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Clarence City Council (or City of Clarence) is a
local government Local government is a generic term for the lowest tiers of governance or public administration within a particular sovereign state. Local governments typically constitute a subdivision of a higher-level political or administrative unit, such a ...
body in
Tasmania Tasmania (; palawa kani: ''Lutruwita'') is an island States and territories of Australia, state of Australia. It is located to the south of the Mainland Australia, Australian mainland, and is separated from it by the Bass Strait. The sta ...
, and one of the five municipalities that constitutes the Greater Hobart Area. The Clarence local government area has a population of 61,531, covering the eastern shore of the Derwent River from
Otago Otago (, ; ) is a regions of New Zealand, region of New Zealand located in the southern half of the South Island and administered by the Otago Regional Council. It has an area of approximately , making it the country's second largest local go ...
to the
South Arm Peninsula South Arm Peninsula is a peninsula that lies on the east side of the mouth of the River Derwent south of Hobart in Tasmania, Australia. The peninsula commences at Lauderdale and curves landward or inward on a narrow isthmus that has South Arm ...
and the smaller localities of
Cambridge Cambridge ( ) is a List of cities in the United Kingdom, city and non-metropolitan district in the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It is the county town of Cambridgeshire and is located on the River Cam, north of London. As of the 2021 Unit ...
,
Richmond Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, California, a city in the United States * Richmond, London, a town in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, England * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town ...
, and Seven Mile Beach. The administrative centre and main commercial district of Clarence is
Rosny Park Rosny Park is a suburb of Hobart, Tasmania, located in the City of Clarence on the eastern shore of the Derwent River. It is about five kilometres from the city centre of Hobart. Rosny Park is the commercial twin of its residential namesake, R ...
, approximately 5 kilometres from the
Hobart central business district The Hobart City Centre (referred to as the Hobart CBD) is a suburb surrounded by metropolitan Hobart, which comprises the original settlement, the central business district, and other built-up areas. It is the oldest part of Hobart and include ...
.
Bellerive Oval Bellerive Oval, currently known as Ninja Stadium for Naming rights, sponsorship reasons, is a Cricket field, cricket oval and Australian rules football ground located in Bellerive, Tasmania, Bellerive, a suburb on the eastern shore of Hobart, T ...
lies immediately to the south, and
Hobart Airport Hobart Airport is an airport located in Cambridge, north-east of the Hobart central business district. It is the principal airport of Tasmania.Tasman Highway The Tasman Highway (or A3) is a highway in Tasmania, Australia. Like the Midland Highway (Tasmania), Midland Highway, it connects the major cities of Hobart and Launceston, Tasmania, Launceston – however it takes a different route, via the no ...
. The area that now constitutes the City of Clarence was once part of the traditional land of the Moomairemener, a
Tasmanian Aboriginal The Aboriginal Tasmanians (palawa kani: ''Palawa'' or ''Pakana'') are the Aboriginal people of the Australian island of Tasmania, located south of the mainland. At the time of European contact, Aboriginal Tasmanians were divided into a numb ...
sub-group. In 1803, the island of Tasmania (then Van Diemen's Land) was
colonised 475px, Map of the year each country achieved List of sovereign states by date of formation, independence. Colonization (British English: colonisation) is a process of establishing occupation of or control over foreign territories or peoples fo ...
by
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the union of the Kingdom of Great Britain and the Kingdom of Ireland into one sovereign state, established by the Acts of Union 1800, Acts of Union in 1801. It continued in this form until ...
, who subsequently established the settlement of
Hobart Hobart ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the island state of Tasmania, Australia. Located in Tasmania's south-east on the estuary of the River Derwent, it is the southernmost capital city in Australia. Despite containing nearly hal ...
.History of Tasmania. John West. Launceston, Tasmania (1854) vols(see: Vol. 1, pp.27) By the 1820s the settlement had spread to the 'Clarence Plains', but the area remained primarily agricultural until the mid to late 20th century, when it experienced a residential development boom. Since then Clarence has grown rapidly to become a self-sufficient city.


Etymology

The City of Clarence is named indirectly after
King William IV William IV (William Henry; 21 August 1765 – 20 June 1837) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and King of Hanover from 26 June 1830 until his death in 1837. The third son of George III, William succeeded hi ...
. From 1789 until 1830, when he ascended the throne, he was titled ''
His Royal Highness Royal Highness is a style (manner of address), style used to address or refer to some members of royal families, usually princes or princesses. Kings and their female Queen consort, consorts, as well as queens regnant, are usually styled ''Maje ...
'' The Duke of Clarence and St Andrews. It was during this period that the British settlement of
Hobart Hobart ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the island state of Tasmania, Australia. Located in Tasmania's south-east on the estuary of the River Derwent, it is the southernmost capital city in Australia. Despite containing nearly hal ...
was founded in 1803. Prior to the establishment of the British colony there, Captain John Hayes of the
East India Company The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company that was founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to Indian Ocean trade, trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (South A ...
had sailed up the Derwent River, with the vessels ''
Duke of Clarence Duke of Clarence was a substantive title created three times in the Peerage of England. The title Duke of Clarence and St Andrews has also been created in the Peerage of Great Britain, and Duke of Clarence and Avondale and Prince Leopold, Duke ...
'' and the ''Duchess of Bengal'' in 1793. Relieved at making landfall following an arduous crossing of the
Indian Ocean The Indian Ocean is the third-largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, covering or approximately 20% of the water area of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface. It is bounded by Asia to the north, Africa to the west and Australia (continent), ...
, Hayes named the region around Rokeby as 'Clarence Plains', in honour of the vessel having delivered them safely to a sanctuary. The vessel in turn, had been initially named in honour of the then future King. Almost immediately following the exploration of the region following the settlement of
Hobart Hobart ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the island state of Tasmania, Australia. Located in Tasmania's south-east on the estuary of the River Derwent, it is the southernmost capital city in Australia. Despite containing nearly hal ...
in 1803, Hayes name of 'Clarence Plains' fell into common use.'The Eastern Shore - A History of Clarence' By Alison Alexander (2003) For over half a century, this was the name of the entire eastern shore of the Derwent River south of the
Meehan Range The Meehan Range ( ) is a prominent geographic feature in southeastern Tasmania, consisting of steep hills and ridges running parallel to the River Derwent (Tasmania), River Derwent on the eastern shore of Hobart. Situated primarily in the C ...
. When it was first incorporated as a
municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality' ...
in 1860, the region became referred to as the 'Clarence Municipality'. This was to remain the name of the region until 1988, when Clarence was officially declared a
city A city is a human settlement of a substantial size. The term "city" has different meanings around the world and in some places the settlement can be very small. Even where the term is limited to larger settlements, there is no universally agree ...
, and the name changed to the 'City of Clarence'. It is not usual for Clarence residents to be referred to by a gentilic, and if so they are usually given the title ''Hobartians'' along with all other residents of Greater Hobart, however locally they are usually identified as being 'from the eastern shore'.


