Bicheno Local History
Bicheno is a quiet coastal town situated on the east coast of Tasmania, Australia. It is a popular tourist destination known for its beautiful beaches, stunning wildlife and rich history. The local history of Bicheno is fascinating and dates back to the early 1800s.
The first known European to visit Bicheno was French explorer Bruni D'Entrecasteaux in 1792. However, it was not until the 1820s that permanent European settlement began in the area. The town was named after James Ebenezer Bicheno, the Colonial Secretary of Van Diemen’s Land (now Tasmania) from 1843-1851.
During the early years of settlement, the town was predominantly a whaling and sealing centre. Whaling ships would come to Bicheno to restock their supplies of fresh water and food. Sealers, on the other hand, would hunt seals on the nearby islands. The seal industry declined in the mid-1800s, but whaling continued in the area until the early 1900s.
The town also played a significant role in the convict era of Tasmania. Bicheno was home to a probation station and a group of convicts built a road from Bicheno to St Marys. The probation station operated from 1843 to 1856 and housed mainly male convicts who had been conditionally pardoned. Many of the convicts worked on local farms and in the logging and timber industries.
In the late 1800s, the town became a popular holiday destination for the wealthy Tasmanians. The Bicheno Hotel was built in 1835 and soon became a popular spot for tourists. The town also had its own post office, bank, school and churches.
During World War II, Bicheno was used as a lookout post. Soldiers were stationed in the town to watch out for enemy ships and submarines. A number of concrete bunkers and defences were built along the coast.
Today, Bicheno is a thriving tourist destination with a population of around 900 people. Visitors come from all over the world to see the town’s stunning scenery, including the granite boulders known as The Bicheno Blowholes, the Governor Island Marine Reserve and the beautiful red rocks of nearby Douglas Apsley National Park.
Bicheno has also become famous for its wildlife, including penguins, fur seals, dolphins and whales. The town even has its own penguin tour, where visitors can watch the penguins coming ashore at night.
The local history of Bicheno is an important part of Tasmania's heritage. From its early days as a whaling and sealing centre to its role in the convict era and in World War II, Bicheno’s past has helped shape its present.