Geeveston

Geeveston
Tasmania

Geeveston bakery with wood carvings
Geeveston
Coordinates 43°10′S 146°56′E / 43.167°S 146.933°E / -43.167; 146.933Coordinates: 43°10′S 146°56′E / 43.167°S 146.933°E / -43.167; 146.933
Population 1,431 (2011 census)[1]
 • Density 23.7/km2 (61/sq mi)
Established 1842
Postcode(s) 7116
Elevation 115 m (377 ft)
Area 60.2 km2 (23.2 sq mi)
Location
LGA(s) Huon Valley Council
State electorate(s) Franklin
Federal Division(s) Franklin

Geeveston is a small Australian town in the south of Tasmania on the Huon River, 62 km south west of Hobart, making it Australia's most southerly administrative centre. The town takes its name from William Geeves, an English settler who was given a land grant by Lady Jane Franklin in the area then known as Lightwood Bottom (after a type of timber prevalent in the area). The settlement Geeves set up was renamed Geeves Town in 1861, and the name eventually became Geeveston.[2] Geeveston is for local government purposes included in the area of the Huon Valley Council and is part of the division of Franklin for both Australian House of Representatives and Tasmanian House of Assembly electoral purposes.

Geeveston is on the Huon Highway, and is the gateway to the Hartz Mountains National Park. It is the centre of Tasmania's apple and fruit-growing industry, and has also been highly reliant on the timber industry since the late 19th century. A pulp mill was opened in the town in 1962, and was Geeveston's largest employer until the plant closed in 1982, devastating the area economically.[3] The Forest & Heritage Centre, a tourist centre which details the history of the timber industry in the area, is located in Geeveston.

History

Geeves-Town Post Office opened on 1 June 1876 and was renamed Geeveston in 1888.[4]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Geeveston (State Suburb)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 2012-06-21.
  2. ↑ Geeveston, The Sydney Morning Herald, February 8, 2004.
  3. ↑ Courtney, Pip: Positive approach regenerates timber town, Landline (ABC TV), August 22, 2004.
  4. ↑ Premier Postal History. "Post Office List". Premier Postal Auctions. Retrieved 16 June 2012.
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