History


Pre-history

It is believed the indigenous
Aboriginal Tasmanians The Aboriginal Tasmanians (palawa kani: ''Palawa'' or ''Pakana'') are the Aboriginal people of the Australian island of Tasmania, located south of the mainland. At the time of European contact, Aboriginal Tasmanians were divided into a numb ...
have lived in Tasmania for at least 35,000 years. Aboriginal
middens A midden is an old dump for domestic waste. It may consist of animal bones, human excrement, botanical material, mollusc shells, potsherds, lithics (especially debitage), and other artifacts and ecofacts associated with past human occupati ...
can often be found along the coastline of the City of Clarence such as at Shag Bay, indicating that they hunted, and searched for seafood and shellfish in the region. Prior to the arrival of the British, there was nine distinctive '
nation A nation is a type of social organization where a collective Identity (social science), identity, a national identity, has emerged from a combination of shared features across a given population, such as language, history, ethnicity, culture, t ...
s' or 'tribes' within Tasmania. The eastern shore seems to have been home to the Moomairemener. It is not known if they were a separate nation, or a sub-group of the Oyster Bay Clan (Paredarerme) whose territory stretched from the
Tasman Peninsula The Tasman Peninsula, officially Turrakana / Tasman Peninsula, is a peninsula located in south-east Tasmania, Australia, approximately by the Arthur Highway, south-east of Hobart. The Tasman Peninsula lies south and west of Forestier Peninsu ...
r to St Patrick's Head, just south of the modern Tasmanian township of St Mary's. For the Moomairemener the area along the eastern shore of the Derwent was known as 'Nannyelebata' (or naniyilipata). They valued the region for its rich variety of birds, animals, seafood, and vegetation.Clarence Plains Online Access Centre
The Coal River Valley, Flagstaff Gully, Risdon Vale,
Risdon Cove Risdon Cove is a cove located on the east bank of the Derwent River, Tasmania, Derwent River, approximately north of Hobart, Tasmania. It was the site of the first United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, British settlement in Van Diemen's La ...
and the southern
Meehan Range The Meehan Range ( ) is a prominent geographic feature in southeastern Tasmania, consisting of steep hills and ridges running parallel to the River Derwent (Tasmania), River Derwent on the eastern shore of Hobart. Situated primarily in the C ...
were all regions that were within the traditional spring and summer hunting-grounds of the Moomairemener people, bringing them into conflict with the British invaders within five months of the establishment of the camp at Risdon Cove. This initial conflict grew into the
Black War The Black War was a period of violent conflict between British colonists and Aboriginal Tasmanians in Tasmania from the mid-1820s to 1832 that precipitated the near-extermination of the indigenous population. The conflict was fought largely as ...
, which devastated the population of the native Tasmanians.History of Tasmania. John West. Launceston, Tasmania (1854) vols(see: Vol. 1, pp.12) The descendants of the indigenous Tasmanians now refer to themselves collectively as ' Palawa'.


European settlement

Clarence was the site of the first European settlement in
Tasmania Tasmania (; palawa kani: ''Lutruwita'') is an island States and territories of Australia, state of Australia. It is located to the south of the Mainland Australia, Australian mainland, and is separated from it by the Bass Strait. The sta ...
(then
Van Diemen's Land Van Diemen's Land was the colonial name of the island of Tasmania during the European exploration of Australia, European exploration and colonisation of Australia in the 19th century. The Aboriginal Tasmanians, Aboriginal-inhabited island wa ...
) in 1803 at
Risdon Cove Risdon Cove is a cove located on the east bank of the Derwent River, Tasmania, Derwent River, approximately north of Hobart, Tasmania. It was the site of the first United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, British settlement in Van Diemen's La ...
. At the time
Napoleonic France The First French Empire or French Empire (; ), also known as Napoleonic France, was the empire ruled by Napoleon Bonaparte, who established French hegemony over much of continental Europe at the beginning of the 19th century. It lasted from ...
and
Great Britain Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north-west coast of continental Europe, consisting of the countries England, Scotland, and Wales. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the List of European ...
were at war with each other. Fearing the arrival of French explorers who may have wished to make a rival claim to the island of
Van Diemen's Land Van Diemen's Land was the colonial name of the island of Tasmania during the European exploration of Australia, European exploration and colonisation of Australia in the 19th century. The Aboriginal Tasmanians, Aboriginal-inhabited island wa ...
, the then
Governor of New South Wales The governor of New South Wales is the representative of the monarch, King Charles III, in the state of New South Wales. In an analogous way to the governor-general of Australia, Governor-General of Australia at the national level, the governor ...
,
Philip Gidley King Captain Philip Gidley King (23 April 1758 – 3 September 1808) was a Royal Navy officer and colonial administrator who served as the governor of New South Wales from 1800 to 1806. When the First Fleet arrived in January 1788, King was detai ...
dispatched a young 23-year-old
Lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a Junior officer, junior commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations, as well as fire services, emergency medical services, Security agency, security services ...
by the name of John Bowen to establish a colony there. The first vessel of his party, arrived in the Derwent on Wednesday, 8 September 1803, and Bowen arrived five days later aboard ''Albion''. Bowen selected the inlet at Risdon Cove, as when he had arrived in Spring the nearby stream was in full-flow. However within months it had dried up, and his camp was in despair for want of water. The site at Risdon Cove was badly affect by inconsistent water supply, and stagnation of the inlet during the late summer. King was insecure about Bowen's juniority and inexperience as a young commander, and when he was contacted by David Collins, who had been dispatched directly from England aboard with as a supply vessel, to establish a colony at
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, ...
, he redirected Collins' expedition to the Derwent. Collin's party arrived on the Derwent River on 16 February 1804, and immediately became becalmed in
Storm Bay The Storm Bay is a large bay in the south-east region of Tasmania, Australia. The bay is the river mouth to the Derwent River estuary and serves as the main port of Hobart, the capital city of Tasmania. The bay is bordered by Bruny Island to ...
. Collin's dispatched troops to row ashore off what is now Rokeby to march overland to the camp at Risdon and announce their arrival. The party found navigating the thick Australian
bushland In Australia, bushland is a blanket term for land which supports remnant natural area, remnant vegetation or land which is disturbed but still retains a predominance of the original floristics and structure. Human survival in bushland has a wh ...
hard-going, but did gain useful intelligence as the nature of the area. In the end, they only arrived shortly before the ships were able to navigate up-river. Upon his arrival, Collins discovered the camp in such a state of despair for want of water, it was threatened with collapse. He immediately set about his first task of relocating the colony to the mouth of the Hobart Rivulet on
Sullivans Cove Sullivans Cove is on the River Derwent adjacent to the Hobart City Centre in Tasmania. It was the site of initial European settlement in the area, and the location of the earlier components of the Port of Hobart. History The cove was the init ...
. From there, the city of
Hobart Hobart ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the island state of Tasmania, Australia. Located in Tasmania's south-east on the estuary of the River Derwent, it is the southernmost capital city in Australia. Despite containing nearly hal ...
grew. The relocation of the colony did not end the desire to settle the eastern shore of the Derwent though. Within the first few years following the establishment of Hobart Town, difficulties in growing crops led to difficulties providing food. The initial intelligence from the soldiers that had marched overland from Rokeby to Risdon Vale, and subsequent explorations suggested the plains on the eastern shore of the Derwent were more suited to agriculture.Clark, J. "This Southern Outpost, Hobart 1846-1914" pp. 1 The successful establishment of crops on Clarence Plains was vital to the survival of Hobart Town. When new settlers arrived from
Norfolk Island Norfolk Island ( , ; ) is an States and territories of Australia, external territory of Australia located in the Pacific Ocean between New Zealand and New Caledonia, directly east of Australia's Evans Head, New South Wales, Evans Head and a ...
in 1808, some were granted land in the Derwent Valley, and others upon Clarence Plains. Very soon a mixture of mansions and fine houses, cottages, inns and churches began to be built in the area. However the population growth on the eastern shore was much slower than that of Hobart Town, despite the close proximity of the young town. By the 1810s, a
ferryman A ferry is a boat or ship that transports passengers, and occasionally vehicles and cargo, across a body of water. A small passenger ferry with multiple stops, like those in Venice, Italy, is sometimes referred to as a water taxi or water bus. ...
was making regular crossings of the Derwent between Sullivans Cove, and 'Kangaroo Point', near where the ferry still arrives at Bellerive Quay. The point was so-called due to the large numbers of
Kangaroos Kangaroos are marsupials from the family Macropodidae (macropods, meaning "large foot"). In common use, the term is used to describe the largest species from this family, the red kangaroo, as well as the antilopine kangaroo, eastern grey ...
that would be seen grazing there in the first few decades after European arrival. By the late 1810s, farmers, timbermen, and pioneers had begun settling on the eastern shore of the Derwent River.


