Franklin Square and the Treasury buildings were built on the site of the Old Government House, which was demolished in 1858.[5] Originally named George's Square in honour of King George IV, Governor Lachlan Macquarie envisioned the site being utilised for a church, courthouse, town hall, public market, as well as a main guard for stationed troops and a public garrison parade area, as regular musters had previously been held on the grounds of the Old Government House since at least 1817. Eventually it was decided that a public space was required to establish a centre point for the growing colony as a community meeting place.[6] In 1860, a parliamentary resolution was passed dedicating funds for the creation of a statue and fountain as the centrepiece for the new gated central park in honour of Sir John Franklin.[7]
During the Second World War, the threat of Japanese air raids was heightened across all Australian capital cities following the Bombing of Darwin in 1942. Due to its centralised location within the Hobart CBD, Franklin Square was transformed into a bomb shelter until the remainder of the war, offering shelter for 900 people.[8][9][10]
2016 upgrades
In 2015, Franklin Square was closed for significant upgrades including the hydraulic and electrical systems for the centrepiece fountain, renovations on the Elizabeth Street restrooms, newly established garden beds, retaining walls, improved pathway access and the relocation of the giant chess board. Celery-top pine wood was recovered from Lake Pieman as part of the new Hydrowood project to make the park's new furnishings. Franklin Square officially reopened on 27 May 2016.[11][12]
Protests
Bob Brown and members of the Gunns 20 group protesting in 2004
Malcom Fraser, leader of the Liberal opposition at the time, was the target of a large-scale protest demonstration at Franklin Square in October 1975.[16]
Repeated large-scale protests occurred at the square following the Franklin Dam controversy between 1981 and 1983.
Thousands of people gathered in Franklin Square to protest against Gunns' proposed $1.7b Tamar Valley pulp mill on 17 November 2007.[17]
Location and layout
Franklin Square measures roughly 75 by 85 metres (246ft ×279ft) of open space in a skewed rectangle, occupying roughly a whole urban block bounded by Macquarie, Elizabeth, and Davey Streets and the Treasury buildings, which face Murray Street. From the eastern Davey-Elizabeth corner, the parkland climbs sharply 8 metres (26ft) to a relatively flat area next to Macquarie Street with a high bank to lower Elizabeth Street and to Davey Street. The Franklin Square Offices (formerly known as the Public Buildings), a private road or parking space next to them, as well as sidewalks and perimeter bus shelters along Macquarie and Elizabeth Streets, all encircle the square. The parkland is also bordered by a terraced retaining wall along Davey Street.[1] The open public square is directly opposite the Hobart Bus Mall and Hobart GPO building.
Franklin Square's leafy character is greatly distinguished by English elms (Ulmus minor) and Tilias that are over 150 years old. To the east of the centre pavement, there is a single Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima) and a scattering of medium-sized New Zealand evergreen trees.
The Hobart tramway network was centred around Franklin Square from 1893 until the system closed in 1960
Metro Tasmania operate southern bus services departing and terminating at Franklin Square via Macquarie Street (Stops D1 and D2), and Elizabeth Street (Stop D3):[18]
In 2021, the City of Hobart selected four temporary artworks that interacted with the statue to be installed over two month periods called Crowther Reinterpreted. The aim was to evoke conversation surrounding the fate of the statue. The first installation, titled Truth Telling by Tasmanian Aboriginal artist Allan Mansell was unveiled in April 2021. Mansell's piece explored transforming Crowther into Lanne through the painting of statue's face and hands red, placing an Aboriginal flag in his hand, and rewriting the plinth's text, offering an alternative historical narrative.[19] Another artwork, entitled Breathing Space by Northern Tasmanian Aboriginal artist Julie Gough saw the statue covered with a large black crate.[20] Some of Crowther's descendants who learnt of their ancestor's pursuits surrounding biological racism due to the Crowther Reinterpreted project called for the removal of the statue.[21][22]
Statue removal
On 15 August 2022, the Hobart City Council voted 7 to 4 in favour of removing Crowther's statue from public display. The council's notion for the statue's removal is the first of its kind to occur in Australia.[21] The fate of the statue itself remains undecided, with public opinion varying from the statue being destroyed or being relocated to the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, where the statue could be observed within an exhibit offering greater historical context.[23]
King Edward VII monument
A bronze statue of King Edward VII stands on a sandstone plinth on the Macquarie Street sidewalk. Due to the widening of Macquarie Street for the creation of two Hobart Interchange bus stops, the statue is now situated very close to the road.
