Ulverstone, Tasmania
Ulverstone Federal division(s) | Braddon |
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Ulverstone is a town on the northern coast of
.As of June 2021 Ulverstone had an urban population of 11,613,[1][2] being the largest town in Tasmania. The town is a part of the municipality of the Central Coast Council which also includes Penguin, Turners Beach, Leith, Gawler and surrounds, and Forth.
History
The town area was first settled by Europeans in 1848, when Andrew Risby, his wife Louisa and their five young children arrived to settle and develop farmland from what was mostly a thickly forested wilderness.
Andrew & Louisa arrived in
During the 1850s, the district received a few new settlers but was also frequented by transient timber getters. The timber found ready markets in Melbourne, which desperately required good quality split timber during the Victorian gold rush. Until June 1854, land releases in the district were often purchased under 'pre-emptive rights legislation' by distant purchasers whose intention was to keep the land for later sale at an increased price. With the repeal of that legislation, the conditions for settlers to take up residence improved.
The name Ulverstone is first known to have been used in 1854 when Hugh Ross McKay opened the Ulverstone store. Leven Post Office opened on 30 May 1857 and was renamed Ulverstone Post Office in 1881.
Reliable rainfall and generally good quality soils favoured the development of agricultural pursuits. The early pioneers of the district struggled against great odds to secure their sustenance and ultimately develop an income from sale of their produce.
Ulverstone grew quite quickly during the 1890s, and the town has become a centralised location between the north-west coast's two cities,
From 1915 until 1955, a branch railway ran from Ulverstone to Nietta, mostly carrying timber for the
In the 1990s, Ulverstone hosted many rallies opposing the decriminalisation of homosexuality, with it being given the moniker of "Australia's most homophobic town" at the time.[6] Male homosexual acts were legalised in Tasmania in 1997, making it the last state to have done so.
Redevelopment
The Central Coast Council has recently redeveloped the area to increase tourism. 2010 saw the completion of a new basketball stadium, the Schweppes Arena. The arena holds around 1,100 people, cost $5.5 million to build and was completed just behind schedule. it overlooks the River Leven and is situated just behind the former stadium.
In 2011, the Leven Bridge was replaced by a new bridge. It was built by VEC Civil Engineering for approximately $6.5 million, with the Department of Infrastructure, Energy and Resources and the Central Coast Council funding the project. In June 2011 a walking track between Turners Beach and Ulverstone was opened.
A redevelopment of the wharf precinct was opened to the public on 17 November 2012.
Education
Ulverstone has three public primary schools and one public high school/college.
- East Ulverstone Primary School[7]
- Central Ulverstone Primary School[8]
- West Ulverstone Primary School[9]
- Ulverstone Secondary College[10]
There are two private schools in Ulverstone.
- Sacred Heart Primary School
- Leighland Christian School
As of 2017, students studying Years 11 and 12 can study at Ulverstone Secondary College, or commute to Penguin District School in Penguin, to Don College in Devonport, or to Hellyer College in Burnie.
Ulverstone is home to TastroFest - Tasmania's Astronomy Festival. This event is held annually in August and is the largest astronomy festival in Australia. Centred around education, this event holds both student and public programs over three days.[11]
Notable people
- Nita Burke (born 1937), Australian basketball representative
- Joseph Lyons, Prime Minister of Australia from 1932 to 1939, spent some of his early years living in Ulverstone - he arrived with his family from Stanley at age 5 and attended school, but his family relocated back to Stanley when Joseph was 12.
- Richard Fromberg, tennis player
- Ben Hilfenhaus, Australian national and state cricketer
- Frank MacDonald, last-surviving Tasmanian veteran of World War I
- Australian rulesfootballer
- Australian rulesfootballer
- Tammy Tyrell, federal senator
- Craig Walton, triathlete and coach
- Karl Menzies, cyclist
See also
References
- ^ a b Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Ulverstone". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
- ^ a b Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "West Ulverstone". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
- ^ Premier Postal History. "Post Office List". Premier Postal Auctions. Retrieved 16 July 2012.
- ISBN 0-85885-103-2
- ^ A Short History of the Nietta Line Stokes, H.J.W. Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin, November 1972, pp. 217-223
- ^ "Ulverstone, once 'Australia's most homophobic town', raises pride flag after controversial past - ABC News". amp.abc.net.au.
- ^ "East Ulverstone Primary School - Home". eastulverstoneprimary.education.tas.edu.au. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
- ^ "Ulverstone Primary School". ulverstoneprimary.education.tas.edu.au. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
- ^ "Home". westulverstoneprimary.education.tas.edu.au. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
- ^ "Ulverstone Secondary College". Ulverstone Secondary College Website. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
- ^ "Tastrofest 2020 - National Science Week". Retrieved 25 October 2020.