19th century

By the early 1820s a small village was growing around Kangaroo Point, that was soon to become Bellerive, making it the first site of permanent settlement in Clarence Plains. Bellerive was well fed by a freshwater stream that emptied into Kangaroo Bay, and it still exists running parallel to Rosny Park Public Golf Course as a storm water culvert. The next areas within Clarence Plains to be settled on the eastern shore of Hobart's Derwent River, were Rosny, and its neighbours Montagu Bay and
Lindisfarne Lindisfarne, also known as Holy Island, is a tidal island off the northeast coast of England, which constitutes the civil parishes in England, civil parish of Holy Island in Northumberland. Holy Island has a recorded history from the 6th centu ...
to the north. Private properties had been built in each of these localities by the late 1820s, commanding excellent views across the Derwent to Hobart Town and
Mount Wellington Mount Wellington may refer to: Mountains * Mount Wellington (British Columbia), in Canada * Mount Wellington (New York), in Otsego County, New York, United States * Mount Wellington (Tasmania), in Tasmania, Australia * Mount Wellington (Victoria) ...
. All three suburbs are named after the three fine houses established. Although private estates and farms began to spring up throughout the district, settlements were generally isolated, with Bellerive,
Cambridge Cambridge ( ) is a List of cities in the United Kingdom, city and non-metropolitan district in the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It is the county town of Cambridgeshire and is located on the River Cam, north of London. As of the 2021 Unit ...
, Lindisfarne, and
Richmond Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, California, a city in the United States * Richmond, London, a town in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, England * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town ...
the only major settlements of note. In 1836,
Lieutenant-Governor of Van Diemen's Land The governor of Tasmania is the representative in the Australian state of Tasmania of the monarch, currently King Charles III. The incumbent governor is Barbara Baker, who was appointed in June 2021. The official residence of the governor is G ...
,
George Arthur Sir George Arthur, 1st Baronet (21 June 1784 – 19 September 1854) was a British colonial administrator who was Lieutenant Governor of British Honduras from 1814 to 1822 and of Van Diemen's Land (present-day Tasmania) from 1824 to 1836. ...
divided the island into administrative
counties A county () is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesL. Brookes (ed.) '' Chambers Dictionary''. Edinburgh: Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, 2005. in some nations. The term is derived from the Old French denoti ...
, and Clarence Plains fell into Pembrokeshire. Despite this, the Clarence Plains region became a
municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality' ...
in its own right in 1860. In 1862, Bellerive also became the administrative centre of the municipality, and the Eastern Police District, but for much of the late nineteenth century, Clarence Plains experienced little development, remaining primarily agricultural. A review of colonial defences in the 1870s saw a complete overhaul of the
coastal defences Coastal management is defence against flooding and erosion, and techniques that stop erosion to claim lands. Protection against rising sea levels in the 21st century is crucial, as sea level rise accelerates due to climate change. Changes in s ...
of Hobart, and a new
fortress A fortification (also called a fort, fortress, fastness, or stronghold) is a military construction designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from L ...
called Kangaroo Battery was constructed between 1880 and 1888 just to the south of Bellerive. An industry that flourished throughout Clarence Plains was fruit growing, and by the 1880s several prosperous orchards were located within the region. A rare attempt at commercial opportunism was the short-lived Bellerive to Sorell Railway line (1892 until 1926) which had its terminus on a long jetty extending into the Bay on reclaimed land that now makes up part of the Bellerive Boardwalk. It was hoped that is could eventually be connected to the Tasmanian Main Line at
Brighton Brighton ( ) is a seaside resort in the city status in the United Kingdom, city of Brighton and Hove, East Sussex, England, south of London. Archaeological evidence of settlement in the area dates back to the Bronze Age Britain, Bronze Age, R ...
, thus providing rail access to the south of Clarence Plains, Sorrell and the Tasman Peninsular, but engineering difficulties and economic problems led to its abandonment.


