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Mate where you stood at the end of the clip behind the old servo, was all under ground cells where the convicts lived, I grew up on the hill beside the caravan park and watched them fill in the tunnels and cells in early 80’s.
I'm not disputing what you saw. It's a shame there aren't better photo records of such things. Back before digital photos a lot of things just weren't recorded.
Great work, thanks. The train and many others were removed due to the hazards of rusting steel work and sharp exposed edges. And, with the rusting, asbestos lagging around the boilers became a problem. I loved to play on this train, and still miss seeing it.
Fascinating! I've never noticed the Black Snake Inn while crossing that bridge. Now I'll definitely pay attention. I hope there is some sort of restoration once the Bridge works are complete. This is a great video. I really respect how you view convicts as victims in the building of these historical places, whereas others can see them as criminals who were getting what they deserve. I can't even imagine how awful it must have been to have lived in those times. Thank you for seeing them all as human beings and not just the label history has assigned to them.
Convict transportation was done purely to generate free labour when the English Government was settling Australia. It had nothing at all to with their prisons being full. That line was propaganda.
We love how much old stuff is still left standing in Tassie. Where I’m from they bulldozed a historic hut to put up an intersection. Not many people would remember that hut anymore.
Great video, thanks. It reminded me of the tragic ferry accident that happened at Black Snake in 1818. The ferry was overloaded and capized. 12 passengers drowned, including my ancestor, 6 year old Isabella Williams. So sad.
I really liked your light sarcasm with the mention of the 'dangerous' train at the park and the poor excuse that replaced it😅🤭🤦🏼♀️ . It's fascinating seeing the area from the air. Great work again 👏 👍
The steam locomotive you mention in the video (MA1) hasn't gone far. It's up the road at the New Norfolk Station, the base of the dormant Derwent Valley Railway. A subject of a future video perhaps?
Spent a month odd touring around Tassie in 2009 found it to be the most interesting part of Australia. Have been binge watching your fascinating videos. Was mostly there for the nature now wish i had paid more attention to the human interest element.
I remember that train, you captured my younger brothers house twice with your excellent drone footage, he has a perch above the new bridge construction. Another excellent bit of Tassie history. Thanks mate. $0.02
Very interesting, I feel a connection to that area, as an 8th Gen Convict “stiock” Rowbottom’s Rd is around the corner my family name, unknown if I’m connected to the naming, but I like to think somehow I am
transportation was literally human trafficking.. some reports say that 20% of convicts where boys aged between 11 and 14. obviously not something that the powers that be want Australians to be aware of..
Hi Angus I have passed by that bridge and building many times and didn't even give it a thought as to how it got there. I like the title of your newest mini documentary 'black snake'. I think it's an appropriate name for that wetland. At least when people are visiting the area it might remind them to be on the lookout for those venomous reptiles. Next time I am passing the old convict building I shall say a little thankyou for all the pain people endured. We just all take things for granted these days. I wonder what they made of all the black swans in that stretch of the river. I am told the English only knew of white swans. When they saw black one's here they knew they were in hell. Sounds like they were.... Say hi to dog for me. From Amanda
I guess geographical location killed anyone’s desire to preserve that beautiful Gothic house. Compare it with Stoke House in North Hobart, beautifully preserved, heritage listed and regarded a the finest example of Gothic architecture in Australia. May be worth a video! Thanks for the video!
I had an elderly man a while back tell me that at one stage It was a zoo as such and they used to have seals there. Not sure as to how accurate that is though!
Wow! I’d forgotten about the old train at Granton!! I also had no idea that they we’re finally replacing the old bridge!! (Nearly 6 years since I left Tasmania)
there aren't even any 'WELCOME TO HOBART" Signs are there? I can't recall if there are, but it's certainly a different vista and atmosphere coming in via the Bridgewater bridge rather than the Tasman bridge entrance into Hobart!
"Many more men could drink than read". Though it wasn't reading that eventually emptied the pubs, but rather television. "The dog's acting as foreman ..." Hilarious!. Sad about the train engine.
