Kettering, Tasmania

Kettering
Tasmania
Kettering
Coordinates 43°07′S 147°16′E / 43.117°S 147.267°E / -43.117; 147.267Coordinates: 43°07′S 147°16′E / 43.117°S 147.267°E / -43.117; 147.267
Population 984 (2011 census)[1]
Postcode(s) 7155
Elevation 12 m (39 ft)
Location
LGA(s) Municipality of Kingborough
State electorate(s) Franklin
Federal Division(s) Franklin

Kettering is a coastal town on the D'Entrecasteaux Channel (37 km south of Hobart) opposite Bruny Island, Tasmania, Australia. At the 2011 census, Kettering had a population of 984.[1]

History

The area was first explored by Bruni D'Entrecasteaux in 1792 and was settled in the early 19th century by timber cutters, whalers and sealers. Life was hard and the people who lived in the area rarely settled for long preferring the life in Hobart Town to the whaling stations and logging camps.

It was just north of Kettering in Oyster Cove that the last Tasmanian Aboriginal settlement was established in 1847. Aborigines from all over Van Diemen's Land had been rounded up some years earlier and isolated on Flinders Island. In 1847 the remnants, now only 44 people, were taken to a reserve at Oyster Cove. By 1855 there were only 16 people left and by 1869 only Truganini remained. She died in 1876 but it was not until 1976 that her ashes were thrown to the winds on the D'Entrecasteaux Channel.

Little Oyster Cove Post Office opened on 19 October 1868 and was renamed Kettering in 1892.[2]

Geography and environment

The Kettering region, although sheltered by Bruny Island is increasingly subject to foreshore erosion, communities in some areas have decided to sandbag sections of coast to reduce the effects.[3]

Today

Today the area is noted for its orchards (apples, cherries, pears) and Kettering has become an important service centre for the local farmers. Like so much of the area south of Hobart, both towns have become centres for commuters and alternative lifestyle dwellers who find the peacefulness suits them.

These tiny settlements are now the focus of marine activities. Kettering is the centre for fishing in the region. It has two major marinas, South Haven Marina and Oyster Cove Marina, as well as many smaller, privately owned jetties. Approximately 400 boats are located in Kettering whether on moorings or in marinas. The Bruny Island Ferry, Mirambeena, runs from Kettering numerous times a day.

Kettering has a thriving community involved in many artistic pursuits. There are many artists and crafts people living in Kettering and the Southern Channel. 2008 saw a local production of Under Milk Wood, presented as a radio play in the local Community Hall which was very successful. It also was at the centre of the 2008 Art Trail an event which included 3 exhibitions and 9 artists' studios opened to the public. The success of the initial experiment led to the 2010 Art Trail. The local Kettering Music Group have been organising 4 or 5 chamber music concerts a year, now known as the Kettering Concerts and a Jazz in July concert since 2004. The next Art Trail is planned for August 2012. In February 2014 it was announced Kettering would be the filming location of an upcoming 15 million dollar TV series, The Kettering Incident, to be aired on Foxtel and BBC.[4]

Features and services

References

  1. 1 2 Australian Bureau of Statistics 2011 Census QuickStats
  2. Premier Postal History. "Post Office List". Premier Postal Auctions. Retrieved 16 June 2012.
  3. Flora Fox, Flora Fox, News and Information about Southern Tasmania 2011
  4. "Tasmanian seaside town of Kettering to star in $15m TV series". ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation). 10 February 2014. Retrieved 2 March 2014.

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Friday, April 15, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.