20th century

At the beginning of the twentieth century the eastern shore of the Derwent was still little more than isolated villages, and homesteads. This remained the situation for the next forty years, until on 22 December 1943, the floating pontoon style
Hobart Bridge The Hobart Bridge was a floating arch bridge that crossed the Derwent River, connecting the eastern and western shores of the city of Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. History Plans for a bridge to link the Derwent River's two shores near Hob ...
was opened. Despite soon developing a reputation of being treacherous to cross in stormy weather, and suffering delays caused by its lifting span opening to allow maritime traffic to pass, it created previously unprecedented access to the eastern shore. Almost immediately demand for residential property there increased. By 1947 the population of Clarence Plains had reached 5,000 for the first time. In the 1950s, post-war demand for housing led the
State Government A state government is the government that controls a subdivision of a country in a federal form of government, which shares political power with the federal or national government. A state government may have some level of political autonom ...
to create a
public housing Public housing, also known as social housing, refers to Subsidized housing, subsidized or affordable housing provided in buildings that are usually owned and managed by local government, central government, nonprofit organizations or a ...
programme, providing cheap accommodation to cope with returning servicemen, and the boom in migrant labour. Suburbs such as Bellerive,
Lindisfarne Lindisfarne, also known as Holy Island, is a tidal island off the northeast coast of England, which constitutes the civil parishes in England, civil parish of Holy Island in Northumberland. Holy Island has a recorded history from the 6th centu ...
, Montagu Bay, Mornington, Rosny and
Warrane Warrane is a suburb of Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, within the City of Clarence local government area. It is approximately from Hobart's CBD. It is located between Rosny Park and Mornington and runs parallel to the Tasman Highway. Warrane ...
all expanded dramatically throughout the 1950s and 1960s, and housing from the period still often bears the distinctive design patterns of former government housing. For many parts of the city
electricity supply Mains electricity, utility power, grid power, domestic power, wall power, household current, or, in some parts of Canada, hydro, is a general-purpose alternating-current (AC) electric power supply. It is the form of electrical power that is de ...
only arrived in the 1950s, and sealed roads,
mains water A water supply network or water supply system is a system of engineered hydrologic and hydraulic components that provide water supply. A water supply system typically includes the following: # A drainage basin (see water purification – source ...
, and
sewage Sewage (or domestic sewage, domestic wastewater, municipal wastewater) is a type of wastewater that is produced by a community of people. It is typically transported through a sewerage, sewer system. Sewage consists of wastewater discharged fro ...
only began to be provided in the 1960s. The eastern shore housing boom had highlighted the inadequacies of the
Hobart Bridge The Hobart Bridge was a floating arch bridge that crossed the Derwent River, connecting the eastern and western shores of the city of Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. History Plans for a bridge to link the Derwent River's two shores near Hob ...
. Bad weather made it difficult to cross, and the massive increase in traffic in the 1950s led to severe congestion. The traffic problems, delays caused by the raising of the navigation section for maritime traffic, and the toll all proved extremely unpopular. The government announced plans to build a new bridge at a cost of £7 million, and in 1960, construction commenced on the
Tasman Bridge The Tasman Bridge is a prestressed concrete girder bridge connecting the Tasman Highway over the River Derwent (Tasmania), River Derwent in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. When it opened on 29 March 1965, the Tasman was the longest prestressed con ...
. It opened on 18 August 1964, and greatly increased the volume of traffic capable of crossing the river. The opening of the new bridge also saw the development of two new major connecting highways, the east-heading
Tasman Highway The Tasman Highway (or A3) is a highway in Tasmania, Australia. Like the Midland Highway (Tasmania), Midland Highway, it connects the major cities of Hobart and Launceston, Tasmania, Launceston – however it takes a different route, via the no ...
, and the north-heading
East Derwent Highway The East Derwent Highway (route number B32) is a highway in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. The highway is a trunk road that carries heavy commuter traffic, much like the Brooker Highway, on the eastern side of the River Derwent. Route The high ...
, greatly improving access both to, and through Clarence. An increasing variety of services opened on the eastern shore. The
Metropolitan Transport Trust The Metropolitan (Perth) Passenger Transport Trust was a statutory authority of the Government of Western Australia from 1958 to 2003. From 1958 to the mid-1990s, it operated Buses in Perth, bus and ferry services within the Perth metropolitan ...
supported the expansion into the eastern shore, by opening up an excellent network of
bus A bus (contracted from omnibus, with variants multibus, motorbus, autobus, etc.) is a motor vehicle that carries significantly more passengers than an average car or van, but fewer than the average rail transport. It is most commonly used ...
routes into the municipality. In 1963 the Clarence War Memorial Pool was constructed, and in 1965,
Eastlands Shopping Centre Eastlands is Tasmania's largest shopping centre; it is located on the eastern side of the Derwent River, in the shopping district of Rosny Park, and within the greater area of Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. It has a gross lettable area of about ...
opened in Rosny Park, being further expanded in 1971 and 1978. The shopping centre proved a commercial success, and helped drive growth on the eastern shore. By the mid-1970s the population had passed the 40,000 mark at an incredible post-war rate of growth. But the late twentieth century also saw two terrible disasters occur with Clarence. Much of the municipality suffered terrible damage and many homes were lost during the infamous
1967 Tasmanian fires The 1967 Tasmanian fires were an Australian natural disaster which occurred on 7 February 1967, an event which came to be known as the Black Tuesday bushfires. They were the most deadly Bushfires in Australia, bushfires that Tasmania has ever e ...
. A second disaster occurred in the city in 1975 when the bulk carrier, ''
Lake Illawarra Lake Illawarra (Australian Aboriginal languages, Aboriginal Tharawal language: various adaptions of ''Elouera'', ''Eloura'', or ''Allowrie''; ''Illa'', ''Wurra'', or ''Warra'' meaning pleasant place near the sea, or, high place near the sea, or, ...
'' collided with the
Tasman Bridge The Tasman Bridge is a prestressed concrete girder bridge connecting the Tasman Highway over the River Derwent (Tasmania), River Derwent in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. When it opened on 29 March 1965, the Tasman was the longest prestressed con ...
collapsing a section of roadway in the
Tasman Bridge disaster The Tasman Bridge disaster occurred on the evening of 5 January 1975, in Hobart, the capital city of Australia's island state of Tasmania, when the bulk carrier , travelling up the River Derwent (Tasmania), River Derwent, collided with seve ...
. Ironically, this event, which severed 'The Eastern Shore' from
Hobart Hobart ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the island state of Tasmania, Australia. Located in Tasmania's south-east on the estuary of the River Derwent, it is the southernmost capital city in Australia. Despite containing nearly hal ...
for nearly three years, was responsible for considerable infrastructure growth on 'The Eastern Shore', leading to it being largely self-sustaining, and being declared a city in its own right by 1988. In the 1970s and 1980s the expansion of the Municipality of Clarence continued. Many previously rural areas developed into residential areas. New suburbs arose, such as Flagstaff Gully,
Geilston Bay Geilston Bay (pronounced both "Jeels-ton and "Geels-ton", other pronunciations also possible) is a largely residential suburb of Hobart between Risdon Vale, Shag Bay, and Lindisfarne, in the City of Clarence located on the Eastern Shore of the ...
and Old Beach to the north, and Cremorne,
Howrah Howrah (; ; alternatively spelled as Haora) is a city in the Indian States and union territories of India, state of West Bengal. Howrah is located on the western bank of the Hooghly River, opposite to its twin city of Kolkata. Administratively ...
,
Lauderdale Lauderdale is the valley of the Leader Water (a tributary of the River Tweed, Tweed) in the Scottish Borders. It contains the town of Lauder, as well as Earlston. The valley is traversed from end to end by the A68 road, A68 trunk road, which run ...
, Rokeby and Tranmere towards the south of the city. At the same time, Rosny Park continued to grow in importance as the administrative centre of the city, with the Clarence Council Chambers, Bellerive Police Station and Bellerive Post Office all relocating there. Banking services also relocated branches, and many new retailers opened, complementing the prosperous Eastlands Shopping Centre. Commonwealth government offices soon also began opening with services such as
Centrelink The Centrelink Master Program, or more commonly known as Centrelink, is a Services Australia master program of the Australian Government. It delivers a range of government payments and services for retirees, the unemployed, families, carer ...
, the
Australian Taxation Office The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) is an Australian statutory agency and the principal revenue collection body for the Australian Government. The ATO has responsibility for administering the Taxation in Australia, Australian federal taxation ...
and the
National Archives of Australia The National Archives of Australia (NAA), formerly known as the Commonwealth Archives Office and Australian Archives, is an Australian Government agency that is the National archives, official repository for all federal government documents. It ...
. The growth was such that the municipality was officially incorporated as a city on 24 November 1988, with the population having grown beyond 50,000. In 1993, the nearby town of
Richmond Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, California, a city in the United States * Richmond, London, a town in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, England * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town ...
was absorbed into the city of Clarence.


21st century

The early 21st Century has seen Rosny Park continue to develop as the centre of the city. Expansion to
Eastlands Shopping Centre Eastlands is Tasmania's largest shopping centre; it is located on the eastern side of the Derwent River, in the shopping district of Rosny Park, and within the greater area of Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. It has a gross lettable area of about ...
and the nearby commercial businesses on Bligh and Bayfield Streets has seen a strong growth in retail. A Multi-screen cinema also opened in 2003, continuing the increasing availability of local services. The launch of the council's 'Kangaroo Bay Urban Design Strategy and Concept Plan' saw an attempt to modernise the town-planning of the City Centre with a programme of regeneration, improved infrastructure and amenities, the creation of a foreshore promenade and more appropriate urban landscaping. The plan sees the Kangaroo Bay area divided into five distinct precincts; Rosny Parklands, Kangaroo Bay East, Ferry Wharf, Bellerive Yacht Club, and 'The Village'.


Geography

The City of Clarence, along with Glenorchy,
Hobart Hobart ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the island state of Tasmania, Australia. Located in Tasmania's south-east on the estuary of the River Derwent, it is the southernmost capital city in Australia. Despite containing nearly hal ...
, and
Kingborough Kingborough Council is a local government body in Tasmania, and one of the five municipalities that constitutes the Greater Hobart Area. Kingborough is classified as an urban local government area and has a population of 37,734, it covers the ...
form Greater Hobart. The boundaries of the city stretch from the South Arm peninsula in the south bordered by Ralph's Bay, to Seven Mile Beach and the Pitt Water in the east, bordered by Frederick Henry Bay, to the Municitpality of Sorell in the north-east, and the Southern Midlands and Municipality of Brighton to the north. The city's western border is the Derwent River along the entire length.
In terms of area, Clarence is one of the largest cities in
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
, covering over 386 square kilometres, with 191 kilometres of coastline, including over twenty beaches, the most popular of which are Bellerive Beach, Howrah Beach, Seven Mile Beach and Clifton Beach. More than a third of the total city area is untouched
bushland In Australia, bushland is a blanket term for land which supports remnant natural area, remnant vegetation or land which is disturbed but still retains a predominance of the original floristics and structure. Human survival in bushland has a wh ...
, with many parks, and large areas given over to
nature reserve A nature reserve (also known as a wildlife refuge, wildlife sanctuary, biosphere reserve or bioreserve, natural or nature preserve, or nature conservation area) is a protected area of importance for flora, fauna, funga, or features of geologic ...
s. The city has large areas of residential property interspersed with natural
flora Flora (: floras or florae) is all the plant life present in a particular region or time, generally the naturally occurring (indigenous (ecology), indigenous) native plant, native plants. The corresponding term for animals is ''fauna'', and for f ...
, typically
sclerophyll Sclerophyll is a type of vegetation that is adapted to long periods of dryness and heat. The plants feature hard leaves, short Internode (botany), internodes (the distance between leaves along the stem) and leaf orientation which is parallel or ...
bushland. The city is dominated by the long, low-lying range of hills known as the
Meehan Range The Meehan Range ( ) is a prominent geographic feature in southeastern Tasmania, consisting of steep hills and ridges running parallel to the River Derwent (Tasmania), River Derwent on the eastern shore of Hobart. Situated primarily in the C ...
which runs parallel to the river. A unique feature of both shores of the Derwent is the way that housing is only built to a certain height, preserving the natural skyline along the hill tops. There is large areas of farmland, and many vineyards, particularly in the Coal River valley. It also includes some rural and non-urban areas, such as the South Arm peninsular.


