Tuesday, 7 April 2015

Avoca, Tasmania

Avoca is 81 km (50 ml) from Launceston with a population of 123 people in the village including surrounding areas.  One passes through this small town on the way to the East Coast, and of course there are other roads to take. This area is also known as the Fingal Valley.

John Wedge a surveyor and explorer named the town in 1825 and called it St. Paul's Plains.
Inspired by the Thomas More poem 'The Sweet Vale of Avoca' the village was renamed in 1837 to Avoca.  Avoca's namesake is in Country Wicklow in Ireland.

We travelled through Avoca on Easter Saturday.


3 tame sheep greeted me when I got out of the vehicle.


St. Thomas' Anglican Church on top of the hill, the river below.


A Rural View x 2 photos.  It is said if there are many berries it will be a cold winter.  




A home we found off the main road.  There are not many street in Avoca.


A Post Office was opened in 1832, the above building is (Circa 1850) and was the Parish Hall.


There is a mine in Fingal, the next town to the east, and it's there a coal mine exists.  We were wondering if this big load came from there.

26 comments:

  1. Margaret it is so fantastic place. THe shhep are great. But the lkandscape is very interesting. The building reminds me some areas of England.

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    1. The buildings were no doubt built by Irishmen, Englishmen and Scotsmen...
      I'm not superstitious.....but it is what is said about the berries...I don't exactly know how many berries....but interesting to say the least..

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  2. It is very interesting superstions about berries..

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  3. I can only imagine the bad gasonline mileage that truck gets

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    1. Well they probably think the mileage is alright, they wouldn't know anything different. I know that we get better mileage when we travel the 'big island' as many of the roads we travel are much straighter and not as hilly..

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  4. Lovely countryside around there. Thanks for sparing us a shot of the coal mine!

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    1. I didn't take a photo of the coal mine further down the road, it wasn't that attractive :)

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  5. The stone and block work on the buildings is really intresting and attractive. I love the sheep greeting committee for visitors!

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    1. I got a surprise when those 3 sheep came running my way...reminded me of when I lived on a farm for the first 8 years of my married life.

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  6. Pretty place, just such picturesque countryside. I'd say the greeting committee of sheep that those 3 "greeters' were "poddies" and were after some handouts!

    Certainly this Tasmanian named Avoca is different to the Avoca Beach just between Sydney and Gosford.
    This Avoca Beach is also a very attractive place to visit! - but - House prices at Avoca Beach is astronomical .
    Cheers
    Colin
    Ps: The rain has stopped up here! Makes you appreciate seeing that yellow thing in the sky!

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    1. Pleased the rain has stopped, didn't think it was going too...I expected you to put your bathers on and start swimming :)
      Did know there was a place somewhere else called Avoca, but where I didn know until you mentioned it..

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  7. Just a little bit bigger than the town I grew up in with a population of 100 :-)

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    1. That then is a very small town and you have me wondering where it is near, and have I travelled past it many times when going north!

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  8. Buildings in Tasmania appear much more English, with little overhang anywhere for protection against the hot sun. They really have the appearance that they were built to last, and last they have.

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    1. Yes, they have lasted. Many building around like those. I expect many have been destroyed in the past.....

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  9. Wow love the look of the post office building, all in all great photos

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  10. I love the scenery, church and oh, the sheep!

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    1. Quite nice.is the scenery....no autum colours as such though..

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  11. Looks like you had a lovely drive, and a great way to spend the day!

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    1. A wonderful day...thanks. We both enjoying driving to places on the island...

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  12. Hello Margaret,

    What lovely countryside and some very interesting buildings. It is intriguing to think that this is all in Tasmania and not in England as it all seems so very familiar to us. The Anglican Church, in particular, makes this an incredibly English pastoral scene.

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    1. That's interesting you see all of that. I suppose it's a bit of England in the older places in Tasmania...

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  13. Another beautiful village in Tassie. Love the scenery and the stone houses. Shame about the huge trucks passing through the lovely little town.I have been to Avoca in Ireland, it is where the TV series 'Ballykissangel" was filmed. It is a lovely village too.

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    1. The only way for the truck to go. I do think that this town has shrunk...
      Ireland...oh my, lucky you :)

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  14. How beautiful! Nice to see the sheep and all the buildings. I could happily spend hours walking around here.

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