A former Think Tasmania reader (who shall remain nameless, because we’re polite like that) sent this rather curt message to us: “I’m afraid there is just NOT ENOUGH (if ANYTHING) about your SOUTHPORT, which is what I have been wanting, and so, with regret, I would like to UNSUBSCRIBE!!!”
Tasmania’s Southport: south of Hobart
It’s All About Southport
The gentleman had been compiling a history of all the Southport townships around the world. He somehow found Think Tasmania and requested any information and pictures we were able to supply, in addition to contact details for other resources. From that point on, we clearly failed in our “duty” to file ongoing reports about the tiny village in far south Tasmania!
The dear man could’ve just unsubscribed in silence. Maybe his final outburst of protest made him happy, who knows? We do get lots and lots of emails about Tasmania, and we make every attempt to satisfy all the personal requests for information. Some requests are straight-forward and reasonable to envisage; others are just plain strange and unusual. But it’s true you know. When they say you just can’t please all the people, all the time… they’re right. And we do apologise profusely for our various shortcomings.
Snow-capped mountains: Tasmania’s southwest wilderness
We were reminded of our failure to feature Southport again recently during our trip to Cockle Creek. A quick look around the pretty town was insufficient to satisfy our curiosity. And not just Southport either. As we’ve already admitted, Dover is also calling us back to the region far south of Hobart.
Bronze whale sculpture, Cockle Creek: via Southport
Far South Tasmania
Not to make silly and feeble excuses, but my hip replacement and Gavin’s subsequent mishap have combined to make 2014 a year to forget. At least it put a screaming halt to our incessant talking about walking in Tasmania. And we will recover from these minor hiccups and forge on with our statewide research in the future. In fact, we’ll pass a fitness test any day now. Crutches, be gone! The heart-wrenching loss of Carol to leukaemia… that’s something else entirely, and not something we’re likely to overcome so easily.
Ida Bay Railway via Southport (photo by Carol Haberle)
Southport… we promise you this: we’ll be back to see you again one day. We will park the car and walk all around the town seeking treasures to share. We won’t rush. We will dally to our heart’s content. We will again marvel at the view to Cape Bruny Lighthouse from your shores. We’ll throw in a line and hopefully catch a fish. We’ll snack at the hotel and maybe ease into some sort of accommodation for the night.
Doesn’t all that sound like a grand plan? We are good at grand plans, if nothing else. I wonder if our Southport-seeking reader will come back to us then? If you have something vital to share about Tasmania’s far south… by all means leave a comment below for all and sundry to read.
Cape Bruny Lighthouse from Southport
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I can tell you a few things about Southport.
It used to be a thriving township with a post office down at the T junction on the left, unfortunately like much or Southport it burnt in the 1967 fires, the town was decimated, with many not rebuilding.
It used to have a very strong football team, as did all the small towns, Dover, Strathblane etc and they used to regularly play each other.
As I remember timber played an important part in the area, sawmills.
There was a general store on the right at the T junction opposite the post office, I’m not sure but think it may have been demolished.
Thanks Donna, it’s nice to have true local insight. What a shame about the fires, the original buildings must have been such a loss.
Makes me want to go to Southport now 🙂
Great Angela… do it. Maybe we’ll meet you there!
I am shaking my head in disbelief as I read that a former subscriber is not happy with Southport,Tasmania! I am currently living 20 minutes away from Southport, Qld. and cannot wait until I can move to Far South Tasmania.
Yes, the beaches and hinterland here are beautiful and there are more things to do than I will ever have time to enjoy. However, living here is not all sunshine and happiness. Building of shopping centres, roads and new housing estates are going ahead in leaps and bounds, at the expense of our precious wildlife and bush. Land is being cleared by developers who leave no trees standing. Traffic is a nightmare…
Two or three times a week, gunshots can be heard ringing out and the police helicopter is an almost daily/nightly visitor overhead. Drugs and burglaries are everywhere.
Southport, Qld and surrounding areas are great for a holiday but give me Far South Tasmania any time! I am hoping to be a resident within the next year or two but have to be content with holidaying down there for the moment…
Hi Helen
Just to clarify – the man in question was only unhappy with Think Tasmania, not Southport itself. We hope you enjoy frequent holidays to the far south until you’re able to move here to live. Cheers!
Think Tasmania is fabulous and I would like to thank all who work so hard hard to bring these pages to life. Well done all of you! 🙂
Thank you Helen. We really appreciate your kind words.
there is no understanding of some peoples taste/values, I was born in Franklin Tas, and would go back from QLD any time (not in winter)… Love your pages, keep up the good work Chris
Why thank-you Chris. Cheers to you too!
When I think of Southport, I get a pain in my heart. I would move back to Tasmania at the drop of a hat if I could. But my children and grandchildren are happy and content in Perth and I could never leave them. Southport was where I spent some of the happiest times of my life, and if only I could turn back time …