Forensic Wellingtology

kunanyi/Mount Wellington is Hobart’s panoramic backdrop, but it certainly isn't pristine wilderness.  In over two centuries since European settlement, it has been used and abused for timber-getting, water-collection, mining, sight-seeing, and much more.  Surprisingly, perhaps, there are still many surviving remnants of this rich history that can be found scattered across the slopes.  This heritage can enrich our historical understanding, but must be found and interpreted before it can be appropriately managed and protected.  This month’s talk will explore a sample of our Mountain’s historical sites and their stories.

Martin Stone is a Tasmanian forester who grew up roaming the foothills of Mount Wellington.  Retirement has enabled him to combine his interest in the bush, maps, local history and the mountain, discovering what he had never really noticed and uncovering the stories of what he had never properly understood.