Suburbs

There are more than thirty suburbs with the city of Clarence. They are not named according to a convention. Many have been named after the first fine house that was built in the area ( Bellerive,
Lindisfarne Lindisfarne, also known as Holy Island, is a tidal island off the northeast coast of England, which constitutes the civil parishes in England, civil parish of Holy Island in Northumberland. Holy Island has a recorded history from the 6th centu ...
, Montagu Bay,
Geilston Bay Geilston Bay (pronounced both "Jeels-ton and "Geels-ton", other pronunciations also possible) is a largely residential suburb of Hobart between Risdon Vale, Shag Bay, and Lindisfarne, in the City of Clarence located on the Eastern Shore of the ...
and Rosny), others are named for geographical features ( Flagstaff Gully, Mount Rumney and Roches Beach). Some, such as Bellerive, Lindisfarne and
Richmond Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, California, a city in the United States * Richmond, London, a town in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, England * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town ...
first developed as isolated villages, and others, such as Mornington and
Warrane Warrane is a suburb of Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, within the City of Clarence local government area. It is approximately from Hobart's CBD. It is located between Rosny Park and Mornington and runs parallel to the Tasman Highway. Warrane ...
developed through
public housing Public housing, also known as social housing, refers to Subsidized housing, subsidized or affordable housing provided in buildings that are usually owned and managed by local government, central government, nonprofit organizations or a ...
programmes.
Much of the city along the eastern shore of the Derwent is a connected Urban culture, urban environment, although primarily residential. From Cremorne and Rokeby in the south, Clarence continues uninterrupted to Old Beach in the north. Other suburbs, such as Acton Park,
Cambridge Cambridge ( ) is a List of cities in the United Kingdom, city and non-metropolitan district in the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It is the county town of Cambridgeshire and is located on the River Cam, north of London. As of the 2021 Unit ...
and
Richmond Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, California, a city in the United States * Richmond, London, a town in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, England * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town ...
are isolated communities. Most suburbs are served by centralised commercial services that are found primarily in
Rosny Park Rosny Park is a suburb of Hobart, Tasmania, located in the City of Clarence on the eastern shore of the Derwent River. It is about five kilometres from the city centre of Hobart. Rosny Park is the commercial twin of its residential namesake, R ...
which is the city's
central business district A central business district (CBD) is the Commerce, commercial and business center of a city. It contains commercial space and offices, and in larger cities will often be described as a financial district. Geographically, it often coincides wit ...
. Other commercial services are still provided in the older village centres in Bellerive,
Howrah Howrah (; ; alternatively spelled as Haora) is a city in the Indian States and union territories of India, state of West Bengal. Howrah is located on the western bank of the Hooghly River, opposite to its twin city of Kolkata. Administratively ...
, Lindisfarne and Richmond.


Localities other than Hobart suburbs

*
Campania Campania is an administrative Regions of Italy, region of Italy located in Southern Italy; most of it is in the south-western portion of the Italian Peninsula (with the Tyrrhenian Sea to its west), but it also includes the small Phlegraean Islan ...
* Dulcot * Grasstree Hill * Opossum Bay * Orielton *
Richmond Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, California, a city in the United States * Richmond, London, a town in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, England * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town ...
* South Arm


Climate

Located at 42° South, the City of Clarence has a mild
temperate In geography, the temperate climates of Earth occur in the middle latitudes (approximately 23.5° to 66.5° N/S of the Equator), which span between the tropics and the polar regions of Earth. These zones generally have wider temperature ran ...
maritime Maritime may refer to: Geography * Maritime Alps, a mountain range in the southwestern part of the Alps * Maritime Region, a region in Togo * Maritime Southeast Asia * The Maritimes, the Canadian provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Princ ...
climate (Group C:''Cfb'', according to the
Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...
) with an average summer temperature of 21 °C. On average, Clarence is warmer, and has less annual
precipitation In meteorology, precipitation is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that falls from clouds due to gravitational pull. The main forms of precipitation include drizzle, rain, rain and snow mixed ("sleet" in Commonwe ...
than Hobart or Glenorchy. The southern regions of the city are notorious for being affected by strong southerly winds known locally as the 'sea breeze', particularly during summer months. The City of Clarence generally receives
sunrise Sunrise (or sunup) is the moment when the upper rim of the Sun appears on the horizon in the morning, at the start of the Sun path. The term can also refer to the entire process of the solar disk crossing the horizon. Terminology Although the S ...
two to three minutes before Hobart and Glenorchy, and
sunset Sunset (or sundown) is the disappearance of the Sun at the end of the Sun path, below the horizon of the Earth (or any other astronomical object in the Solar System) due to its Earth's rotation, rotation. As viewed from everywhere on Earth, it ...
is also experienced slightly after the western shore, due to the angle of shadow cast by
Mount Wellington Mount Wellington may refer to: Mountains * Mount Wellington (British Columbia), in Canada * Mount Wellington (New York), in Otsego County, New York, United States * Mount Wellington (Tasmania), in Tasmania, Australia * Mount Wellington (Victoria) ...
.


Council

Residents of the City of Clarence are administered through three tiers of government, as part of the Australian
federal government A federation (also called a federal state) is an entity characterized by a political union, union of partially federated state, self-governing provinces, states, or other regions under a #Federal governments, federal government (federalism) ...
system. The City of Clarence is a
Tasmania Tasmania (; palawa kani: ''Lutruwita'') is an island States and territories of Australia, state of Australia. It is located to the south of the Mainland Australia, Australian mainland, and is separated from it by the Bass Strait. The sta ...
n
local government area A local government area (LGA) is an administrative division of a country that a local government is responsible for. The size of an LGA varies by country but it is generally a subdivision of a federated state, state, province, division (politica ...
administered by the Clarence City Council. Local authority, responsible for provision of such services as roads, libraries and planning permissions rests with the Clarence City Council. Provision of services such as
education Education is the transmission of knowledge and skills and the development of character traits. Formal education occurs within a structured institutional framework, such as public schools, following a curriculum. Non-formal education als ...
,
policing The police are a constituted body of people empowered by a state with the aim of enforcing the law and protecting the public order as well as the public itself. This commonly includes ensuring the safety, health, and possessions of citizen ...
, and
health care Health care, or healthcare, is the improvement or maintenance of health via the preventive healthcare, prevention, diagnosis, therapy, treatment, wikt:amelioration, amelioration or cure of disease, illness, injury, and other disability, physic ...
, rests with the Tasmanian State Government. At State government level, the city constitutes the largest proportion of voters for the State electoral division known as
Franklin Franklin may refer to: People and characters * Franklin (given name), including list of people and characters with the name * Franklin (surname), including list of people and characters with the name * Franklin (class), a member of a historic ...
. The top level of government administration rests with the
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
n
Commonwealth Government The Australian Government, also known as the Commonwealth Government or simply as the federal government, is the national executive government of Australia, a federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy. The executive consists of the prime ...
, who are responsible for
foreign policy Foreign policy, also known as external policy, is the set of strategies and actions a State (polity), state employs in its interactions with other states, unions, and international entities. It encompasses a wide range of objectives, includ ...
,
defence Defense or defence may refer to: Tactical, martial, and political acts or groups * Defense (military), forces primarily intended for warfare * Civil defense, the organizing of civilians to deal with emergencies or enemy attacks * Defense indust ...
,
employment Employment is a relationship between two party (law), parties Regulation, regulating the provision of paid Labour (human activity), labour services. Usually based on a employment contract, contract, one party, the employer, which might be a cor ...
, and
taxation A tax is a mandatory financial charge or levy imposed on an individual or legal person, legal entity by a governmental organization to support government spending and public expenditures collectively or to Pigouvian tax, regulate and reduce nega ...
. Clarence constitutes a significant proportion of the Federal electoral division of
Franklin Franklin may refer to: People and characters * Franklin (given name), including list of people and characters with the name * Franklin (surname), including list of people and characters with the name * Franklin (class), a member of a historic ...
. Clarence is classified as urban, fringe and medium (UFM) under the Australian Classification of Local Governments.


