ISLE OF MANY WATERS

[Music] so all tasmania is a lovely garden endowed by nature with noble summits lakes and splendid waterways man has enriched the peaceful countryside with rural charm quaint old world villages and magnificent orchards in this carefree garden the here prospers the apple growing industry that has made tasmania famous throughout the world although producing nearly all the deciduous fruits apples rank is the most important crop the production in a normal season reaching 5 million bushels it is interesting to note that lieutenant bly in the famous bounty first introduced apples into tasmania in the year 1788 but to lady franklin wife of the governor of tasmania sir john franklin the great arctic falls the honor of first establishing an apple orchard in 1839 although a century has rolled by many of the trees are still bearing fruit [Music] during the apple season the port of hobart is a bustle with ships coming from and setting out for the ports of the seven seas here too is the mecca of holiday makers the lovely city by a harbour of wondrous blue flanked by the rolling uplands and organ pipe buttresses of mount wellington is the gateway to countless places of captivating charm and interest [Music] from beautiful hobart let us take ferry up the derwent where nature seems ever to be admiring her charms in a mirror of unruffled waters it is a delightful trophic a quaint little old world town associated with the state's earliest history among its antique relics is the bush inn where vincent wallace entranced by glorious settings found inspiration to compose the opera maritana another link with the historic past is the ancient ruins of the penal settlement of port arthur roses brought from england over 100 years ago still bloom profusely over what remains of the governor's residence port arthur was established by governor arthur in 1830 and as a penal settlement it lasted 47 years much has been written in chapters sensational and gloomy about port arthur but the mellowing passage of time has transformed the austerity of bad old days into one of tasmania's most popular attractions in this lovely isle of historical associations and homely old world villages it is very fitting that many old english customs notably that of hunting should be retained it is not generally known that the composer of that fine old hunting song john peel migrated to and lived a great part of his life in tasmania [Music] [Applause] [Applause] woodcock graves the composer of the song john peel lived in west hobart where he died at the ripe old age of 100 years and was interred in the queensborough cemetery [Music] uh [Music] [Music] and now from melody and scenes historical we will visit the west coast to seek those contrasts for which tasmania is renowned and here we find climate and scene completely at variance to the rest of the state we loitered queenstown the city of a hundred hills which owes its prosperity to the neighboring activities of the great mount lyell mining company the traveler will gasp in admiration of the exquisite tints of the surrounding ranges it seems indeed as if the rugged scarps and ravines were glorified with perpetual rainbows mount lyell is one of the world's foremost undertakings in copper mining plant is no superior and is capable of dealing with 2 500 tonnes of ore per day at present the company employs one thousand seven hundred men in queenstown alone the gigantic problems of rail transport through this rugged country were mastered and the ebbed wrecked railway which connects queenstown with the seaported strong 20 miles distant is a notable achievement in railway engineering and when you visit tasmania you simply must travel on this sensational line the line throughout its entire distance passes through most spectacular mountain scenery splendid forests of sassafras myrtles and tree ferns and in the appropriate season berries and wild flowers abound a wreck railroad follows the precipitous walls of the king river gorge and as the train creeps across endless bridges and swings around sharp curves a continuous panel armor and foals of awesome canyons foaming waters and verdured slopes [Music] so [Music] so [Music] undoubtedly the crowning charm of tasmania's west coast scenery awaits the visitor to the glorious gordon the river which flows into macquarie harbor is visited from strawn by launch the gordon was discovered by james kelly in 1815 and it still flows through a solitude as unbroken as in the day of discovery there is no habitation along its entire course and although a deep and wide running stream it is only inevitable for 25 miles owing to rapids the middle reaches have never been traversed for its course passes through some of the most rugged and impenetrable country on earth so there is no finer ever scenery in the world than along the course of the garden during a calm sunshiny day by the glorious mirror of gordon waters our all too brief ramble draws to a close and although the drums of civilization may call us back to the clang of city life a pleasant memory remains we return renewed in vigor bright of eye and with a mind resolved to return again and to other trails in this glorious isle of many waters [Music]