Henry and Hannah Collis made their way from Canterbury to Hobart aboard the  ‘Fair Tasmanian’ in 1852. (Image 072)

The book ‘Blue Gum Clippers and Whale Ships of Tasmania’ found at a local market’s a few weeks back has a little history about the Fair Tasmanian.

The launch of the ‘Fair Tasmanian’ in 1848 was a double launch.

It seems the ‘Fair Tasmanian’ a 200 ton Barque was a Tasmanian crafted Blue Gum Clipper and launched from John Watson yards at Battery Point in a double launching with the 160 ton Schooner Circassian’ in Hobart on 22 January 1848. The ‘Fair Tasmanian’ was besieged by bad luck just after launching, a fire started on board and one of the crew grabbed a bucket of what he thought was water?? however it was a bucket of tar??, thus causing the fire to rage out of control. A decision to scuttle the Fair Tasmanian was made to put out the fire. She was later raised and repaired. The Fair Tasmanian sailed 4 months later 21 May 1848 to Port Albert in Victoria where she loaded with livestock bound for New Zealand. She had on board 62 cattle that arrived in good health, with a loss of 65 sheep.

The Fair Tasmanian sailed to Mauritius, London and San Francisco with all types of cargo. such as sugar, potatoes and timber. She returned to Hobart on 17 August 1850 after a deal with a load of timber didn’t go as expected.

In 1852, she loaded with stock at Twofold Bay (near Eden NSW) to recommence trading livestock to New Zealand, the first trip ended in disaster for the stock that simply didn’t survive a heavy gale, the ship returned to restock then went on its way. I note Henry and Hannah returned to Hobart along with a handful of other passengers and ballast, no stock.

The ‘Fair Tasmanian’ was wrecked of Warnambool  on 6 June 1864 after her anchor broke.