Current composition

The Clarence City Council has existed in various forms since the area became a municipality on 1 January 1860, and is responsible for local government within the City. The council originally had its chambers in Bellerive, but these were moved to Rosny Park in the early 1980s. It operates a mayor-council system that consists of twelve
aldermen An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law with similar officials existing in the Netherlands (wethouder) and Belgium (schepen). The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking membe ...
that stand for four-year terms. Elections are held every four years in October, with the last election being in
2022 The year began with another wave in the COVID-19 pandemic, with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant, Omicron spreading rapidly and becoming the dominant variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus worldwide. Tracking a decrease in cases and deaths, 2022 saw ...
. The current council is:


2022 election results


State and federal politics

The majority area of the City of Clarence falls within the Australian Electoral Division of
Franklin Franklin may refer to: People and characters * Franklin (given name), including list of people and characters with the name * Franklin (surname), including list of people and characters with the name * Franklin (class), a member of a historic ...
, while a small part in the north of the electorate around
Richmond Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, California, a city in the United States * Richmond, London, a town in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, England * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town ...
falls within the electorate of
Lyons Lyon (Franco-Provençal: ''Liyon'') is a city in France. It is located at the confluence of the rivers Rhône and Saône, to the northwest of the French Alps, southeast of Paris, north of Marseille, southwest of Geneva, Switzerland, north ...
. The boundaries of the electorate of Franklin at Federal level are also the same as those of the State
Division of Franklin The Division of Franklin is an Divisions of the Australian House of Representatives, Australian electoral division in Tasmania. The division is the southernmost in Australia, located in southern Tasmania around the state capital, Hobart. It i ...
for the Tasmanian House of Assembly (lower house). For the State Tasmanian Legislative Council, Legislative Council, the City of Clarence falls within the electoral boundaries of both Electoral division of Pembroke, Pembroke, and Electoral division of Rumney, Rumney. Franklin voters tend to be swing voters, and although there have been long periods of occupation by one major party or the other, Franklin has never been a safe seat. The longest-serving member was William McWilliams who held the seat in two separate terms for over 20 years. Although during this period he served as a member of five different Australian political parties, and as an Independent politician, independent member. Liberal Party of Australia, Liberal (Conservatism, conservative) member Bill Falkinder was the longest-serving member who only represented one party, holding the seat from 1946 until 1966. Liberal member Bruce Goodluck also held he seat for 18 years from 1975 until 1993, but since then the seat has been safely in Australian Labor Party, Labor hands, with Harry Quick (1993–2007), and Julie Collins (since 2007) holding the seat. The Tasmanian Legislative Council, Legislative Council seat of Electoral division of Pembroke, Pembroke was a non-party seat until 1991 when Independent Member Peter McKay (Australian politician), Peter McKay joined the Liberal Party of Australia (Tasmanian Division), Liberal Party. The last Independent member for Pembroke was Cathy Edwards (politician), Cathy Edwards, who represented the seat between 1999-2001. The current member is Australian Labor Party (Tasmanian Branch), Labor's Luke Edmunds who has held the seat since 2022, replacing Jo Siejka, also from the Labor Party. In Electoral division of Rumney, Rumney, the other Legislative Council seat within Clarence. Established in 1999, and first held by Labor's Lin Thorp, Lin Thorpe. The current member is Labor's Sarah Lovell, who has held the seat since 2017, replacing current Clarence Councillor Tony Mulder who served between 2011-2017.


Policing and crime

The responsibility of policing the City of Clarence falls to Tasmania Police, who are the sole law-enforcement agency in all of Tasmania. There is no local urban police force. Tasmania Police's 'East Command' district is administered from Bellerive Police Station, which is now located in Rosny Park. A 'Night Watch' had been established in Bellerive in the late 1820s, and by the 1830s, trooper (police rank), trooper police were operating throughout the district, with local gaols and constabularies located at Bellerive, Richmond, Cambridge and Sorrell. A new Bellerive Police Station and Watch House was completed in 1842, and has subsequently been used as municipal council chambers, a district library and the CIB headquarters, but at present it is used as a Community Arts Centre. The introduction of the Police Regulation Act 1898, which came into being on 1 January 1899, saw the creation of one unified police force for the whole colony. Bellerive Police Station remained one of the major regional stations, responsible for the 'Eastern District', comprising the municipal areas of Brighton, Central Highlands, Clarence, Derwent Valley, Glamorgan-Spring Bay, Sorell, Southern Midlands and Tasman (Tasman Peninsular). When Rosny Park grew in importance as the administrative centre of Clarence, Bellerive Police Station was relocated there. The station remains the administrative Headquarters of 'East Command'. Crime rates are generally low within the city, and Clarence is seen as an extremely safe place to live. According to 2016 statistics, the rate of homicide in the Region was 1.7 per 100,000, well below the national average. The rate of robberies was 33.2 per 100,000, also well below the national average. Motor vehicle crime was 551.4 per 100,000, slightly below the national average, although a significant decrease on the 2001 figure (613.9/100,000).


Healthcare

There were few health care facilities other than local general practitioner surgeries within the Municipality of Clarence prior to the Tasman Bridge disaster. The isolation caused by the severing of the bridge, and the inability of patients to travel across the river for treatment highlighted the need for local
health care Health care, or healthcare, is the improvement or maintenance of health via the preventive healthcare, prevention, diagnosis, therapy, treatment, wikt:amelioration, amelioration or cure of disease, illness, injury, and other disability, physic ...
services on the eastern shore. The Bayfield Healthcare Centre (now known as the Clarence Community Health Centre) was developed at considerable cost to the state government, but soon became the City's primary health care provider. Whilst it is definitely not large enough to be considered a hospital, recent upgrading has seen the centre fall into the clinic, super clinic category.