Franklin Square central fountain with tree foliage in 2014
John Franklin monument
The centrepiece of Franklin Square is a large monument to John Franklin, encompassing a large bronze statue which stands on a plinth surrounded by a two-tier fountain constructed with sandstone. Erected at a cost of £1,000,[7] the statue is one of the park's original fixtures from 1860. Originally the statue was surrounded by a mound of stone, with water lilies and flowering creepers procured in the fountain waters.[24] A commemoration celebration was held in 1947 for the centenary since Franklin's governance. Governor Sir Hugh Binney gave a speech and placed a laurel wreath onto the statue. Others to speak at the service included Reverend Geoffrey Cranswick, the Lord Mayor Basil Osborne, alderman of the Hobart City Council, naval services and other community representatives.[25][26] Floodlights were installed in the fountain in 1947.[27][28]
Oversized chess-set
Along the Davey Street side of the park, a chequered section of concrete measuring 4 by 4 metres (13ft ×13ft) serves as an oversized outdoor chess board. Constructed by the Sandy Bay Lions Club in 1960, the large chess pieces and original park benches that encased the chess pieces were crafted with funds donated by IXL Jam. The chess set is available for play between 8am to 6pm daily. The park benches were replaced following the 2016 upgrades to the square.
Two Islands sculptor by Nigel Helyer at Franklin Square, completed in 2017
Two Islands sculpture
In 2015, the City of Hobart invested $100,000 into the development, construction and installation of a new interactive artwork entitled Two Islands by sculptor and sound artist Nigel Helyer. Completed in 2017, Helyer was assisted and consulted by Tasmanian Aboriginal canoe-maker Tony Brown to create the sculpture utilising timber, steel, lighting and sound technology.[29]
Wishing well
Constructed from sandstone with ornate ironwork, the wishing well was opened by Lord Mayor Archibald Park on 30 November 1955 to commemorate 21 years of community service provided by the APEX Club of Hobart. All donations are directed to the Tascare Society for Children.
Removed features
As the civic square has evolved over the years, many founding elements, such as garden beds, pathways, seating and other features have been removed.
Cannon
Originally an 1860s cannon faced Macquarie Street to commemorate the grounds former use for garrison parades. It was removed during the square's transformation into a bomb shelter during the Second World War.
Palisade fence
Originally the square was contained by an ornate palisade iron fence.[30] Although discussion surrounding the fate of the fence had begun following the removal of its gates in the 1930s, the topic caused a political stir when the Tasmanian Government offered to take over the square entirely during its transformation into an air raid shelter during the Second World War. Following the removal of the gates, the fence no longer protected the square at night from "undesirable" behaviours.[31] The right of jurisdiction between the state government and city council escalated, with the fence eventually removed to improve park access in 1944. The council suggested the fence could be relocated to the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens, however this never eventuated.[32][33][34][35]
In popular culture
Franklin Square and the Hobart GPO can be seen in the 1951 feature film Wherever She Goes directed by Michael Gordon about the early life story of Zeehan-born pianist Eileen Joyce.
Historical footage of large-scale public protests held at Franklin Square in 1983 surrounding the Franklin Dam controversy feature in the 2022 feature documentary film, Franklin.[36]
↑ "Air Raid Precautions". The Mercury. Vol.CLV, no.22, 262. Tasmania, Australia. 7 April 1942. p.6. Retrieved 4 October 2022– via National Library of Australia.
↑ "TESTS OF STATUE FLOODLIGHTS". The Mercury. Vol.CLXVI, no.23, 919. Tasmania, Australia. 7 August 1947. p.7. Retrieved 21 November 2022– via National Library of Australia.
↑ "CONTROL OF FRANKLIN SQUARE". The Mercury. Vol.CL, no.21, 303. Tasmania, Australia. 7 March 1939. p.7. Retrieved 4 October 2022– via National Library of Australia.
↑ "FRANKLIN SQUARE". The Mercury. Vol.CXLVIII, no.21, 071. Tasmania, Australia. 8 June 1938. p.9. Retrieved 4 October 2022– via National Library of Australia.
Hobart is the capital and most populous city of the island state of Tasmania, Australia. Home to almost half of all Tasmanians, it is the southernmost and least-populated Australian state capital city, and second-smallest if territories are taken into account, before Darwin, Northern Territory. Hobart is located in Tasmania's south-east on the estuary of the River Derwent, making it the most southern of Australia's capital cities. Its skyline is dominated by the 1,271-metre (4,170 ft) kunanyi/Mount Wellington, and its harbour forms the second-deepest natural port in the world, with much of the city's waterfront consisting of reclaimed land. The metropolitan area is often referred to as Greater Hobart, to differentiate it from the City of Hobart, one of the seven local government areas that cover the city. It has a mild maritime climate.
The history of Tasmania begins at the end of the Last Glacial Period when it is believed that the island was joined to the Australian mainland. Little is known of the human history of the island until the British colonisation of Tasmania in the 19th century.
Sullivans Cove is on the River Derwent adjacent to the Hobart City Centre in Tasmania. It was the site of initial European settlement in the area, and the location of the earlier components of the Port of Hobart.
