A list of Districts surrounding Cygnet township

Cygnet township is surrounded by the districts of Lymington, Wattle Grove, Glaziers Bay, Silver Hill, Petcheys Bay, Cradoc, Nicholls Rivulet, Gardners Bay, Deep Day, Verona Sands and Garden Island Creek plus Huon Island and Garden Island.

Many of these districts supported at different times a general store, church, church hall, public hall, post office, school, cemetery, hotel and a wharf.

I received an email in October 2005 as follows.
We recently visited the Cygnet area and came across an area called Egg and Bacon Bay. The question was asked how did it receive its name? This is what has been found.

1. Lady Jane Franklin ordered eggs and bacon on her way to or from Franklin.
2. Lady Franklin was served eggs and bacon there by the Marsdens.
3. It was so named by Sir John Franklin after seeing the flowers known as 'Eggs & Bacon' growing there.

The Wattle Grove State School is one of the older educational establishments under the control of the Education Department, having been erected upwards of twenty six years ago. (about 1874) The population of the district is sparse, and for some years the school was conducted as a half time one but at the earnest request of the residents it was again classed as a full time school in September, 1898, and Miss Marion Oldham was appointed head teacher. Since that time the average daily attendance has risen to twenty-four, with a roll record of twenty-eight.

Miss Oldham is a native of Hobart, and was educated privately, taking her A.A. degree in 1883. On finishing her education she joined her sister, and assisted in carrying on a school at "Claremont," Elizabeth Street, Hobart. On the death of her sister she gave up the school, and a year ago joined the Education Department, receiving as her first appointment the Wattle Grove School.

Miss Oldham has proved her efficiency as a teacher under the department, and is to be congratulated on the progress her school has made in the daily average attendance of scholars.

An extract from The Cyclopedia of Tasmania published in 1900.

Wattle Grove, five miles southwest of Cygnet, travels through the gullies; one knows why it was named, with all the wattle trees in full bloom. We lived halfway up the hill between Wattle Grove and Lower Wattle Grove, each with a post office. One school bus travelled from Lymington to the top of the hill (one mile) from us, and another went around the river via Petcheys Bay and Lower Wattle Grove up over Glaziers Bay further up the Huon River.

We produced apples for some years, pruning, picking, packing, and exporting apples until market demand changed to newer varieties and the government of the day offered a grubbing grant to farmers, so our property became a dairy farmer. Although it was a lot more full-on labour, it proved quite a success with a regular income on a monthly basis, not annually. Dad managed to receive a quota for milk from Dickie Baker in Hobart, so we became milk maids for a number of years before investing in a milking machine.

I can still remember the excitement and relief at a little less work as there were 3 children, 2 girls and a boy, so it was all help, especially as our mum was ill and unable to walk for ten years before finally dying of heart-attack at the young age of 44. A milk truck would pick us up from the front door daily, and with a bit of luck and the right driver, we would get a lift up to the bus stop. If we had surplus milk, it would be separated, and the cream would be pasteurised and sold to Brook's Bros. store in Cygnet, with the pigs getting the left-overs.

It was a great life with plenty to do, a regular workload, and trapping rabbits for a change on the menu. Our grocery list would consist of tea, sugar, and flour, full stop! Maybe a special treat once in a while. In 1959, I married and moved to Franklin.

The Glaziers Bay State School, erected June, 1898. The school is situated about one and a half miles from the Bay, and three and a half miles from Port Cygnet, and consists of one room 23 feet by 18 feet, the number of pupils on the roll being twenty-five.

The headmaster, Mr. Reuben Judd, is the youngest son of Mr. Henry Judd, of Franklin, and was born in 1872, and educated at the Franklin State School. He passed his examinations there, and was subsequently engaged as pupil teacher for four years. After finishing his pupil-teacher's course he was appointed assistant teacher in the Goulburn Street State School, Hobart for a year; and on leaving Wattle Hill he was again appointed assistant teacher at the Goulburn Street State School and also at the same time had charge of the Hobart Night School for eight months previous to his appointment to the charge of the Garden Island Creek School.

When the school was opened at Glaziers Bay, Mr. Judd was given charge of it, and he has remained there since.

An extract from The Cyclopedia of Tasmania published in 1900.

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