Located 134 km from Hobart ,
133 km from Launceston and 67 km from Campbell
Town , Swansea
sits on Great Oyster Bay and gazes across at the rugged mountains of the Freycinet National Park Swansea
is a classified Historic Town and the only historic town in Tasmania situated by the sea. This provides
an ambience and relaxed feel to the town.
The first European to explore the Swansea area was a Captain Cox sailing the brig Mercury
from England
to Sydney Town. He sailed up the eastern coast of Tasmania
and, having heard rumour of vast colonies of seals, on 3 July 1789 sailed along
the western shore of Maria Island and into a stretch of water he named Oyster Bay . He described the bay as 'being quite
landlocked and sheltered from the wind in every direction.’ Cox noted that the
area was already inhabited by Aborigines who, from the evidence of their middens,
were obviously living off the oysters and shellfish. They disappeared into the
hinterland but Cox observed smoke from their fires. Numerous sailors passed
through the bay over the next twenty years but it wasn't until the 1820s that
Europeans settled in the district.
In 1831 the post office was established and in the late 1830s a number of
substantial buildings - Morris's Store, Schouten House and the Black Swan Inn were
all built showing an increasing prosperity. In 1850 the military garrison ( a
small contingent of the 40th regiment of Foot) were withdrawn and Swansea became a police
district. It remained so until 23rd January 1860 when it became the
first rural municipality in Tasmania .
Schools began in 1858 with 53 children in 2 schools in the area. By 1864, there
were 152 pupils enrolled in state schools as well as children tutored at home.
Coaches transported people and as the rough roads gradually improved people
were able to move more freely. Cars gradually replaced the coaches and boat
transport.
Schouten House (formerly the Swansea Inn), was built in 1844
in the traditional grand Georgian style, by William Champion of Hobart, as a
wedding gift for his daughter Theresa, who married Samuel Wellard. From this
point on the building has etched its place in the history of Swansea in both a tragic and a magnificent
way. Several years after their marriage Theresa Wellard died and arrangements
were made for a Mr. Large of Hobart
to take on the inn and develop a brewery. In 1850, Mr. Large, his wife and six
children aged from 2 - 12 years travelled from Hobart aboard the vessel named the
Resolution. Laden with supplies and the makings of the Brewery, the family
arrived in The Great Oyster Bay when disaster struck.
The following is an
extract from the newspaper of the time: "Wrecks: we regret to announce a
melancholy occurrence, which took place on Monday week at Oyster Bay, near Swansea . The wind was
blowing high at the time: and the cutter Resolution, hence from Swan Port ,
with Mr and Mrs Large and the 6 children, varying in age from 2 - 12 years, and
a cargo comprising articles for establishing a brewery at Swansea , on board, was totally wrecked. The
whole of the goods and the lives of the six children falling a sacrifice to the
elements.
We hear that, so sudden was the catastrophe, the poor father, who was
formerly a publican in Hobart Town, and has now lost all, had barely time to
escape himself, and that he was insensible for several hours after being thrown
on shore by surf. How Mrs.Large escaped has not correctly transpired, but a
four-oared whaleboat went from town on Monday morning to the scene of the
disaster". Of the Large children, all but the body of 8 year old William
were recovered and buried in the town's cemetery. Stricken with grief, the
parents returned to Hobart Town without taking up residency at Swansea Inn, and
Mr.Wellard continued on to develop the brewery. In the mid 1850's, Swansea Inn
was sold to an Alexander Graham and became a Grammar School for boys. This
venture failed after 5 years and sold again, this time to a doctor, the house
then became a private residence for some 80 years. The owners included the
Mitchell sisters from 1897 to the 1940's and then a Bernard Hawkin.
During this
time the house was renamed Schouten House. In the early 1950's, Dominic College
of Hobart purchased the house as a weekend retreat for its boys. During this
time the house fell into disrepair and was finally sold in the late 1970's.
After a decade of successive owners, the house was purchased by the Fiddler
family and restored into a B&B and Restaurant, thus opening another chapter
on the history of the building.
Meredith House was built in 1853 by J. A. Graham on land
purchased from Charles Meredith, husband of noted colonial artist and poet,
Louisa Anne Meredith. The first occupier was Gordon Burgess who named it
Laughton House after Laughton in Essex England , from where he came.
Subsequently he married a Miss Cope, a cousin of Louisa Meredith who ran it as
a Girls Grammar School
In 1870, James Morris, the owner of Morris Store, purchased the
house and in 1892 his daughter Sarah Morris started taking in paying guests.
Later Sarah's niece, Maude, married Frank Morey and changed the name to
Canberra Guest House. This was its heyday - a large dining room was added and
it became a very popular place for holidays and honeymoons. After a marvelous
dinner the rugs were rolled back and the dancing began! Stories also abound of
ladies of the night entertaining the transient fishing fleet and large
functions, including Christmases, with as many as 100 for lunch. Roast duck was
a specialty of the House, harvested from the local flock. It was simply known
as The Guest House.
The town has continued to grow and has become the most
important service centre on the lower east coast as well as establishing
itself as a popular holiday destination.
Website: http://www.eastcoastheritage.org.au/
