, it was used as a school. Note the ancient symmetry of this sandstone building.

15/ High Street is the main street of Oatlands. It is almost entirely made of sandstone.

16/ Oatlands boasts whole streets of working mens cottages like these examples. Having a wide range of old buildings gives the visitor a deep historic experience.

17/ This is another example of a gentleman's residence. Notice how the mill adds to the historic effect.

18/ This is the Freemasons Lodge. It is also another great example of the sandstone buildings of Oatlands.

19/ This bank building is built in the more recent Art deco style. It blends in well with the older buildings.

20/ Oatlands High School has a fine range of Victorian era class rooms like these.

21/ This is the old Kentish Hotel. It had an interesting display of Errol Flynn memorabilia. The famous actor Errol Flynn lived his early life in Tasmania.

22/ This house is one of many fine old sandstone buildings that really make the past alive in Oatlands.

23/ A worker considered himself lucky to acquire a small cottage like this one. Note how it is being restored.

24/ This cottage near the Uniting Church had a good view into the town of Oatlands.

25/ This derelict cottage helps you to appreciate just how much restoration work has been done in Oatlands.

26/ The picturesque, St Luke's Uniting Church is on the hill to the south of Oatlands. It was built in 1859 and is an impressive structure. Note the rectory building to its left.

27/ The Rectory was one of the grandest buildings in Oatlands. It tells you a lot about the social values of Colonial society and the exulted place of the clergy.

28/ There were two other historic churches in Oatlands. This is St Paul's Catholic Church. It was built in the Gothic Revival style in 1851 according to the design of the famous architect Augustus Pugin. He also designed the lovely church of St Patrick at Colebrook further south.

29/ This is the view of St Paul's from the front.

30/ This is the St Peter's Anglican Church. It was built in 1838 according to the designs of John Lee Archer. It shows the classic Georgian style.

31/ This is St Peter's Anglican Church from the front. It really blends into the old cemetery.

32/ This derelict hotel is the Birmingham Arms. It was once one of the horse changing stops for the stage coach from Hobart to Launceston. You can see it just south of Oatlands.

 

1/ Lake Dulverton is in the Midlands of south east Tasmania. The sign shows you the wide range of birds that used this lake sanctuary at Oatlands.

2/ A matt of reeds covers this flooded section of the Lake. This section was isolated from the Lake Dulverton by a dam. During the great drought of 2008, this was the only section that contained water for the many water birds.

3/ The different areas of vegetation favour the different bird species of Lake Dulverton. Here you can see swans and ducks.

4/ Birds can quite easily cohabit with other species at, as can be seen in this photo taken at Lake Dulverton.

5/ A black duck and a goose contemplate a swim in Lake Dulverton.

6/ Ducks are a favorite with many people as they show so much personality. These are baby ducks or ducklings at Lake Dulverton.

7/ This goose is looking out over the last flooded area of Lake Dulverton in Oatlands. This photo was taken during the 2008 drought.

8/ This is the view from the eastern shore of Lake Dulverton. It shows Oatlands as being dominated by the Callington Mill.

9/ This is the far eastern shore of Lake Dulverton.

10/ There is a historic building on the far eastern shore of Lake Dulverton. It had an air of timelessness about it.

 

1/ Jericho is a small hamlet in the Midlands of south east Tasmania. It is just off the A1 Midland Highway. It boasts this lovely Gothic Revival church. There are no facilities at Jericho.

2/ This photo shows the old church at Jericho from the opposite angle.

3/ This photo shows the Victorian era school at Jericho. It had a real air of timelessness about it.

4/ This is the hall at Jericho. It looks very much like an old church.

5/ This photo shows the charming, rustic scene you see as you leave Jericho.

6/ This photo shows an ancient Jericho estate. There are many such estates in Tasmania. They are still used by the descendant families of the pioneers.

 

1/ Tunbridge is a small hamlet in the Midlands of south east Tasmania. It is south of Oatlands. The ancient Inn above was once a major meeting place for Irish exiles. There are no facilities at Tunbridge except a picnic area.

2/ Tunbridge has one of the oldest bridges in Tasmania.

3/ This photo shows the picnic ground at Tunbridge. A modern church is on the left.

4/ The Tunbridge Manor House was built in 1828. The classic Georgian design shows that Tunbridge was once an important town.

5/ Tunbridge has many Victorian ear cottages like this lovely example.

6/ Tunbridge also has some examples of buildings that need restoration. This old cottage had a real feeling of history about it.