Ross, Tasmania
Encyclopedia
Ross is a historic town in the Midlands
of the state of Tasmania
in Australia
. Situated on the Macquarie River, Ross is located 78 km south of Launceston
and 117 km north of Hobart. The town is listed on the Register of the National Estate
and is noted for its historic bridge
, original sandstone buildings and convict history
.
who passed through the area while mapping Tasmania's central area including parts of what later became known as the Macquarie River.
On an expedition in 1821, Governor Lachlan Macquarie
passed through the area himself and, as he recorded in his journal,
Later that year, a timber bridge was built over the river and subsequently Ross became an important stopover on road journeys between Launceston and Hobart. It developed as a base for the local garrison
and became a centre for trade for the surrounding district. Between 1848 and 1854 approximately 12,000 female convicts passed through the Female Factory
.
By the time of Australian Federation in 1901, the permanent population had grown to 311 and the wider area had become known as a fine wool
growing district. At this time Ross had four churches, a post and telegraph office, a savings bank, one hotel, and a town hall and library.
from the Boer War
and a war memorial
as a central part of the intersection. The crossroads area is humorously referred to as the "Four Corners of Ross" with each corner having a label:
The town of Ross itself is listed on the Register of the National Estate
and many of the town’s historic buildings, many built from sandstone
, are listed in their own right.
The Council Clerk's cottage, situated on the south-west corner of Church and High Streets is a single storey Georgian building. The western wing of this building incorporates the former police buildings. A jail also stood on this site.
Near the Ross Bridge stands the former military barracks
, a single-storey Colonial building which has been recently restored.
. The Roman Catholic Church
building was originally a store and was converted in the 1920s in Gothic revival style. St John's Anglican Church, on the corner of Badajos Street, was built in 1868 and contains a 100-year-old pipe organ
, an oak lectern
and a stone pulpit
.
building, but was later converted to a Victorian Style. Two former inns, The Scotch Thistle Inn (licenced 1840) and the Sherwood Castle Inn, no longer function as hotels, the former is now a private residence and the latter has been renamed and operates as the Ross Bakery Inn.
was constructed by convict labour in 1836, and is the third oldest bridge still in use in Australia. Commissioned by Lieutenant-Governor Arthur
, the bridge was designed by architect John Lee Archer
, with the convict work team including two stonemasons, James Colbeck and Daniel Herbert, the latter being credited with the intricate carvings along both sides of the bridge.
, located to the south-east of the town centre, is divided into two sections - a Roman Catholic section and a Church of England
section which is enclosed by a stone wall. The old military burial ground is located on a nearby hilltop.
building. The adjoining Council Chambers is a timber building with a stone façade. The Post Office was completed in 1889 and has a verandah with twin cast-iron columns. The schoolhouse is a Victorian Rustic Gothic building with random rubble sandstone walls.
s that are also listed on the register. In addition, a number of listed indigenous
and other sites are located in nearby areas.
Tooms Lake
was built as a water supply dam for Ross.
Midlands, Tasmania
The Midlands is a region of Tasmania between Launceston and Hobart. It also refers to the relatively flat, dry agricultural area, so named because it covers the region between the two cities. Its name is probably also influenced from the Midlands in the United Kingdom. It lends its name to the...
of the state 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...
in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. Situated on the Macquarie River, Ross is located 78 km south of Launceston
Launceston, Tasmania
Launceston is a city in the north of the state of Tasmania, Australia at the junction of the North Esk and South Esk rivers where they become the Tamar River. Launceston is the second largest city in Tasmania after the state capital Hobart...
and 117 km north of Hobart. The town is listed on the Register of the National Estate
Register of the National Estate
The Register of the National Estate is a listing of natural and cultural heritage places in Australia. The listing was initially compiled between 1976 and 2003 by the Australian Heritage Commission. The register is now maintained by the Australian Heritage Council...
and is noted for its historic bridge
Ross Bridge
Ross Bridge is an historic bridge in the town of Ross in central Tasmania, Australia, completed in July 1836. It crosses the Macquarie River.The sandstone bridge was constructed by convict labour, and is the third oldest bridge still in use in Australia...
, original sandstone buildings and convict history
Convictism in Australia
During the late 18th and 19th centuries, large numbers of convicts were transported to the various Australian penal colonies by the British government. One of the primary reasons for the British settlement of Australia was the establishment of a penal colony to alleviate pressure on their...
.
History
The first European to explore the district was surveyor Charles GrimesCharles Grimes
Charles Grimes was an English-born surveyor who did some valuable work in colonial Australia. He served as surveyor-general of New South Wales and discovered the Yarra River in what is now the state of Victoria. He is perhaps best known for being the surveyor who mapped the route of the Hobart...
who passed through the area while mapping Tasmania's central area including parts of what later became known as the Macquarie River.