On a recent trip to Bridgewater with my 74-year-old father he recalled a little story from his father as a kid about being warned he would be sent to the Watch House if he was caught misbehaving. This must have been as far back as the 1910s. The original purpose of the Watch House had long ceased but its memory still existed.
As I recall...Quite some ago when I was an Army, I posted to Hobart, we had an occasion to be near the abanded location; an old timer (then!) mentioned that during WW11 it was also a "house of ill repute"-not that I know anything about such questionable establishments of course...
I remember the train and the convict museum. Is the building privately owned? It would be wonderful to see it reopen as a tourist attraction again. Thanks again for another interesting video.
So glad it is still there, it has fascinated me ever since I came here to live many years ago. Thank you for giving it some attention and filling in its history.
Great video! Do you know anything about the old homestead further up black snake rd that was demolished for the new bridge? I was devastated when i saw it get knocked down 😢
Kia Ora from N.Z. Great video. The Causeway is very much part of Tasmania's history - and Australia. Built, as you said, by convicts with only shovels, pick axes and wheelbarrows, quarrying the stone in the hill behind the buildings that are still there today. Punishment - for whatever reason - to be put in a 'cell' so small that you could only stand up. How many people travel over the Causeway and have absolutely no idea of its history. As you come across the bridge from Brighton, the white double storied house on the hill - slightly to the right - was the overseers house I understand. Single storied dwelling at the time of the Causeway being built. My daughter-in-law's Grandfather farmed just passed the Causeway on the New Norfolk road. The buildings and quarry always fascinated me on my trips to Tasmania. Knew there was a story to be told there. When the new bridge is completed let's hope that the powers that be leave the causeway as a tribute to those who built it.
Causeway is heritage listed so has to stay. Also digging it up would be an environmentally poor decision as it traps a lot of crap in the water from going upstream to new Norfolk.
Ooh sorry Nathan yes I remember you now, it’s sad about the death of John, I miss his sarcastic commentary greatly How’s life with you ? Where are you ? What are you doing ?
@@georgeburrows9807 hi George. I wasn't aware John had passed away. That is sad news, he will be missed. Life has changed a lot for me over the last 3 years but I'm doing OK. I hope they are not taking to much of your land building that bridge. Take care George.
is this a new bridge that will sit alongside the existing one to increase traffic flow ? or is the current one going to close? I used to live in Hobart, left in 2020, so I find your videos very interesting. 😀👏
@@angusthornett Hmmmm. Perhaps. But I do not know of anyone else that makes such personal, meticulous and educational local history as you do. You 'show' Tasmania so well.
That Watchhouse (Granton servo) had a Convict Museum. There was a mannequin dressed as a convict and as a kid i reached out and touched it, on doing so it gave me a static shock, i ran screaming from the building and jumped in the car and never went back in there again. I did however still played on and climbed all over that train that was in the playground, which also had an old school spiral slide, that I used to go flying off the edge of.
Hi Angus Kelli here thank you so much for the photo with my partner the other week his name is Les you met him at Lutana Woodlands I absolutely love the photo we are going to get it framed can't wait for your next video
Yea I say that to myself when I see a new subdivision. I used to stop occasionally and look at that building and never realised. That it was the one and only Black snake. Forget the stories that were attached to it. But maybe Cash hung out there for a while
The old watch house used to sell fishing supplies when it was a servo too. I also remember playing on that locomotive in Granton and another one in Stanley as a kid. I had no idea about the Black Snake Inn though. I’ve seen it so many times and wondered, but never found out until now. That’s now obvious why there’s a Black Snake Road in Granton. It’s funny that we don’t have Black Snakes in Tassie though! Just Tiger Snakes and Lowland Copperheads which are usually black here(you usually need to get close enough to see the head scales to differentiate 🤣), along with a few White Lipped Snakes. Thank you Angus!
