This photograph of Kempton was taken in 1900.

The land on which the town is situated was home to Aboriginal Tasmanians (specifically the Big River Tribe), who were driven away when the area was settled by the British in the early 1800s.

Kempton was originally known as Green Ponds, but was later re-named after Anthony Fenn Kemp, who was the area’s first settler.

The town grew over subsequent years and served as an overnight stop for those travelling between Hobart and Launceston by horse-drawn coach.

The Midland Highway now bypasses the main Kempton township, but it’s worth visiting if you’re a history buff. Many of its old buildings remain intact, so the place will give you a feel of what life was like in the 1800s.

The layout of the town hasn’t changed much, with the majority of the town still spread along a single axis.

If you fancy staying there, one option is the free campground across the road from the Southern Midlands Council offices. The location includes a toilet block, dump point, and powered sites for recreational vehicles.

Anthony Fenn Kemp – Kempton’s first settler

Anthony Fenn Kemp was born in England around 1773.

In 1793, aged approximately 20, he was commissioned as a junior officer in the New South Wales Corps. Kemp arrived in the new British colony a couple of years later, and served on Norfolk Island between 1795 and 1797. Afterward, he became treasurer of the Committee of Paymastership – which was quite a privileged position. He rose through the ranks, eventually attaining the rank of captain in 1801. A year later, he married Elizabeth Riley, and they had seven sons and eleven daughters together.

In the mid-1810s, Kemp moved to Tasmania and became the first person to buy land at Green Ponds. His original property was 700 acres (283 hectares) in size, but by the 1830s, he had acquired another 4,100 acres through grants, purchases, and leases.

Kemp put all his land to agricultural use: he raised sheep, horses, and cattle; and even grew a hardy variety of corn from North America. He also worked as a merchant and held various official positions in Van Diemen’s Land, including justice of the peace. He was critical of several early lieutenant-governors of Van Diemen’s Land, but advocated for the colony to be independent from New South Wales, among other things.

Kemp passed away at Sandy Bay on 28 October 1868, aged 95. His wife had died two years prior.

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. He can be traced by the smell of fresh coffee.

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

Tasmanian Times (TT) is a community-based news and current affairs service covering the island state of Tasmania. It exists to provide a diverse view of Tasmanian issues. TT creates and supports independent media content utilising the best of modern technologies and tried-and-true practices of public-interest journalism.

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