Geeveston, Tasmania
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Geeveston Tasmania |
|
 Geeveston bakery with the town's iconic wood carvings. |
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| Population: | 1,585 (2006)[1] |
| Established: | 1842 |
| Postcode: | 7116 |
| Elevation: | 115 m (377 ft) |
| Location: | |
| LGA: | Huon Valley Council |
| State District: | Franklin |
| Federal Division: | Franklin |
Geeveston is a small Australian town located in the south of Tasmania on the Huon River, 62 km south west of Hobart, making it Australia's most southerly administrative centre.[2] 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.[3]
Geeveston is located 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.[4] The Forest & Heritage Centre, a tourist centre which details the history of the timber industry in the area, is located in Geeveston.
[edit] References
- ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). "Geeveston (State Suburb)". 2006 Census QuickStats. http://www.censusdata.abs.gov.au/ABSNavigation/prenav/LocationSearch?collection=Census&period=2006&areacode=SSC65446&producttype=QuickStats&breadcrumb=PL&action=401. Retrieved 2008-02-28.
- ^ Geeveston, Yahoo!7 Travel.
- ^ Geeveston, The Sydney Morning Herald, February 8, 2004.
- ^ Courtney, Pip: Positive approach regenerates timber town, Landline (ABC TV), August 22, 2004.
[edit] External links
- Geeveston Online Access Centre
- Geeveston, Tasmania is at coordinates 43°09′53″S 146°55′37″E / 43.164721°S 146.926947°ECoordinates: 43°09′53″S 146°55′37″E / 43.164721°S 146.926947°E
