| Introduction
We have been finding out about the history of our local area and the sea. Our group chose this topic and then thought of some questions we wanted answered. We went to the State Library, we went to Maria Island and we interviewed Mick Haigh. We are doing this to help celebrate the Year of the Older Person. Some of the older people in our area were part of this history and so we have asked them questions and are publishing what we found out on the Internet for everyone to read. |
| Have
there been any shipwrecks in the past?
In Darlington and Mercury Passage a number of ships have been wrecked, some of them are: The Annie Taylor, The Sophia, a Convict ship and the Moonah. A shipwreck happened at Swansea (not far from here). The boiler is still on one of the beaches. A number of people have drowned in the area, about 75, and there is a memorial to them at Triabunna, where you can read their names. |
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| Have
any unusual sea creatures been discovered?
A sun fish was found in this area some time ago. A number of whales beached themselves near our school last year, no one knows why they did this. Some of them were saved. |
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| Have
there been any tidal waves?
There was a tidal wave in 1868. There were very rough seas and there have been times when boats have been unable to get out past the woodchip mill at Triabunna where it is still sheltered. |
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| What
sort of fish used to be caught in the past?
In the early days fishermen caught crayfish and barracuda a lot of the time. It is still possible to catch these. The area around Maria Island is a Marine Reserve, where you may not fish. In 1932 barracuda fishing began and during the War the fish were used for fertiliser on the apple orchard at Rostrevor which was the largest orchard in Tasmania at the time. |
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| Was
whaling ever done in the Orford area?
Whaling was done in Okehampton and Fisheries Creek. There was a Whaling Station at Sheas Creek which is near our school at the golf course. Whaling ships were small and carried up to eight men. They were ten metres long and two metres wide. Whalers were often ex-convicts. |
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| Why
were whales killed?
Whales were hunted get their blubber and oil to make heat and light. . |
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