When the country comes to town: the Royal Agricultural Society of Tasmania

The Van Diemen’s Land Agricultural Society was the first agricultural society in Australia and was established in Hobart Town on 8 December 1821. The Society held the first agricultural show in Australia on 4 December 1822, in the old Market Place at the bottom end of Murray Street. Dianne's presentation looks at the history of the Van Diemen’s Land Agricultural Society and follows its development into the Royal Agricultural Society of Tasmania.

Dr Dianne Snowden AM is an historian and genealogist. Her particular interests include female convicts and their children. A founder member of the Female Convicts Research Centre, she is currently president. She is also founder and president of the Friends of the Orphan Schools. With Joan Kavanagh, Dianne was awarded the Kay Daniels Prize for Van Diemen’s Women. A History of Transportation. Her most recent publication, with Jane Harrington, is Convict Lives: Female Convicts at the New Norfolk Asylum (2021). In 2017 Dianne was inducted into the Tasmanian Honour Roll of Women and was awarded Member (AM) in the General Division of the Order of Australia for significant service as an historian and genealogical researcher.