- Kettering, Tasmania
Infobox Australian Place | type = town
name = Kettering
state = Tasmania
postcode = 7155
est =
pop = 827 [2006Census , Quickstats Data. Retrieved on February 12th, 2008]
elevation= 12
maxtemp =
mintemp =
rainfall =
stategov = Franklin
fedgov = Franklin
lga =Municipality of Kingborough
dist1 = 32
dir1 = S
location1=Hobart
dist2 = 20
dir2 = S
location2= Kingston
dist3 = 4
dir3 = N
location3= WoodbridgeKettering,
Tasmania is a coastal town on theD'Entrecasteaux Channel . Kettering (37 km south ofHobart ) and Woodbridge nestle into the coast on the D'Entrecasteaux Channel oppositeBruny Island - two tiny settlements gazing across the narrow channel at the island's low lying hills. At the 2006 census, Kettering had a population of 827.History
The area was first explored by Bruni D'Entrecasteaux in 1792 and was settled in the early 1800s by timber cutters, whalers and sealers. Life was hard and the people who lived in the area rarely settled for long preferring the life in Hobart Town to the whaling stations and logging camps.
It was just north of Kettering in
Oyster Cove that the last Tasmanian Aboriginal settlement was established in 1847. Aborigines from all overVan Diemen's Land had been rounded up some years earlier and isolated onFlinders Island . In 1847 the remnants, now only 44 people, were taken to a reserve atOyster Cove . By 1855 there were only 16 people left and by 1869 onlyTruganini remained. She died in 1876 but it was not until 1976 that her ashes were thrown to the winds on the D'Entrecasteaux Channel.Today
Today the area is noted for its orchards (apples, cherries, pears) and Kettering has become an important service centre for the local farmers. Like so much of the area south of Hobart, both towns have become centres for commuters and alternative lifestyle dwellers who find the peacefulness suits them.
These tiny settlements are now the focus of marine activities. Kettering is the centre for fishing in the region. It has two major marinas, South Haven Marina and Oyster Cove Marina, as well as many smaller, privately owned jetties. Approximately 400 boats are located in Kettering whether on moorings or in marinas. The
Bruny Island Ferry , Mirambeena, runs from Kettering numerous times a day.Kettering has a thriving community involved in many artistic pursuits. There are many artists and crafts people living in Kettering and the Southern Channel. 2008 saw a local production of Under Milk Wood, presented as a radio play in the local Community Hall which was very successful. It also was at the centre of the Art Trail (www.kocres.org/Art) an event which included 3 exhibitions and 9 artists' studios opened to the public. The local Kettering Music Group have been organising 2 or 3 Chamber Music concerts (www.kocres.org/Music) and a Jazz concert in July (www.kocres.org/Jazz) since 2004. The next Art Trail is planned for August 2010.
Features and services
*Kettering has three
general stores , all locally owned.
*The Oyster Cove Inn is a large mansion at the head of the bay which has been recently bought and refurbished and restored to its original glory.
*The Kettering Oval is used throughout the summer mainly forCricket but also for events such as The Taste of the Huon which showcases some of the Channel andHuon Valley 's finest food and wine.
*Kettering has apost office owned byAustralia Post and run locally.
*Kettering has two cafés, the Mermaid Café situated next to the Bruny Island Ferry Terminal and the Farmgate Café which specialises in pork and is the local deli too.
* Kettering has a well appointed Community Hall with excellent acoustics, suited for meetings, concerts, theatre and exhibitions. It has a badminton court and local enthusiasts play weekly.References
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.