One day Tasmania’s governor looked at the Hobartians enjoying the Domain
and said, “The Queens Domain belongs to the people of Hobart.”
In 1860 the Governor officially handed the Queens Domain to the people
of Tasmania. There was no big
announcement or handover ceremony. The people of Hobart did not celebrate or
change their attitude or behavior towards the Domain. They had always looked on
the Domain as their land.
The name Queens Domain tells the people of Hobart
who the previous owner was. The name Queens
Domain over-emphasizes the importance of Queen Victoria to the Domain. She was
not one of the original custodians of the land. When she did own
the Domain she never visited it, never saw it and had many other things to
interest her. Since 1860 the
Queens Domain has been looked after and managed by the people of Hobart. Any Queen has had virtually no input into the
running of the Queens Domain.
The Domain contains an area of degraded native
bush. Native animals such as bandicoots,
wallabies and possums have been seen but no snakes. About 50 species of native
and introduced birds have been spotted. There are 10 to 12 plants from the
threatened species’ lists growing there.
It was originally inhabited by the Mouheneenner
aboriginal people. Their traditional area was Hobart and up the Derwent River.
The Domain was a popular area because it was protected from extreme weather,
provided plenty of game and was close to shellfish. There are many middens
below the Domain along the Derwent River.
In the 19th
Century the main activities on the Domain were cricket and strolling. It was
also busy at regatta time.
The main public
debate was how to get rid of its wild state and show it was under the control
of a civilized community. There was a
lot of talk about drives, avenues, planting trees and formal gardens. The main
reason we missed out on acres of formal gardens is because nobody could work
out a way to pay for the landscaping.
The Domain
was always seen as a place for recreation.
In the 19th C the main physical activities by the people of
Hobart on the Domain were strolling or promenading. Running on the Domain as a recreational
activity was not considered.
There are
many interesting areas on the Queens Domain.
Let’s take a look at some of them.
There are some
concrete slabs on the east side of the hill. Between 1939-1945 a number of defense
force installations were built on the Domain. These included workshops, camps,
training facilities, searchlight batteries and air raid shelters. Building of a
searchlight and air raid shelters in Hobart shows us the way the people of
Hobart at the time were thinking.
There have
been at least ten quarries on the Domain. One quarry was turned into Beaumaris
Zoo. Another became the site for the Hobart
Aquatic Center. The quarries provided sandstone for construction of buildings in
Hobart and dolerite for road building. Government
House, buildings in Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens and the powder magazine
were all built with sandstone from quarries on the Domain.
A notable
quarry is located near Clearys Gates and is now used by the council as a depot.
On top of
the hill are a number of sheds with radio masts. In 1911 Douglas Mawson went to
the Antarctic. Prior to that he erected a 184 foot high radio mast with the aim
of radio communication with Macquarie Island.
After his
trip the radio operated as part of the maritime safety network.
An oak tree
guards the top of the track to the botanical gardens. It is a magnificent
specimen containing magical and mystical qualities. Something mysterious most
have happened here at some time in the past.
Government
House was built in 1855-8 and is regarded as one of the best Vice-Regal
residences in the Commonwealth. Government
house is a picturesque building of brown and white sandstone surrounded by
extensive gardens next to the botanical gardens.
From 1806 crops
including wheat, corn, barley and vegetables were grown on the present site of Royal
Botanical Gardens. The Royal Botanical Gardens were begun officially in 1818. The
gardens have many plant collections, significant trees and the world’s only sub-Antarctic
house.
The Domain Athletic
Centre, Hobart Aquatic Centre and Domain Tennis Centre are all major sport
facilities. They have all attracted major international sports people to major
events. But more importantly they are very popular with locals. On many days I
have seen locals battling on a tennis court, running around the athletic track
or swimming laps of the pool.
Soldiers Memorial
Avenue. The first trees were planted in 1918.
Since 2002 the avenue has been restored with new bronze plaques. The avenue
commemorates 520 Tasmanians who died serving in WW1. In 1914 Tasmania’s
population was 200,000. Extrapolate that
and today we would have 1,300 Tasmanians dying overseas in a military conflict.
Beaumaris
Zoo was relocated from Battery Point in 1923. It was constructed in an old
quarry which had been rehabilitated. The zoo featured tea rooms and band
concerts on Sundays. The zoo was where
the haunting video of a Tasmanian tiger (thylacine) pacing his cage was taken.
That tiger died in 1936. It was the last known thylacine. The zoo closed in
1937 but a lot of the enclosures remain.
The Hobart
TCA cricket ground with picket fence and historical grandstands (built from
1880-1950) is spectacular with or without football and cricket contests. Greyhound
racing has been held here but has long gone.
The Queens
Domain is in the heart of Hobart. It is commonly called the Domain and it assists in
improving the physical, emotional and social health of the local community. It
is a priceless asset, something many other cities would love to have, and in
the future, I will not take it for granted.