Oh wow, it looks so very different now from when I moved there in 1969 as a 5 year old with mum and dad, we collected our mail from the train station and yes,we did very much enjoy playing on the train, we went to the park and watched them put it there.
librariestas.ent.sirsidynix.net.au/client/en_AU/tas/search/detailnonmodal/ent:$002f$002fARCHIVES_ITEMS$002f0$002fARCHIVES_ITE_DIX:NS1757-1-1/one?qu=20&qu=May&qu=1973&qf=FORMAT_LINCTAS%09Format%09film%09film The archives have the footage but it doesn't look like it has been digitized, or at least isn't available on their official you tube channel.
It’s amazing how over the years anyone from this guy to noted history writers including teachers of history at UTAS can incorporate so many errors into their narratives All they had to do was contact me and I could have given a well research narrative and put them in touch with the official historian and painstaking researcher my mate Dan Cerchi for a fully documented history Sadly not much about other the places mentioned are very accurate either But there you go I’m only commenting because I was the longest owner ever of this Black Snake Inn, nearly 55 years before the government gave me little choice but to sell to them after they substantially changed the plans for the roadworks associated with the replacement bridge
I drive past there multiple times daily George (Metro) It always amazed me that the remnants of the stumps of the ferry wharf (all be it sticks) are still visible at low tide.
@@angusthornett yes indeed and it has been written in great and well researched detail I feel this accurate publication is adequate and thus sufficient Over the years there have been other material that is available about the Inn, the replica ferry boat and the important Huon Pine furniture collection These materials are available for sharing, just for the asking, but unfortunately writers, producers and academics rarely bother to go to a living resource ( 55 years ownership ) and thus avail themselves to access of the detailed documented private publication which has been regularly updated over the last 40 or so years That experience and knowledge extends more widely than just the Black Snake Inn and even involved the building of a replica of the type of ferry boat used here called the Ramping Lion now part of the Tasmanian Maritime Museum collection It also includes the story of the creation of the largest collection of Colonial Huon Pine furniture once used on an everyday basis at the Black Snake Inn and now an extremely important part of Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery collection and incidentally the largest collection of Huon Pine furniture in the world and many items can be viewed at the museum and associated sites Private collectors enthusiasts are very happy to share knowledge and experience and feel satisfied with their contributions to history, culture etc without excessive exposure
@@georgeburrows9807i would be interested in learning more.. maybe you guys could revisit the site together.. possibly there’s still opportunity for a “part 2” .
These things cost money. And it's of limited interest to most people. The historic sites that get best preserved tend to be the ones turned into tourist attractions, like Port Arthur. That's generally true across the globe.
The Black Snake Inn was in private ownership. The recent owner's large collection of antique Huon pine furniture is on permanent display at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery in Hobart. I often detoured from the highway to admire that fine old inn. For many years a 1930s car was parked behind the inn, from a distance it may have been an Alvis, a beautiful and expensive vehicle.
Great vlog Angus. It used to be a pleasant mile from Granton to the old lime kilns. Now it looks like a dog’s dinner and I expect it will remain so. What is the future of the old causeway for the Bridgewater bridge?
Not that long ago Black Snake Inn was for sale along with the parcel of land and a retro house which any Tom, Dick or Harriet could purchase or was that just all bulldust and fairytales to cover-up some secret already done deal behind the scenes... 🤔
Its amazing how often you would see an old steam train as part of a playground when growing up in the 60s and 70s in Tassie. You almost never see them nowadays.
I believe the one at Deloraine is the last one. It's covered in fencing so you can't really play on it. There's one at Margate but that's not a public playground.
They sure are, and an icon in very many WA country towns, growing up in the 50's and '60's. As covered by an earlier comment, there too they pointedly disappeared around the '90's under council duty of care considerations. Of note though it's only been quite recently that Tasmania's own town of Perth has replaced their loco with a smaller, less "dangerous" version. As newcomers to the island, (only 20 yrs) we often reflect what an additional asset it would be if there were more train journeys available like the West Coaster. Going to watch more of your work now Angus, though I suspect it's more a labour of love to you, making it all the more enjoyable to we followers! 😀@@angusthornett
80's about 8y.o. Best hanburger in tas from The Watch House, looking around "museum" out back then play on the train, climb up the cliff to the "smiley face" and keep going until mum god worried and yelled at us to come back down. 😊
