The Brooker Highway – which begins in the Hobart CBD and stops at the Bridgewater Bridge in Granton – was built in stages between 1954 and 1992.
It is named after former Premier Edward Brooker, who came up with the idea for the highway while serving as Tasmania’s transport minister.
Brooker, who was born in 1891, was Premier of Tasmania for only three months (December 1947 to February 1948) while his predecessor, Robert Cosgrove, stood trial for bribery and corruption. Cosgrove was acquitted and reinstated as Premier. He appointed Brooker as Treasurer and Minister for Transport, but Brooker only served in these roles for four months before passing away at the age of 57.
The Brooker Highway in 1968.
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 is passionate about telling stories. He studied English, History, and Journalism at the University of Tasmania and lived in Western Sydney from 2022 to 2024 while working as a journalist for Professional Planner, a leading online publication for financial planners. Callum has written for Tasmanian Times since 2018 and has also been published in a range of other outlets, including Quadrant and the BAD Western Sydney anthologies.
