SIGN NUMBER 6 – Rounds, wrecks and railways
Devonport Golf Club
This early Tasmanian golf club originally opened in 1921, because of a group of passionate local golfers who loved to knock a ball around. It started out on a 3/5 hole paddock where Meercroft Park is on the western side of the river.
After WWI this group grew to a point that in January 1921 a public meeting was held at the Devonport Town Hall where it was decided to form the Devonport Golf Club Ltd and the Articles of Association were adopted. In an endeavour to raise money to purchase the land, members took out shares. These shareholders controlled the meeting for many years. In 1925 at the AGM the Devonport Golf Club Ltd became the Devonport Golf Club and leased the course from Devonport Golf Club Ltd.
Annual subscriptions were: £3/3/0 for members, £1/11/6 for associates and country members, £1/1/0 for non-playing members and an entrance fee was the same.
In November 1956 the club was relocated to its current location at Woodrising (Dean’s Point), where members enjoyed a 9 hole-course. Five years later a new eighteen-hole course was officially opened by Tasmanian Premier, Eric Reece, MHA in 1961.
The East Devonport course was situated between Caroline Street on the east, Tarleton Street on the West and Brooke Street to the south and through to Bass Strait and was part of the Winspear property. W. D. Winspear was the Club’s original Patron.
After the closure of the golf club the land became available for various uses, notably Tascot Templeton Carpet factory on the south western corner, Devonport’s drive-in theatre on the north western end of the block, Marine Board cold stores built in Caroline Street, Ceilcote Fibreglass in southern end of North Caroline Street. All except for the cold stores no longer exist.
Shipwrecks
While the Bass Strait is notorious for the danger posed to ships, the Mersey River has also experienced a few wrecks over time. The most commonly commented on is the wreck still visible in the river, the dredge G. Ward Cole.
Railway to Quarry
Facing the Torquay Trail sign, the rail tracks were located behind you, heading towards the old quarry 300 metres to the east. You can still see the depression of the quarry if you look carefully.
The quarry was filled-in by the Devonport City Council in 1987. Directly above the old quarry is one of the original homesteads, “Arnwood” (see Sign 7).
REFERENCES
- “The Quiet Achievers” by Maureen Bennett
- “With The Pioneers” by Charles Ramsay
- “Ship Wrecks of Tasmania” Vol 1
- “History of First Eighty Five Years of Woodrising Golf Club” by Allen R Davidson
- Bass Strait Maritime Centre
