This photograph of Glenorchy was taken in the 1970s.

The Mouheneener tribe of Tasmanian Aborigines occupied the Glenorchy area before the arrival of Europeans. Little remains of their presence today.

The Glenorchy we know today began life in 1804, when European settlers received land grants in the area. The settlers were soon joined by ex-convicts from Norfolk Island, which was in the process of being abandoned at the time.

Hobart’s boundary was the New Town Rivulet, meaning that the area beyond was the ‘outlands’. The row of trees between the rivulet and Creek Road was thus used for hanging outlaws.

Several farms, shops, churches, inns and schools cropped up over the years, and by 1864, Glenorchy had become so large that it was declared a municipality.

It was connected to central Hobart by both tram and train services, which lasted until the second half of the twentieth century.

The area continued to grow and develop throughout the century despite the challenges of World War One, the Great Depression, and World War Two.

Glenorchy’s population in 1964 was recorded at 38,400. Now, approximately 50,400 people call it home.

It still has its own council although the topic of possible amalgamation with Hobart rears its head from time to time. Like Hobart, the local government area includes a significant bush hinterland to the west, as well as the settled areas beside the River Derwent.

Tas That Was is a column that includes:

  • anecdotes of life in Tasmania in the past;
  • historical photographs of locations in Tasmania; and/or
  • documentaries about locations in Tasmania.

If you have an anecdote or photograph you’d like to share with us, please send it to [email protected].

Callum J. Jones studied English, History, and Journalism at the University of Tasmania. He has written fiction and non-fiction for Tasmanian Times since 2018, and can be traced by the smell of fresh coffee.

Follow him on Twitter (@Callum_Jones_10) and Facebook (@callum.j.jones.creative).