Chapter 240: The Queens Domain

With my grandchildren I walk on a hill on the Domain. This is an opportunity for me to pretend I know more than them. I say, “This hill is the place were radio masts were erected in 1911 in order to communicate with the Antarctic.”

I ask them, “Imagine you are at the other end of this radio in the Antarctic. What are you going to say?”

Gertrude says, “I would upload a picture of the penguins.”

I say, “Well you have a good point there. Because Mawson went there largely for scientific reasons. They did go there to look at the penguins.”

My grandchildren know the name Mawson because of the huts on the docks. After much talking, we agree Mawson went to the Antarctic in 1912 and erected huts in the Antarctic (which are now on our docks in Hobart) and spoke to Australia via the Domain.

Moving on we head towards some concrete slabs on the east side of the hill.  I say, “Do you have any idea what was built here.”

They are mute so I inform them, “A number of defense force installations were built on the Domain.”

Bruce says, “Where’s the big gun?”

“Bruce you’re thinking of a different place.  That big gun (Bellerive) was built a long time before the buildings over here. The concrete placed here was for a war against the Japanese between 1939 and 1945.”

Bruce hears the word war which excites him.

“Wow I can use my light sword.” says Bruce.

Bruce swings a branch around as a light sword. His favourite films include light swords, goodies and baddies. To think this could have happened up here on the Domain.

I pretend I am a responsible adult and tell him, “We would prefer to be friends with Japan. To eat sushi and drive Toyota cars. We both win if we work together.”

Bruce continues hitting plants and de-heading grass with his stick. He says, “We will defeat them.”

I say to Bruce, “Imagine you are in class and the teacher ask you to draw a picture. You can fight with the person on the next table. Break his pencils and rip up his paper. To stop him drawing a better picture than you.  Another option is that you can work together. Help each other. Which way are you going to go?”

Bruce keeps waving his stick around wishing it was a light saver. He pauses slightly.  He is torn. He loves drawing with his classmates.  And he loves films involving fighting between goodies and badies.  

I tell Bruce, “There was no war on the Domain. The Japanese never came anywhere near Hobart.”

The politically correct angel is sitting on my shoulder telling me to tell them the full story. 

“Bruce and Gertrude. The Japanese did not fight a war here. Can you tell me of any war fought anywhere near here?”

That is a rhetorical question because I know they will not answer it.

My answer to them is that in 1803 Britain decided to come here and start another colony of the British Empire. When they arrived, there were already people living here. People had been living here for thousands of years.  There were many differences and clashes between the two groups of people. Many of these clashes involved violence. The original people living on the Domain fought to protect themselves and their way of life.

Gertrude says, “So that’s why we have the Cenotaph.”

“No, you are not quite correct. The Cenotaph is a memorial to other brave and courageous Tasmanians.”   

Bruce throws his stick away and says, “Everybody should have drawn pictures together. They should have worked together.”

They both find the idea of people living on the Domain for thousands of years difficult to comprehend.  

Gertrude says “Where did they live? There are no houses up here.”

I have to agree. There are no houses on the Domain.  If we don’t count Government House.

My walk on the Domain tells me and my grandkids the name should be changed.  The original inhabitants who lived there for thousands of years are ignored.  The Queen mentioned in the Queens Domain was titular head of the British Empire from 1837. In 1860 she handed the Queens Domain back to the people of Hobart.

The Queens Domain. The present Queen doesn’t own it. She rarely visits. She has no direct interest in managing the Domain. Let’s change all the signs and call it what everybody calls it. The Domain.