On an expedition in 1821, Governor Lachlan Macquarie
Lachlan Macquarie
Major-General Lachlan Macquarie CB , was a British military officer and colonial administrator. He served as the last autocratic Governor of New South Wales, Australia from 1810 to 1821 and had a leading role in the social, economic and architectural development of the colony...
passed through the area himself and, as he recorded in his journal,
-
- I named our last Night's Station "Ross", in honor of H. M. Buchanan Esqr. – that being the name of his Seat on Loch-Lomond in Scotland; this part of Argyle Plains on the Right Bank of the Macquarie River being very beautiful and commanding a noble view.
Later that year, a timber bridge was built over the river and subsequently Ross became an important stopover on road journeys between Launceston and Hobart. It developed as a base for the local garrison
Garrison
Garrison is the collective term for a body of troops stationed in a particular location, originally to guard it, but now often simply using it as a home base....
and became a centre for trade for the surrounding district. Between 1848 and 1854 approximately 12,000 female convicts passed through the Female Factory
Female Factory
Female factories were prison workhouses for women convicts transported to Australia during the time when some states were a penal colony.Most female prisoners transported to Australia were assigned to households as servants...
.
By the time of Australian Federation in 1901, the permanent population had grown to 311 and the wider area had become known as a fine wool
Wool
Wool is the textile fiber obtained from sheep and certain other animals, including cashmere from goats, mohair from goats, qiviut from muskoxen, vicuña, alpaca, camel from animals in the camel family, and angora from rabbits....
growing district. At this time Ross had four churches, a post and telegraph office, a savings bank, one hotel, and a town hall and library.
The Four Corners of Ross
The town is centred on the crossroads of Church and Bridge Streets with a field gunField gun
A field gun is an artillery piece. Originally the term referred to smaller guns that could accompany a field army on the march and when in combat could be moved about the battlefield in response to changing circumstances, as to opposed guns installed in a fort, or to siege cannon or mortars which...
from the Boer War
Boer War
The Boer Wars were two wars fought between the British Empire and the two independent Boer republics, the Oranje Vrijstaat and the Republiek van Transvaal ....
and a war memorial
War memorial
A war memorial is a building, monument, statue or other edifice to celebrate a war or victory, or to commemorate those who died or were injured in war.-Historic usage:...
as a central part of the intersection. The crossroads area is humorously referred to as the "Four Corners of Ross" with each corner having a label:
- TemptationTemptationA temptation is an act that looks appealing to an individual. It is usually used to describe acts with negative connotations and as such, tends to lead a person to regret such actions, for various reasons: legal, social, psychological , health, economic, etc...
: the Man O' Ross Hotel - RecreationRecreationRecreation is an activity of leisure, leisure being discretionary time. The "need to do something for recreation" is an essential element of human biology and psychology. Recreational activities are often done for enjoyment, amusement, or pleasure and are considered to be "fun"...
: Town Hall - SalvationSalvationWithin religion salvation is the phenomenon of being saved from the undesirable condition of bondage or suffering experienced by the psyche or soul that has arisen as a result of unskillful or immoral actions generically referred to as sins. Salvation may also be called "deliverance" or...
: Roman Catholic Church - DamnationDamnationDamnation is the concept of everlasting divine punishment and/or disgrace, especially the punishment for sin as threatened by God . A damned being "in damnation" is said to be either in Hell, or living in a state wherein they are divorced from Heaven and/or in a state of disgrace from God's favor...
: Jail (now a private residence)
Heritage-listed buildings and sites
Register of the National Estate
The Register of the National Estate is a listing of natural and cultural heritage places in Australia. The listing was initially compiled between 1976 and 2003 by the Australian Heritage Commission. The register is now maintained by the Australian Heritage Council...
and many of the town’s historic buildings, many built from sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
, are listed in their own right.
Former military and police buildings
The former Army Orderly Room is a stone Colonial building which was the first army headquarters in Ross. Nearby is the Royal Ordnance Corps Store, which was erected in 1836 and has the corps crest carved above the door. This building now houses the Ross Memorial Library and Recreation Room.The Council Clerk's cottage, situated on the south-west corner of Church and High Streets is a single storey Georgian building. The western wing of this building incorporates the former police buildings. A jail also stood on this site.
Near the Ross Bridge stands the former military barracks
Barracks
Barracks are specialised buildings for permanent military accommodation; the word may apply to separate housing blocks or to complete complexes. Their main object is to separate soldiers from the civilian population and reinforce discipline, training and esprit de corps. They were sometimes called...
, a single-storey Colonial building which has been recently restored.
