Happy New Year to our family (the many new family connections made over the past three years) and friends. Hopefully 2016 will bring to all health, happiness and peace.
Tonight with dinner I will raise my glass to our absent family and friends, I hope you will as well.
Flinders Island: Badger Corner and Samphire River 
Greetings all.
I’m not sure where to leave my message, there is so much of interest on this wonderful site. I feel like an outsider, with the privilege of looking in. I was thrilled to find reference to Bill Barrett, who I recently learnt was the last skipper my grandfather worked under. For many years I had not known that. My grandfather was Harold Bowman, I believe of no relation to the Bowman family on the island, but nevertheless a frequent visitor. He was an able seaman and worked for many years on the boats between Northern Tasmania and the islands. Harold spent many years at sea and lived in Launceston. His mother Cecilia Johnson (known to my mother and her family as Gran Johnson) also spent much time on Flinders, mutton birding and as a cook in one of the huts in the season over many seasons. Years later I learnt that a number of Gran Johnson’s family also went to the island for the season. I would love to know if Bill Barrett would remember my grandfather (don’t we always want to ask those questions), the stories of the mutton birding seasons and the connections those people had with the islands. I grew up in Launceston and remember my grandfather bringing us mutton birds, how we loved them. My grandfather ceased working on the boats and travelling the seas in the early to mid 1960s.
I don’t know if any of this will resonate with anyone, but rest assured I have enjoyed wandering through the site immensely. As I said, I feel like an outsider, but I feel like there is a part of my history there too, a part I don’t know much about yet.
Hi Lyn, thanks for taking the time to give me a little of your history. No doubt our old families would have known one another.
Glad you like the site. Hearing from others related or not is what I had hoped for, perhaps someone is able to jump in with information that might help you out, always happy to help others connect. Deb
Hi Lyn,
Just revisiting your notes as now and at long last reading my great uncles diaries 1930’s & 40’s he mentions a Jono Johnson, does this name ring any bells for you? Thought I would revisit the name of your grandfather Harold Bowman as I had forgotten so your comment has come in handy to refresh my memory. Deb
Hi Deb
How wonderful to be able to read your great uncle’s diaries from the 30s and 40s. The best thought I can offer from my family is ‘If Only Walls Could Talk’. As I have previously mentioned Johnson was one of the names my Grandfather, Harold Bowman, used as his Mother’s second marriage was to a Johnson. Jono could well be one of the family, I wonder in what context he was mentioned. It is my goal to visit the Island one day! Lyn
Will keep an eye out for you….happy to help if you need any info around visiting. Deb
WOW WOW WOW, What more can I say,this is simply amazing
Love Kerie