Education

The first school opened within Clarence Plains was the Kangaroo Point School (now Bellerive Primary School) in 1842. However, prior to the
Tasman Bridge disaster The Tasman Bridge disaster occurred on the evening of 5 January 1975, in Hobart, the capital city of Australia's island state of Tasmania, when the bulk carrier , travelling up the River Derwent (Tasmania), River Derwent, collided with seve ...
, there were few schools within the Municipality of Clarence. The isolation caused by the severing of contact between the shores when the
Tasman Bridge The Tasman Bridge is a prestressed concrete girder bridge connecting the Tasman Highway over the River Derwent (Tasmania), River Derwent in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. When it opened on 29 March 1965, the Tasman was the longest prestressed con ...
collapsed led to the establishment of many new facilities on the eastern shore, including new schools. There are thirteen government, and six religious primary schools in Clarence. The government primary schools are: Bellerive Primary School, Cambridge Primary School, Clarendon Vale Primary School, Howrah Primary School, Lauderdale Primary School, Lindisfarne Primary School, Lindisfarne North Primary School, Montagu Bay Primary School, Richmond Primary School, Rokeby Primary School, South Arm Primary School, The Cottage School, and Warrane Primary School. The religious primary schools in Clarence are: Corpus Christi School, Eastside Christian School, Emmanuel Christian School, John Paul II Primary School, St Cuthbert's Primary School, and St Johns School. During the period of isolation caused by the Tasman Bridge Disaster, The Friends' School, Hobart, The Friends' School established the The Friends' School, Hobart#Sherwood, Sherwood Primary School as an eastern shore branch for pupils in kindergarten to grade 2. There are six High Schools within the City of Clarence. These are Clarence High School (Howrah, Tasmania), Clarence High School, Emmanuel Christian School (Tasmania), Emmanuel Christian School, Geilston Bay High School, MacKillop College, Mornington, MacKillop College, Rokeby High School, and Rose Bay High School. The senior secondary Rosny College is also situated in the heart of Clarence. There is also a campus of TAFE Tasmania Technical and Further Education college.Clarence - A Brighter Place. Published by the Clarence City Council. Clarence, Tasmania. (2003)


Economy

Despite the existence of small-scale manufacturing, agriculture, and viticulture, it is retail and Administration (government), government administration that provide the primary impetus of local economy. Centred upon the administrative and commercial centre of the city at
Rosny Park Rosny Park is a suburb of Hobart, Tasmania, located in the City of Clarence on the eastern shore of the Derwent River. It is about five kilometres from the city centre of Hobart. Rosny Park is the commercial twin of its residential namesake, R ...
, retail provides the largest sector of the local economy, much of which in generated through
Eastlands Shopping Centre Eastlands is Tasmania's largest shopping centre; it is located on the eastern side of the Derwent River, in the shopping district of Rosny Park, and within the greater area of Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. It has a gross lettable area of about ...
, and the nearby shops of Bligh Street and Bayfield Street. The primary export product of the City of Clarence is now wine. Based primarily around the Coal River valley between
Richmond Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, California, a city in the United States * Richmond, London, a town in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, England * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town ...
and Acton Park, the city's viticulture industry is exemplified by European style wines, that are located at a similar latitude to French and German regions such as Champagne (wine region), Champagne, Lorraine (region), Lorraine, Baden (wine region), Baden and Rheingau (wine region), Rheingau.


Infrastructure


Transport

Despite excellent bus connections, there is a very high proportion of private car ownership within the City of Clarence. Despite this, many residents, particularly those that commute to Hobart for work, often chose to use public transportation for commuting. Clarence is connected to Glenorchy, Tasmania, Glenorchy via the Bowen Bridge, and Hobart via the
Tasman Bridge The Tasman Bridge is a prestressed concrete girder bridge connecting the Tasman Highway over the River Derwent (Tasmania), River Derwent in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. When it opened on 29 March 1965, the Tasman was the longest prestressed con ...
, both over the River Derwent (Tasmania), River Derwent. It is connected to Sorell, Tasmania, Sorell at Midway Point by the 19th century historic convict built Sorell Causeway. The Sorrell Causway and Tasman Bridge both form part of the
Tasman Highway The Tasman Highway (or A3) is a highway in Tasmania, Australia. Like the Midland Highway (Tasmania), Midland Highway, it connects the major cities of Hobart and Launceston, Tasmania, Launceston – however it takes a different route, via the no ...
(A3) which is the major east-west thoroughfare through the city. The
East Derwent Highway The East Derwent Highway (route number B32) is a highway in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. The highway is a trunk road that carries heavy commuter traffic, much like the Brooker Highway, on the eastern side of the River Derwent. Route The high ...
(B32) also connects to the Tasman Bridge, but heads northwards instead, and eventually reconnects with the Midland Highway, Tasmania, Midland Highway (A1) at Bridgewater, Tasmania, Bridgewater. Rosny Park Transit Mall serves as the hub for Metro Tasmania bus transportation within the city, which is the primary provider of public transportation in Clarence. Bus routes reach almost all major residential areas within the city. Ferries in Hobart, Ferry services operates services between Bellerive Quay and
Sullivans Cove Sullivans Cove is on the River Derwent adjacent to the Hobart City Centre in Tasmania. It was the site of initial European settlement in the area, and the location of the earlier components of the Port of Hobart. History The cove was the init ...
at peak times on weekdays.


Utilities

Most of the utilities provision within Tasmania has traditionally fallen to government authorities. Water supply network, Mains water remains so, and is now provided by the Clarence City Council. Their main public supply reservoir is Risdon Brook Dam. Ironically, it was the poor supply from this water source during summer months that originally led to the abandonment of the initial British camp at Risdon Cove. However its supply during wet months is ample, and the catchment at Risdon Brook Dam provides much of the city's supply. This is supplemented by pipes that run under the carriageway of the
Tasman Bridge The Tasman Bridge is a prestressed concrete girder bridge connecting the Tasman Highway over the River Derwent (Tasmania), River Derwent in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. When it opened on 29 March 1965, the Tasman was the longest prestressed con ...
. During the
Tasman Bridge disaster The Tasman Bridge disaster occurred on the evening of 5 January 1975, in Hobart, the capital city of Australia's island state of Tasmania, when the bulk carrier , travelling up the River Derwent (Tasmania), River Derwent, collided with seve ...
, many witnesses recalled seeing large quantities of water gushing from the western side of the break in the bridge, and this was caused by these water supply pipes having been severed. Electricity supply within the City of Clarence is administered by Aurora Energy (Tasmania), Aurora Energy on behalf of Hydro Tasmania, the state's sole electricity supply company. 99% of energy is generated by hydroelectricity. There is no provision for Natural gas#Domestic use, mains gas supply anywhere within the City of Clarence.


Culture, sport and recreation


Arts

For many years the eastern shore of the Derwent River lagged behind the development of arts and cultural activities that had occurred within Hobart itself. The first attempt at redressing this saw the establishment of public libraries in Bellerive and Lindisfarne. The original Bellerive Police Station was also redeveloped as a Community Arts Centre. The council now sponsors an exhibition programme of arts at the historic Rosny Farm property. In 2006 the farmhouse was redeveloped in sympathy with its heritage to allow new visual and performing arts spaces. One area where the Clarence City Council has been particularly effective is in developing Community Arts events. For many years the Carols by Candlelight festival held annually in Charles Hand Park in the heart of the city, has continued to draw crowds of upwards of 20,000. Other annual events organised by the council include the City of Clarence Australia Day Festival, the Clarence Jazz Festival, and the Clarence Seafarers Festival – incorporating the Bellerive Regatta.


Media

The City of Clarence has few local media services, but is provided with media services that cover the entire area of Greater Hobart. The best selling newspaper is the daily ''The Mercury (Hobart), The Mercury''. In 1985 a local free weekly newspaper ''The Southern Star'' was begun by publisher Harris & Co, however the difficult advertising market in a small community meant it could not sustain a rivalry with ''The Mercury'', and it closed in December 1995. The Eastern Shore Sun is a freely delivered newspaper detailing local issues and events in the City of Clarence. Television is provided by five licensed operators, the government provided Australian Broadcasting Corporation, and Special Broadcasting Service, and the commercial operators WIN Television and Southern Cross Seven. In 2004 TDT (TV station), Tasmanian Digital Television was developed as a collaborative effort between WIN and Southern Cross to develop a digital broadcasting television service.


