History of the Bass Strait Maritime Centre
The Centre builds on the objects, models and photographs of the former Devonport Maritime Museum, giving context to the collection. The context of course is Bass Strait, and Devonport’s connection to this notorious stretch of water.
With a more accessible entrance to the new gallery spaces the building has been designed to tell the stories of Bass Strait and Devonport. The former Harbour Master’s House, connected by a linkway has been entirely renovated with 6 new exhibition areas.
Originally, the Tasmanian Maritime and Folk Museum was housed at 26 Esplanade, East Devonport, opposite the ferry terminal. The site proved itself to be unsuitable and in 1980 the old Harbour Master’s House in Gloucester Avenue became available.
Built in the 1920s as a permanent residence for the Harbour Master, the house was a double brick ‘villa’ built on ‘a slight rise in a park about 200 metres from the shoreline and at the entrance to the Mersey River’. As Devonport developed, this became 6 Gloucester Avenue. A major renovation of the Museum was undertaken in 1996/97 and the Devonport Council’s engineer’s residence next to the Museum was acquired to house historical records and materials.
In 2012 the Devonport City Council, with funding assistance from the Australian and Tasmanian Governments, commissioned the development of a further addition and refurbishment of the original Harbour Master’s house to become the Bass Strait Maritime Centre. Representatives of all three governments officially opened the Centre, Friday, April 5, 2013.
| 1960 | Devon Historical Society formed. |
|---|---|
| 1970 | Dame Enid Lyons opens an exhibition of maritime memorabilia inspiring a group of Devonport enthusiasts to begin the process of establishing a maritime museum. |
| 1973 | Tasmanian Maritime and Folk Museum, 26 Esplanade, East Devonport officially opened by, then Premier, Eric Reece. |
| 1979 | Devon Historical Society reformed after interest lapsed. |
| 1980 | Harbour Masters home, at 6 Gloucester Avenue, becomes available and is taken over by the Museum Society to accommodate the growing collection. |
| 1988 | Devon Historical Society publishing programme established. |
| 1989 | Devon Historical Society became an incorporated body. |
| 1995 | Tasmanian Maritime and Folk Museums name is changed to Devonport Maritime Museum. |
| 1996 | Funding from the Devonport City Council secured for an extension to the southern end of the Maritime Museum. |
| 1997 | New gallery opened by Mayor of Devonport, Ald. Geoff Squibb. The renovations facilitated the better display of models and exhibits, the creation of the Naval Room, renovation of the Signal Station and Mast and relocation to the grounds of the Museum and establishment of the History Room to house the Devon Historical Societys local history collection and extensive records. |
| 1999 | Amalgamation of Devonport Maritime Museum and Devon Historical Society Inc. The new amalgamated body became the Devonport Maritime Museum and Historical Society Inc. |
| 2009 | Part time co-ordinator employed. |
| 2010 | Devonport Maritime Museum and Historical Society wound up and the collections passed to the Devonport City Council. |
| 2011 | Devonport Maritime and Heritage Authority established to oversee the development of the Bass Strait Maritime Centre. Note: Many of the volunteers who had given so much time and effort to the Devonport Maritime Museum and Historical Society are now the backbone of the Bass Strait Maritime Centre, managing the collections and ensuring the community and visitors have every opportunity to access the knowledge and understanding the past delivers. |
| 2012 | Major extension to the existing Maritime Museum to accommodate the Bass Strait Maritime Centre. |
| 2013 | The Bass Strait Maritime Centre opened. |
History Posts
Mining on the West Coast: 1912 Mt Lyell Disaster
The Mount Lyell Disaster of 1912 On the 12th of October 1912, a fire broke out in North Mount Lyell mine. One hundred and seventy
Mining on the West Coast
In 1883, the first pegging of the Mount Lyell fields took place when three gold diggers staked a 50-acre claim in what is now known
Malunnah
William Aikenhead was born in Launceston in 1842. As a young man he worked for an insurance company, before joining the Examiner newspaper where his
Tabbed Posts
- All
- Collections
- Event
- Exhibitions
- History
- News
- Program
HistoryNewsThe Mersey River Ferry
ExhibitionsIce in the Rigging: Voyage to the Antarctic
ExhibitionsInstrumental: Navigating and Communicating on the High Seas
Photography Credits
- Banner Images: Bass Strait Maritime Centre, Kelly Slater
- Parallax Image: Kelly Slater
