Title

View from near the top of Constitution Hill, Van Diemen's Land. [by Joseph Lycett].

Author

Author not identified

Source

[Not applicable]

Publication date

1825

Type

About the work

Language

English

Country of context

Australia

Full text

View from near the top of Constitution Hill, Van Diemen's Land.

THE View which presents itself to the eye of the spectator from the summit of CONSTITUTION HILL, is, perhaps, the most extensive which the colony of Van Diemen's Land affords. From this commanding eminence may be seen, as delineated in the centre of the Plate, MOUNT WELLINGTON, otherwise TABLE MOUNTAIN, which nearly overhangs HOBART TOWN:- a little farther to the left is seen MOUNT NELSON, under which is MOUNT DIRECTION; and to the right of that mountain appears MOUNT DROMEDARY, together with several other very bold and striking features of the country.

The mountains in the extreme distance are the snowy mountains, which are covered with snow almost all the year. They are situated in a very barren part of the country, in the direction for PORT DAVEY, from the entrance to which they are about twenty miles distant; fifty from HOBART TOWN, and from the spot from which the present View is taken, about sixty.

The open parts of country represented immediately in the centre of this View, are the BAGDAD PLAINS, constituting one of the most fertile districts of the colony. To the right hand of MOUNT DROMEDARY is the productive district of NEW NORFOLK. The road which passes over CONSTITUTION HILL leads to Port Dalrymple, Launceston, and George's Town. The houses on the road-side are the dwellings of settlers, and are the principal places at which travellers can obtain any accommodation in a journey from HOBART TOWN to the Northern Settlements.

The land in the vicinity of CONSTITUTION HILL is very good, affording excellent pasturage for cattle and sheep; and is very suitable for tillage.

The district of BAGDAD is particularly well watered, as on the right the JORDAN RIVER runs through the whole; and another excellent stream of water rises from the base of Constitution Hill, and joins the Jordan at TEA-TREE BUSH.

The road over this hill is very steep, but it cannot be avoided by travellers, without diverging very greatly to the right or left. Kangaroos are met with in vast numbers at the foot of this hill; and the Bush abounds with all kinds of birds appertaining to the colony; but most particularly with Pigeons, of which the flights are prodigious.

Accompanying text, 1825.