Elite sports

The City of Clarence has a very active culture of sports. It is home to one of Australia's nine test cricket grounds in
Bellerive Oval Bellerive Oval, currently known as Ninja Stadium for Naming rights, sponsorship reasons, is a Cricket field, cricket oval and Australian rules football ground located in Bellerive, Tasmania, Bellerive, a suburb on the eastern shore of Hobart, T ...
. The ground usually hosts Australian cricket team, Australian home tests once every two years, and one-day internationals on an annual basis. It is also the home ground for the Tasmanian Tigers, Tasmania's first-class cricket team. Bellerive Oval is also home to two of the cities elite sports teams, the Clarence District Cricket Club who compete in the Tasmanian Grade Cricket competition, and the Clarence Football Club, known colloquially as 'The Roos' who compete in the Tasmanian Football League, both of whom are semi-professional. Both sides also have local derby, derby rivals also based within the City of Clarence. For the cricket side, rivals Lindisfarne Cricket Club are located to the north, and for the Australian Rules football side, Lauderdale Football Club are located to the South. Both teams have proved extremely successful: Clarence Football Club won the Tasmanian Football League in 1970, 1979, 1981, 1984, 1993–94, 1996–97, and 2000 (9 times in total), as well as winning the Southern Football League in 2001, 2002, 2004, and 2006 (4 total), during the period in which the statewide league was not competed for. Clarence District Cricket Club have won 11 TCA Premierships in 1981–82, 1982–83, 1983–84, 1984–85, 1987–88, 1988–89, 1989–90, 1990–91, 1994–95, 2002–2003, and 2003-2004. Other amateur cricket clubs, Montagu Bay Cricket Club, St. Aidans Cricket Club Inc. and Richmond Cricket Club are also based within Clarence, but compete in the Kookaburra Southern Cricket Association rather than the Tasmanian Grade Competition. Olympia FC Warriors (based at Warrior Park,
Warrane Warrane is a suburb of Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, within the City of Clarence local government area. It is approximately from Hobart's CBD. It is located between Rosny Park and Mornington and runs parallel to the Tasman Highway. Warrane ...
) and Clarence United (based at Wentworth Park, Tasmania, Wentworth Park,
Howrah Howrah (; ; alternatively spelled as Haora) is a city in the Indian States and union territories of India, state of West Bengal. Howrah is located on the western bank of the Hooghly River, opposite to its twin city of Kolkata. Administratively ...
) are the city's premier Association football, football teams, and play in the National Premier League. Nelson Eastern Suburbs FC is also based in Clarence at the North Warrane Oval and also compete in the Southern Championship.


Other sport

The standard of public sporting facilities is generally excellent throughout the city, with provision for most popular sports at venues such as the Clarence Aquatic Centre (home to the State Swimming Championships until 1998), the Clarence Sports Centre, and Wentworth Park, Tasmania, Wentworth Park, home base for Southern Touch (Touch football (rugby league), Touch Football) and also hockey. Along with Clarence Sports Centre, Bellerive Sports Centre and Warrane Sports Centre provide facilities for sports such as basketball, indoor American football, indoor football, Squash (sport), squash, tennis and badminton. Nearby Edgeworth Street in Warrane is home to a Baseball park, baseball ground and the Eastern Shore Action Indoor Sports Centre (covering Indoor Cricket, Indoor Soccer and Indoor Netball). North Warrane Oval is home to Eastern Suburbs RUFC (Tasmania), Eastern Suburbs competing in the Tasmanian Rugby Union statewide League. There is also a very active club sports community within most of these sports. Tennis, golf and bowls are also popular, particularly amongst older adults. Rosny Park Public Golf Course is a 9-hole golf course located in the heart of the city, but there are also seven other golf courses located throughout Clarence, including Tasmania's premier club, the Tasmanian Golf Club. Most local schools participate in school competitions in major popular sports such as association football (also sometimes referred to as soccer in Australia), Australian rules football, cricket, Field Hockey, hockey, netball, Touch football (rugby league), Touch Football, swimming (sport), swimming and Sport of athletics, athletics. Many of these schools are equipped with their own home grounds for many of these sports and almost all at least have cricket grounds.


Recreation

The city of Clarence is blessed with many open spaces, parks and areas of bushland. In addition to hills, there is of shoreline, much of which is connected with paths, as well as over 30 beaches. Bellerive Yacht Club is located within the city on the shore of the Derwent River in Kangaroo Bay. It is the second largest sailing club in southern Tasmania with over 800 members, and an annual turnover of over Australian dollar, A$ 1 million. The club also host the annual Bellerive Regatta every February. Other water sports and boating activities such as sailing, boating, fishing and Underwater diving, diving are also popular within the city, which has eleven boat ramps, and numerous jetties. Cycling is also a popular activity, and several kilometres of cycleways exist within the city, particularly following the shoreline. Horse riding facilities can be found at Acton Park, Tasmania, Acton and surfing is popular at Clifton Beach, Tasmania, Clifton and Goats beaches.


Demography

As at the 2016 Australia Census, 2016 Census, the population of the City of Clarence was almost 55,000, making it the largest Local Government in Australia, local government area within Greater Hobart. Of these, almost 10,000 (18%) were under the age of 15, and around 11,000 (20%) over the age of 65. The average age of Clarence residents is 43, with 3.5% of residents identifying themselves as Tasmanian Aborigines, Indigenous Australians and 60% of Clarence residents over the age of 15 being married. The City of Clarence is a primarily residential city with 20,737 dwellings, although small scale manufacturing, agriculture, viticulture, retail and Administration (government), government administration are all prevalent. The majority of the residences (17,298) in Clarence are separate detached houses (90%), although 998 residences were List of house types#Attached dwellings / Multi-unit housing, attached housing (5%), 831 were apartment, flats (4%), and there was also 94 other residences which did not fall into any of these categories. There was an average of 2.5 persons per dwelling, and out of the 20,737 residences 1,532 or 7% were vacant. 37% of occupied dwellings were privately owned, a further 37% were mortgaged, 20% rented, and the rest rent-free or under some other form of tenure. The average house price in Clarence is Australian dollar, A$ 310,000. The average weekly mortgage cost is $243, and the average cost of rent is $150. The major sectors of employment are retail (20%),
education Education is the transmission of knowledge and skills and the development of character traits. Formal education occurs within a structured institutional framework, such as public schools, following a curriculum. Non-formal education als ...
(12%), Health care, health and Social work, Community services (12%), property management and business services (5%), and construction and trades (5%). The average weekly income of Clarence residents (August 2006) is $458, which is $60 above the state average. The median household income is $1,124, $92 above the states average, and proves to be an average increase of 8% from the 2001 average. 85% of residents of Clarence were born in Tasmania, similar to the state average of 83%. Of those, 92% identified as being Anglo-Celtic Australian. However this proportion has decreased by 1.1% from the 2001 figure. 91% of residents were Australian citizens, exactly the same as the state figure. Of those not born in Tasmania, the next most common birthplaces were England (1,996 or 4.0% of total), New Zealand (335, 0.7%), Scotland (288, 0.6%), Germany (228, 0.5%), and the Netherlands (182, 0.4%). 92% of Clarence residents spoke English as their primary language. Other languages identified as frequently spoken within the city were Greek language, Greek (199 speakers), German language, German (157), Italian language, Italian (107), Spanish language, Spanish (80), and Dutch language, Dutch (60). 3,155 residents identified various other languages as regularly spoken within the city. The most commonly identified religious beliefs amongst residents of the City of Clarence were Anglicanism (16,217, or 21%), Roman Catholic (10,610, or 19%), and Uniting Church in Australia, Uniting (2,331, or 2%). 9,917 residents (20%) belonged to various other faiths, and 9,611 (or 5%) identified as having atheism, no religion.


See also

*List of local government areas of Tasmania


References


Further reading

*A Alexander, The eastern shore, Rosny Park, 2003. *The Eastern Shore – A History of Clarence. Published by the Clarence City Council. Clarence, Tasmania. (2003) *Clarence – A Brighter Place. Published by the Clarence City Council. Clarence, Tasmania. (2003) *
Vol 1Vol 2


External links


Clarence City Council official websiteLocal Government Association Tasmania


{{Authority control City of Clarence, Local government areas of Tasmania, Clarence Geography of Hobart