Evandale, Tasmania
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Evandale Tasmania |
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St. Andrews Church, Evandale
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 Evandale
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| Coordinates | 41°35′S 147°14′E / 41.583°S 147.233°ECoordinates: 41°35′S 147°14′E / 41.583°S 147.233°E |
| Population | 1,059 (2006 census) |
| Postcode(s) | 7212 |
| Location |
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| LGA(s) | Northern Midlands Council |
| State electorate(s) | Lyons |
| Federal Division(s) | Lyons |
Evandale is a small town in northern Tasmania, Australia. It sits on the banks of the South Esk River 18 km south of Launceston. A classified historic town, many of its buildings remain largely in original condition. It is famous for a popular Sunday market and as host to the annual World Penny Farthing bicycle Championships. At the 2006 census, Evandale had a population of 1,059.
There is a primary school, churches, parks, pubs, shops and a fire station. Nearby locations include Nile, Deddington and Perth.
The first inhabitants of the present site of Evandale were Tasmanian Aborigines (Palawa). The site lies at the interface of country originally belonging to the Ben Lomond and North Midlands Nations (most likely the Panninher Clan). The ethnographic record in regards to aboriginal populations in the North Midlands of Tasmania is scanty, as many of the original inhabitants were displaced or did not survive the first colonial occupation of the South Esk Valley in the early 1800s. However, archeological remains of Palawa campsites and artifacts existed on the river flats just below the present site of Evandale (now Rotary Park) and also at Native Point, 2 km downstream, which was a known 'resort of the natives'. The Evandale region also appears to have encompassed an aboriginal route from the Tamar Valley to the Lake River and it is likely that this area was a hunting ground and meeting point for local clans of the North Midlands Nation.
As with first contact in other areas of Tasmania, relations with the first settlers were often peaceable. The settler David Gibson was reported to have left out slaughtered stock for aborigines to roast (or at least to feed their hunting dogs). This may have been an example of payment for occupation or use of clan hunting grounds.
Relations with European settlers soured during the 1820s as settler encroachment increased and lethal violence against aboriginal clans was permitted by lax colonial policy. Seasonal passage through the midlands was hindered by opportunistic attacks from stockmen, such as the 'outrages' recorded against women of the Leterremairrener clan at Patersons Plains, north of Evandale, and also from larger scale organised assault by settlers, constabulary and military; which led to massacres at Norfolk Plains in the west and Campbelltown in the south. The aboriginal clans were severely depleted during this time but actively began a campaign of guerrilla attacks on settlers in the Midlands region that became known as the Black War.
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Wikipedia