The History of Tasmania

About 3 days ago we took a ferry over to Tasmania (Which cost us a fortune) because, according to Dad ‘we are going to do it properly’. He is always complaining about running out of money but is spent heaps on the ferry. Any way if you are going on the ferry to Tassie at night, prepare for the boarding traffic jam. Another thing about Tassie is that it has a very interesting history. See for yourself below:

The Australian State known as Tasmania was originally mapped and sighted by Abel Tasman on the 24th of November 1642. He named the country van Diemen’s land after Anthony van Diemen, the Govender General of the Dutch. This all happened before everyone knew that it was an island.

The Population of Van Diemen’s land in 1855 was roughly 40,000. Now Tasmania’s population is up to 509,965 (In 2019) which means it increased by about 469,965 since 1855. You may or may not be wondering what percentage of that is Hobart. In 1855 Hobart town was still the most populated town with a population of 6 of 40 thousand in Tasmania. In 2016 Hobarts population is at 222,000 of 509,965. The Island is now named Tasmania after Abel Tasman.

Like Australia Tasmania was a penal colony in the early 1800’s and over 70,000 convicts where sent there between 1803 and 1853 to serve for their great crimes of stealing bread. The first place to be settled was Risdon Cove in 1803 and was founded by a small party send from Sydney, under Lt. John Bowen.