SOUTHPORT - POPULATION: 185

SATURDAY 14.1.2012: Onward to Southport - "just about the most southerly of all towns on the Australian continent". In 1792 Southport was named ‘Baie des Moules (Mussel Bay), by the French Rear-Admiral Bruni D’Entrecasteaux. Later, the English established a settlement here, first in 1837 as the seat of colonial government in the far south with a Police Magistrate and troopers, then as a convict Probation Station from 1841 to 1848. It was in the early 1850’s when settlers arrived in Southport (occasionally known as Hythe). The township was constructed with the help of convict labour and became an industrious mill town, from the 1860’s through to the 1920’s, with numerous wharves providing land access to international shipping that took timber from the region back to Europe. Southport was settled with convicts before Port Arthur was established and was once the largest town south of Hobart and the administrative hub of the entire region south of Hobart. Southport also played an important role in serving the whaling enterprises that figured strongly in early colonial settlement in Tasmania (early 1830’s- early 1850’s.).
We had dinner at the Southport Tavern and settled in for the entertainment. Only one small problem, the local lads were having a "buck's night" for one of their own. Whilst we enjoyed the music the two activities did not quite gel so we called it an evening at the first break.

SAMUEL BESTER