Davey Street is a major one way street passing through the outskirts of the Hobart City Centre in Tasmania, Australia. Davey street is named after Thomas Davey, the first Governor of Van Diemen's Land. The street forms a one-way couplet with nearby Macquarie Street connecting traffic from the Southern Outlet in the south with traffic from the Tasman Highway to the east and the Brooker Highway to the north of the city. With annual average daily traffic of 37,200, the road is one of the busier streets in Hobart.
Hobart College is a government comprehensive senior secondary school located in Mount Nelson, a suburb of Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. Established in 1913 as Hobart High School, it was later renamed as Hobart Matriculation College in 1965, and subsequently renamed as Hobart College. The college caters for approximately 1,300 students in Years 11 and 12 and is administered by the Tasmanian Department of Education.
Frenchmans Cap is a mountain in the West Coast region of Tasmania, Australia. The mountain is situated in the Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park.
William Lodewyk Crowther FRCS was a Tasmanian politician, who was Premier of Tasmania from 20 December 1878 to 29 October 1879.
TheMercury is a daily newspaper, published in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, by Davies Brothers Pty Ltd, a subsidiary of News Corp Australia, itself a subsidiary of News Corp. The weekend issues of the paper are called Mercury on Saturday and Sunday Tasmanian. The current editor of TheMercury is Craig Herbert.
The Hobart Bus Mall is the main urban bus interchange for Metro Tasmania in the Hobart central business district. Situated on Elizabeth Street, it serves daily commuters from suburbs, nearby cities, and towns including Clarence, Glenorchy, Richmond, Cambridge and Kingborough. The interchange spans Elizabeth Street between Macquarie and Collins streets, with additional bus stops at Franklin Square and one on Liverpool Street near the Elizabeth Street Mall's north end. The interchange is within 500 metres (1,600 ft) of connecting coach services on Murray Street, ferry services and airport bus services at Brooke Street Pier.
The Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery (TMAG) is a museum located in Hobart, Tasmania. The museum was established in 1846, by the Royal Society of Tasmania, the oldest Royal Society outside England. The TMAG receives 400,000 visitors annually.
Hobart City Centre is a suburb surrounded by metropolitan Hobart, which comprises the original settlement, the central business district, and other built-up areas. It is the oldest part of Hobart and includes many of the city's important institutions and landmarks, such as Parliament, the Supreme Court, Franklin Square, the Elizabeth Street Mall, the Royal Hobart Hospital, the Theatre Royal, Odeon Theatre, State Library, the NAB Building, the Museum, and the Cenotaph. The city centre is located in the local government areas of the City of Hobart.
The Hotel Grand Chancellor Hobart is a twelve-storey hotel located on the waterfront of Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.
Point Hibbs is a headland on the south-west coast of Tasmania, Australia. The headland is located south of the most southern point of Macquarie Harbour, and west of the Gordon River. It is the next named feature along the coast south of Cape Sorell that is used to delineate sections of the coast. Like South West Cape, it is used as a reference point for nearby wrecks.
Henry Hunter (1832–1892) was a prominent architect and civil servant in Tasmania and Queensland, Australia. He is best known for his work on churches. During his life was also at various times a state magistrate of Tasmania, a member of the Tasmanian State Board of Education, the Hobart Board of Health, a Commissioner for the New Norfolk Insane Asylum and President of the Queensland Institute of Architects.
The High Rocky Point is a coastal landmark, located on the south western coast of Tasmania, Australia. The point, contained within the Southwest National Park, part of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Site, lies to the south of Point Hibbs and north of Low Rocky Point that is located approximately 20 kilometres (12 mi) away. The Wanderer River is located to the north of the point.
General Post Office is a landmark building located on the corner of Elizabeth Street and Macquarie Street in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. It stands next to the former Mercury Building and has served as the headquarters of the Tasmanian Postal system since its construction in 1905, though mail processing has now been moved to Glenorchy.
Murray Street is one of four north-west roads within the Hobart City Centre (CBD). The street is named for Captain John Murray, commandant at Hobart Town, by Lachlan Macquarie. One of Hobart's original seven streets, Murray Street was formalised by surveyor James Meehan (1774-1826) on 25 November 1811.
The Prince of Wales Theatre was a theatre on Macquarie Street, Hobart, Tasmania from 1910 to 1987.
Long Beach is a popular beach destination along the River Derwent in Sandy Bay, Hobart, Tasmania. The east facing beach has views of the City of Clarence on the eastern shore and Blinking Billy Point. Long Beach neighbours Nutgrove Beach and is within close proximity to the Long Beach Reserve Playground, Sandy Bay Sailing Club, Sandy Bay Regatta Association, Hobart Pétanque Club and Lower Sandy Bay shops. Long Beach has a sea pontoon for swimmers and bathroom facilities.
The Avalon Theatre is a historic former Temperance Hall, theatre and cinema in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
