A small flotilla of boats at Franklin's wharf. Do they dream of the days when sail was king? I was intrigued by Franklin (Population around 400) which lies in the Huon Valley some 45 kilometres south of Hobart. Amid the straggle of charming cottages along the main road are some very substantial buildings such as the Palais Theatre, its pub and the bank, which attest to former glory, when so few other villages of its size boasted such amenities. Franklin seems favoured by both geography and history, or at least it was at the beginning. In the first instance, it lies on the wide Huon River, inside the D’Entrecasteaux Channel, making it a safe harbour for early explorers, starting with Bruni D'Entrecasteaux in 1792. Later it became an important port for the export of timber and produce and especially apples, which despite initial misgivings about the quality of its soils, it produced in abundance. Historically speaking, unlike other towns such as Dover or Cygnet, ...
Practising Geographer - nature culture places people