Franklin, Tasmania
Encyclopedia
Franklin is a small township
on the western side of the Huon River
in the south-east of Tasmania
, between Huonville
and Geeveston
. At the 2006 census
, Franklin had a population of 453.
It was named after Sir John Franklin and his wife Lady Jane Franklin who subdivided a large property there formerly owned by John Price to settle families of modest means. The Franklins had a ketch named Huon Pine built at Port Davey
to provide a direct link between the settlement at Hobart
.
Originally used for mixed cropping, especially potatoes and other vegetables, by the late 19th century Franklin and its immediate surrounds were a major apple
orcharding region. With the collapse of Tasmania's export fruit industry during the 1970s the region reverted to mixed farming.
Until the 1930s Franklin was the major town in the Huon Valley
. It was thriving with the shipping that docked at its many jetties. Franklin boasted its own Court House (now a gourmet cafe), several hotels, banks and a Town Hall (which is now the restored Palais Theatre). It even had its own hydroelectric power station, driven by a local creek. With the establishment of a better road across the Sleeping Beauty Range mountains and the growth of the nearby town Huonville, Franklin went into decline over the next few decades.
However, it has recently had a resurgence as a popular tourist town and has had an influx of interstate 'Seachangers' who have revitalised the town. Much of old Franklin remains.
Township
The word township is used to refer to different kinds of settlements in different countries. Township is generally associated with an urban area. However there are many exceptions to this rule. In Australia, the United States, and Canada, they may be settlements too small to be considered urban...
on the western side of the Huon River
Huon River
The Huon River is the fourth largest river in Tasmania, Australia. It is 170 km in length, and runs through the fertile Huon Valley. From Scotts Peak Dam at Lake Pedder where it begins, it flows south-east to the Tahune Airwalk, where the Picton River joins, before heading through the rural...
in the south-east of Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
, between Huonville
Huonville, Tasmania
Huonville is a town on the Huon River, in the south-east of Tasmania, Australia. The town lies within the Huon Valley Council area. It lies 38 km south of Hobart on the Huon Highway. At the 2006 census, Huonville had a population of 1,806....
and Geeveston
Geeveston, Tasmania
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. The town takes its name from William Geeves, an English settler who was given a land grant by Lady Jane Franklin in the...
. At the 2006 census
Census in Australia
The Australian census is administered once every five years by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The most recent census was conducted on 9 August 2011; the next will be conducted in 2016. Prior to the introduction of regular censuses in 1961, they had also been run in 1901, 1911, 1921, 1933,...
, Franklin had a population of 453.
It was named after Sir John Franklin and his wife Lady Jane Franklin who subdivided a large property there formerly owned by John Price to settle families of modest means. The Franklins had a ketch named Huon Pine built at Port Davey
Port Davey, Tasmania
Port Davey is an inlet on the south west coast of Tasmania. It lies next to Bathurst Harbour and is sheltered from the Roaring Forties that buffet the south and west coasts of Tasmania. It lies within the Melaleuca to Birchs Inlet Important Bird Area. It is not populated, but has over time had a...
to provide a direct link between the settlement at Hobart
Hobart
Hobart is the state capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. Founded in 1804 as a penal colony,Hobart is Australia's second oldest capital city after Sydney. In 2009, the city had a greater area population of approximately 212,019. A resident of Hobart is known as...
.
Originally used for mixed cropping, especially potatoes and other vegetables, by the late 19th century Franklin and its immediate surrounds were a major apple
Apple
The apple is the pomaceous fruit of the apple tree, species Malus domestica in the rose family . It is one of the most widely cultivated tree fruits, and the most widely known of the many members of genus Malus that are used by humans. Apple grow on small, deciduous trees that blossom in the spring...
orcharding region. With the collapse of Tasmania's export fruit industry during the 1970s the region reverted to mixed farming.
Until the 1930s Franklin was the major town in the Huon Valley
Huon Valley
The Huon Valley Council is a Local Government Area of Tasmania. It is the southern-most local government area in Australia.It encompasses the town of Huonville, on the Huon River, some surrounding towns, and many protected areas and forestry plantations...
. It was thriving with the shipping that docked at its many jetties. Franklin boasted its own Court House (now a gourmet cafe), several hotels, banks and a Town Hall (which is now the restored Palais Theatre). It even had its own hydroelectric power station, driven by a local creek. With the establishment of a better road across the Sleeping Beauty Range mountains and the growth of the nearby town Huonville, Franklin went into decline over the next few decades.
However, it has recently had a resurgence as a popular tourist town and has had an influx of interstate 'Seachangers' who have revitalised the town. Much of old Franklin remains.