Austins Ferry is a residential locality in the local government area (LGA) of Glenorchy in the

Hobart Hobart ( ; Nuennonne/Palawa kani: ''nipaluna'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. Home to almost half of all Tasmanians, it is the least-populated Australian state capital city, and second-small ...

LGA region of

Tasmania ) , nickname = , image_map = Tasmania in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Tasmania in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdi ...

. The locality is about north of the town of Glenorchy. The 2021 census recorded a population of 2,395 for Austins Ferry. It is a suburb of

History

Austins Ferry was gazetted as a locality in 1960. Austins Ferry is named after James Austin (1776–1831), who had been

transported ''Transported'' is an Australian convict melodrama film directed by W. J. Lincoln. It is considered a lost film. Plot In England, Jessie Grey is about to marry Leonard Lincoln but the evil Harold Hawk tries to force her to marry him and she w ...

Port Phillip Port Phillip (Kulin languages, Kulin: ''Narm-Narm'') or Port Phillip Bay is a horsehead-shaped bay#Types, enclosed bay on the central coast of southern Victoria (Australia), Victoria, Australia. The bay opens into the Bass Strait via a short, ...

as a

convict A convict is "a person found guilty of a crime and sentenced by a court" or "a person serving a sentence in prison". Convicts are often also known as "prisoners" or "inmates" or by the slang term "con", while a common label for former convict ...

in 1803 along with his cousin John Earl, and arrived in

Van Diemens Land Van Diemen's Land was the colonial name of the island of Tasmania used by the British during the European exploration of Australia in the 19th century. A British settlement was established in Van Diemen's Land in 1803 before it became a sepa ...

in 1804. After their sentences expired both men were given small land grants on the western shore of the River Derwent between Hobart and

New Norfolk New Norfolk is a town on the Derwent River (Tasmania), River Derwent, in the south-east of Tasmania, Australia. At the Census in Australia#2011, 2011 census, New Norfolk had a population of 5,543. Situated north-west of Hobart on the Lyell Hi ...

. In 1818 they established a ferry service across the river and later a punt which proved very conveniently located for vehicular traffic travelling between Hobart and regions to the north, and became very wealthy. In 1821 the visiting Governor

Lachlan Macquarie Major-general (United Kingdom), Major General Lachlan Macquarie, Companion of the Order of the Bath, CB (; gd, Lachann MacGuaire; 31 January 1762 – 1 July 1824) was a British Army officer and colonial administrator from Scotland. Macquarie se ...

renamed the village Roseneath, but it has since reverted to its original name. James Austin's original cottage (picture on the right) is preserved as a tourist attraction. The opening hours for the cottage are limited to Sundays between 1pm and 4pm, it provides crafts and historical information. Austins Ferry is the location of

St Virgil's College St Virgil's College is an independent Catholic primary and secondary day school for boys, located over two campuses in Austins Ferry and Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. Established in 1911 by the Congregation of Christian Brothers, the College has ...

Geography

The waters of the River Derwent form the eastern boundary and parts of the northern and southern.

Road infrastructure

National Route 1 (

Brooker Highway The Brooker Highway is a highway in the State of Tasmania, Australia. As one of Hobart's 3 major radials, the highway connects traffic from the Hobart city centre with the northern suburbs and is the major road connection to the cities and town ...

) passes to the west. From there, several roads provide access to the locality. James Austin Cottage

References

Suburbs of Hobart Towns in Tasmania Localities of City of Glenorchy {{GlenorchyTAS-geo-stub