Turriff Lodge

Is that Turriff Lodge?

This picture was posted on the “Tasmanian History” Facebook group. It is a postcard estimated to be mid 19th century and printed by J Walsh & Sons Tasmania. The interesting part of this story for me is the proximity of Turriff Lodge to the river. When doing tours of Willow Court we have a great piece of evidence from Governor Arthur and Dr Robert Officer who when sitting on the verandah of the homestead witnessed a boat being rowed up the river. So taken was Governor Arthur of what was witnesses he sat down on the 2nd April 1827 and wrote to the Colonial Secretary:

“On Sunday last 12 invalids arrived at New Norfolk; they had been sent from Hobart Town on the proceeding Thursday in an open boat, and were thus exposed for three nights and two days, during a great part of which time it rained hard. All these men were miserably clothed, and two of them were destitute of bedding, and have remained so till the present time.”

His writing can be found in the Tasmanian Archives and also referenced in the book “Troubled Asylum” by Ralph. W Gowlland. Maybe this is the closest artist impression of that homestead and that boat on that river that we will ever have?

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