Convict site
The convict site dates back to the 1840s. Usually referred to as the Female Factory, it was one of only a few female convict compounds in Australia. There is one remaining building on the site, the Assistant Superintendent's Quarters, which currently houses a display relating to the site.Churches
The town of Ross has three churches, all located on elm-lined Church Street. The Uniting Church, situated prominently on the hilltop, was built in 1885 and is noted for its blackwood pews and carved baptismal fontBaptismal font
A baptismal font is an article of church furniture or a fixture used for the baptism of children and adults.-Aspersion and affusion fonts:...
. The Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
building was originally a store and was converted in the 1920s in Gothic revival style. St John's Anglican Church, on the corner of Badajos Street, was built in 1868 and contains a 100-year-old pipe organ
Pipe organ
The pipe organ is a musical instrument that produces sound by driving pressurized air through pipes selected via a keyboard. Because each organ pipe produces a single pitch, the pipes are provided in sets called ranks, each of which has a common timbre and volume throughout the keyboard compass...
, an oak lectern
Lectern
A lectern is a reading desk with a slanted top, usually placed on a stand or affixed to some other form of support, on which documents or books are placed as support for reading aloud, as in a scripture reading, lecture, or sermon...
and a stone pulpit
Pulpit
Pulpit is a speakers' stand in a church. In many Christian churches, there are two speakers' stands at the front of the church. Typically, the one on the left is called the pulpit...
.
Hotels and Inns
The Man O' Ross Hotel was built in 1831 by William Sadler. It was originally a two-storey GeorgianGeorgian architecture
Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840. It is eponymous for the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I of Great Britain, George II of Great Britain, George III of the United...
building, but was later converted to a Victorian Style. Two former inns, The Scotch Thistle Inn (licenced 1840) and the Sherwood Castle Inn, no longer function as hotels, the former is now a private residence and the latter has been renamed and operates as the Ross Bakery Inn.
Ross Bridge
The well-known sandstone bridgeRoss Bridge
Ross Bridge is an historic bridge in the town of Ross in central Tasmania, Australia, completed in July 1836. It crosses the Macquarie River.The sandstone bridge was constructed by convict labour, and is the third oldest bridge still in use in Australia...
was constructed by convict labour in 1836, and is the third oldest bridge still in use in Australia. Commissioned by Lieutenant-Governor Arthur
George Arthur
Lieutenant-General Sir George Arthur, 1st Baronet KCH PC was Lieutenant Governor of British Honduras , Van Diemen's Land and Upper Canada . He also served as Governor of Bombay .-Early life:George Arthur was born in Plymouth, England...
, the bridge was designed by architect John Lee Archer
John Lee Archer
John Lee Archer , architect and engineer, was born in Ireland and emigrated to Tasmania in 1827.- Personal life :John Lee Archer, born 26 April 1791 near Thurles, Ireland, was an important factor in the development of the townships of Tasmania during early settlement...
, with the convict work team including two stonemasons, James Colbeck and Daniel Herbert, the latter being credited with the intricate carvings along both sides of the bridge.
Cemeteries
The main cemeteryCemetery
A cemetery is a place in which dead bodies and cremated remains are buried. The term "cemetery" implies that the land is specifically designated as a burying ground. Cemeteries in the Western world are where the final ceremonies of death are observed...
, located to the south-east of the town centre, is divided into two sections - a Roman Catholic section and a Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
section which is enclosed by a stone wall. The old military burial ground is located on a nearby hilltop.
Other public buildings
The Town Hall is a neo-classical style late-VictorianVictorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
building. The adjoining Council Chambers is a timber building with a stone façade. The Post Office was completed in 1889 and has a verandah with twin cast-iron columns. The schoolhouse is a Victorian Rustic Gothic building with random rubble sandstone walls.
Other buildings and sites
Within the central township area, there are a number of other buildings including private residences and two former Sunday SchoolSunday school
Sunday school is the generic name for many different types of religious education pursued on Sundays by various denominations.-England:The first Sunday school may have been opened in 1751 in St. Mary's Church, Nottingham. Another early start was made by Hannah Ball, a native of High Wycombe in...
s that are also listed on the register. In addition, a number of listed indigenous
Indigenous peoples
Indigenous peoples are ethnic groups that are defined as indigenous according to one of the various definitions of the term, there is no universally accepted definition but most of which carry connotations of being the "original inhabitants" of a territory....
and other sites are located in nearby areas.
Amenities
The Tasmanian Wool Centre is a building which houses a museum, a wool exhibition, a wool and craft area and acts as the tourist information centre.Tooms Lake
Tooms Lake, Tasmania
-History:On 6 December 1828 a massacre of Tasmanian aborigines occurred where ten were killed by nine soldiers from the 40th regiment. John Danvers, the guide of the group, reported to the Oatlands police magistrate: "One of them getting up from a small fire to a large one, discovered us and gave...
was built as a water supply dam for Ross.