Hobart's Hunter Street is not only the site where Hobart had its beginnings, but the location of a tiny rocky island which once stood out from the main shore of Sullivans Cove, and was given the name Hunter Island. Founded on convict labour, it was here that the first successful attempt to establish a permanent European colony in Van Diemen's Land was made. From these early beginnings, the Hunter Street site evolved into Tasmania's principal trading port in the mid-nineteenth century. The growth of the port was fundamental to the growth of the city of Hobart and it was here where large-scale commercial and industrial development took place, coexisting with residential life.
Hunter Island's partially isolated and relatively secure location made it a logical site for storage and the colony's first Government Stores was built there. The site proved to be quite impractical. Access to the Stores on Hunters Island was only via a tidal sandbar that linked this small lump of rock with the shore, which was half the time under water.
In the earliest years, all cargo arriving into or departing Hobart did so at Old Wharf next to Hunter Island. Men waded across the shallow channel or along the sandbar and women were carried in sedan chairs by able seamen (the prettier the woman, the longer the crossing apparently). The 'landing' where they came ashore was next to the Hope and Anchor Hotel in Market Street. At that time, the hotel had not been built, but the first cottages behind the landing were already in position to take advantage from any trade arising from new arrivals.
A stone causeway was built to link the island to the main shore of Hobart. and port activities increased dramatically. More than 65,000 convicts took their first steps into the penal colony at Old Wharf, jostling for room with whalers, seamen and merchants as they were marched in chains to their barracks in the town centre. As commercial interests developed, Hunter Island became the logical site for warehouses and became the business centre for the import and export of goods through Hobart. The old causeway to the island, became Hunter Street, the town's major business precinct.
In years gone by the causeway ended at Macquarie Street as where the start of Davey Street is now was water not land, but the old causeway is marked on hunter Street by some markers in the road and pavement.
To log this virtual geocache you will need to visit a number of locations to collect some information along with a picture of yourself at a recognisable feature of Hunter Street/Island.
1. On the Hunter Island Sign you will need to look at the top picture.
Which ship is shown anchored off Hunter island?
2. Where the causeway and Hunter Island meet you will find two different disks mounted in the pavement.
What years are displayed on BOTH disks?
3. This is where the causeway is lost under the 'new' Davey Street
How many of your paces wide is the causeway at this point?
4. You will also find four signs at this location.
In the sketch of the layout of Hobart Town what is at the location numbered 13?
5. Along with your answers to the above questions to claim a find on this virtual geocache you will need to post a picture of yourself in your log showing you and the location to prove you have been to Ground zero.
Optional If you are up for a bit of fun take a picture of a teammate/significant other/random stranger as if you where carrying them from Hunter Island before the causeway was completed in an attempt to keep them dry.
Please send your answers to the questions via the geocaching message system and attach your picture to your log, feel free to log your find before I have replied to your message, any armchair logs and logs without proof will be deleted after a weeks grace.
Virtual Rewards 2.0 - 2019/2020
This Virtual Cache is part of a limited release of Virtuals created between June 4, 2019 and June 4, 2020. Only 4,000 cache owners were given the opportunity to hide a Virtual Cache. Learn more about Virtual Rewards 2.0 on the Geocaching Blog.