Month: May 2018

Researching the municipality

Miss W. General information

In 2008, when students were using the internet to research their municipality to add to their interviews and images, they were given the following list of useful websites to use:

If you are looking for information on the internet, try some of the following pages.

Sorell Council
Tasmanian archives – you will need to write them an email if using any pictures from here
Tasmanian History links – information about families and land grants
National archives – use the record and photo search sections
Tasmanian Genealogy – great site with lots of useful links on Tasmanian history
Australian War Memorial – if the person has been an Aussie soldier, check it out here
Picture Australia – some great images but you must ask permission to use – check out the FAQs
Trove – check out the scans of original newspapers from all around Australia
Arch Rollings photos of Sorell district – need archive permission to use on this wiki.

Remember to use the Sorell Heritage Study books found in the school and local libraries.

Transport in the municipality

Miss W. General information

The municipality ranges over a large area of south eastern Tasmania. The early settlements were only able to be visited by horse and cart via Richmond. This trip could take many days. Eventually ferries were used to cart goods and people, roads were built, causeways linked land and water and there was also a fairly short lived railway system.

Sorell Council

Miss W. 1851-1880, General information, Services, Special people

Sorell was the eighth municipality created in Tasmania.

Sorell was lucky to have some important men with great ideas and good visions for the future. They believed they could do something with the place and had a pretty good view of it all and what it would be like. Some of these men were Mr. Alec Hean, Mr. William Dunbabin, Col. A. C. Blacklow and the president Warden, Mr. E. C. Iles.

The first council was elected on 30th June 1862 and they had their first meeting on the 1st of July 1862.
The first councillors were Messrs. John Dunbabin, Robert Blyth, Francis Allison, Edward Moore, Robert Doctor and Charles Hazell. Dr.Robert Blyth was elected warden and Mr.R.Fitzsimmins was the first council clerk. They were paid a salary of $150 a year.