This will bring a few smiles to those who remember the drama caused when this picture and endearing comments arrived into the hands of the locals at Lady Barron.
I remember the hoo ha well!!
One of my childhood favourites (certainly not Ossie Brodie telling us he was coming to steal our dolls!!!).
Of course the brain child of several folk from Whitemark winding up the LBer’s.
Mission achieved. The authors were revealed many years later, another story for another day.
Dairy – a lucrative and productive industry forgotten until I read this article about Mr F Holt and Tas Holt, and their dairy herds.
Uncle Fred Collis and G Uncle Henry Briant note in their diaries post 1920 references to the then early dairy industry – Flinders Island butter was exported to the UK. The Butter Factory Road sign is a few km’s from Whitemark and I vaguely remember going there as a 3 or 4-year-old with Dad, in Uncle Eric’s truck delivering the cream as Uncle Eric and Aunt Edna were away in Launceston.
The factory closed down due to the increased regulations governing the production of butter. The factory didn’t have the financial resource to upgrade as required – at least that’s my understanding. If anyone can elaborate ……… The loss of this industry would have had a devastating impact on the island’s employment. I suppose this caused some families to move away!
I have a clearer memory of Walkers dairy out near the airport as it operated for a longer time.
This is a great link to the modern Flinders
This is a great link – has some really good clear old photos of Flinders and in particular of several people, for those looking for relatives then a must to check out just in case!! Also good history notes on the butter factory…….
Vansittart Island
Heading out past Vansittart (left) in the hope you come home with a lot of these.
George Thomas Robinson, known as ‘Uncle George’ (youngest son of Tuck and Lizzy) married Gladys Cook or ‘Aunt Gladys’ and she grew up on Vansittart. Aunt Glad did several interviews about her childhood. Mary Gillham author of ‘Island Hopping in Tasmania’s roaring 40’s’ is one that comes to mind. The other I will add later.
Old Island names associated with Vansittart – Riddle, Ross, Cook and Holloway.
Vansittart shoals the final resting place of the Farsund – 1912.
The early 1870’s a few drama’s.
The Cemetery –
We grew up hearing the ghostly story of Granny Bates………..
Holloway’s barge the primary source of transport to the islands – no longer in service.
Puncheon Head Island is next to Vansittart, about 15 years ago at a community BBQ I met the old guy who live on Puncheon Island, a fascinating person who entertained us with his stories of life on Puncheon Island – over a few bottles of his best red.
Ella Jane West married Alexander Ross on Cape Barren Is 8 July 1908. The small child highly likely Ella’s first child Isabel Elizabeth Jane Ross given she has referenced date of marriage. After returning the photo to one of Ellas relatives was informed the child may also be her niece Ella Begent. This photo demonstrates the social connectedness within the small Bass Strait Community as Ella lived on Vansittart and Adeline on the Samphire.
Yesterday I met a long-lost relative from the Collis side of the family – whilst here in Victoria a wonderful opportunity to meet her. We had a lovely lunch – a little later than planned due to my seriously getting lost – oh my what a headache!! When we met she seemed familiar!! We had a great afternoon talking family history filling in more history gaps also scanning photo’s.
Fred met Nell when she was working on one of the Sister Islands – she was 19 and Fred 46. The oral history is she put her age up and Fred brought his down, to cut the age gap when they married.
Nell Collis remarried twice after beloved husband Fred passed away from cancer – she married second husband (Denholm), a heavy drinker and they lived in Hobart and after his death Nell married Richard Batten (wife Bessie died in 1946). Dad remembers visiting them with his parents – she was a lovely person with a good sense of humour, Dad said she had to contend with his father Horace’s teasing………..which he was well-known for.
This last picture taken after a major fire – once I was able to enlarge, taken possibly a little below where the latest wind turbine, Nalinga. The main road is gravel and the turn off to Trousers Point visible there are regular white lines beside the road,perhaps PMG poles.
Today while looking at some other old photo’s I found a 1921 copy of ‘The Weekly Courier’ put aside with the photo’s……. Page 22 and 23, picture inserts dedicated to Flinders Island – really good pictures depicting this era to check out – go to this Linc website, set year 1921, then November 17 insert 3, enlarge the picture – note No. 12…… cattle being slung on the trading ship at the old Emita jetty.
I also found this picture of cattle being transported to Flinders in a rather unusual way…… discussed this afternoon with Dad and Jacko. Dad said sheep were commonly transported this way, fair enough! Jacko remembers Murray telling him the stock were sedated. I couldn’t really see sheep causing that much of a disturbance, but cattle with those horns!! What could possibly go wrong ………….. 
The Linda – wrecked near Little Dog Island April 1924
The Fursund a 1912 casualty; same year as the Titanic.
The Miss Flinders serviced the islands in the early days.
Henry Briant at work, photo by Murray Holloway. The Loina disappeared of Flinders in the 1935.
Picture of the City of Foo Chow wrecked of the East Coast.
Flinders Island regatta at Yellow Beach Picture number 1 and No 2 and 3.
Link to Book written by Matthew Flinders 1801
Early Tourism brochure
Loina owned and operated by Holymans
Flinders Island: Badger Corner and Samphire River 
