Evelyn Temple Emmett
| Evelyn Temple Emmett | |
|---|---|
| Born |
18 May 1871 Launceston, Australia |
| Died | 9 December 1970 (aged 99) Hobart |
| Occupation | Tourist director, bushwalker and writer in Australia |
| Spouse(s) | Sophie Margaret Maguire |
| Parent(s) | Skelton Buckley Emmett and Maria Evelyn née Smith |
Evelyn Temple Emmett (1871–1970) was the first Director of the Tasmanian Government Tourist Bureau and a founder of the Hobart Walking Club. He actively promoted skiing and bushwalking in the state and served on several National Park boards. Several Tasmanian features are named after him. Today he is increasingly regarded as one of the foremost Tasmanians of his period.
Evelyn Temple Emmett was born in Launceston on 18 May 1871 and grew up on the farm of his father, Skelton Emmett, in the village of Forest, within sight of The Nut at Stanley in Tasmania's north-west. His father was a pioneer farmer, prospector and track-cutter, a colourful and multi-faceted personality. His grandfather, Henry James Emmett, brought his young family out to Van Diemen's Land from England, arriving on 10 December 1819, only fifteen years after the establishment of Hobart Town.
E.T. Emmett's early schooling was at Stanley, though he later attended Scotch College, Launceston. In his youth Emmett excelled in road races and walking matches, and later became a champion cyclist and an accomplished ballroom dancer.
On 14 April 1903 he married Sophie Margaret Maguire at St Paul's Church of England, Stanley; they had three sons and three daughters.
He died in Hobart on 9 December 1970.
On completing his education he worked at Scotch College, Launceston as a teacher for a brief period, before accepting the position of Junior Clerk with the Tasmanian Main Line Railway Company in 1888. When the Tasmanian Government took over the railways a few years later, Emmett was promoted to the position of Chief Clerk.
A capable administrator, Emmett was chosen in 1914 to oversee the beginnings of the company's tourism operation. His obvious flair and ability for the position led to his appointment as first Director of the newly formed Tasmanian Government Tourist Bureau. Emmett was eminently qualified for the job; he was well-educated, personable and articulate, and possessed an extensive knowledge of the state and its history. He had grown up in the Tasmanian bush, felt a close affinity with it and drew on his bush experiences throughout his life. The early years of his directorship were challenging times, as the concept of tourism was still in its infancy and only limited funds were available. But Emmett's intimate knowledge of all things Tasmanian allowed him to accurately assess the state's tourist potential. He worked tirelessly to lay the foundations of the fledgling industry. Whenever tourist numbers for Tasmania fell, he would immediately embark upon a series of promotional tours of the Australian mainland states, using lantern slides and his gift as a skilled public speaker to introduce Tasmania to new markets. Such promotion – commonplace today – was then a bold thrust into the tourist marketplace. His lectures were invariably well received by packed mainland audiences.
...
Wikipedia