Tuesday, June 23, 2009

When Tasmania was Van Diemen's land






There is another large concentration of people here on the island, up at the top in Launceston. There is basically one straight route to get there by car, the midlands. Stating that the midlands is a highway is basically calling the coastal Rt. 1 of California a highway. Launceston has a roller derby team, and together our state comes under the moniker of 'The Van Diemens Roller Girls'. Some of the girls from each team met up, in the center of the state, in a town called Oatlands. This meeting was for the officers of the committee to meet and for all of us to have a bit of bonding and skating. I love that Oatlands has always been considered the center-a base for organizing and assigning convict labor, as well as the military hub.
My back was (is) bothering me so I stayed and skated inside the town hall, but most of the girls took to the quiet streets of the historic town, shaking up the locals and scattering the sheep.
The town have residents that probably number about five hundred (not counting the sheep), and is filled with lovely, Georgian, convict built, sandstone houses. There are nice churches and a great mill built in 1837, with a formal garden and windmill still working. The non-committee members, myself included had a nice wander around the town. During the time of Tasmania being Van Diemen's land this was the center of the action both geographically and literally. Not that one would find this apparent from my photos but the midlands is suffering a drought which has had a huge negative impact on the farming community that remains.
Roller Derby participation continues to have its unforeseen perks, as I have always wanted to stop in this town, but I was either rushing to get to the ferry;
http://www.spiritoftasmania.com.au
or exhausted and rushing to get back home again, so this trip was great. I rode up with Injure Ninja, and Eliza Hornberry and although we left hours before the sun came up, I had a nice time. This is saying a lot because I do not like to wake up before sunrise unless Mickey is involved (this means a trip to Disneyland people). But I have to admit I continue to be pleased by the lovely place I have landed. I am also realizing just how happy I am by having conversations with all these new people. I understand why people who have grown up here would wonder at my choice to come here, but of course one of the only drawbacks-the whole 'small town' everyone knows your name (misdeeds and failures) doesn't apply. Although I really did feel pretty closed in by the industry I worked in, and sometimes Seattle felt really, really small. To me this says that larger things need to be important, such as the feeling of quiet and happiness that permeates my world.
My winter continues busy though. I can't believe July is almost here. I have two classes, yoga and sewing which insures that even if everything else were to stop tomorrow, I won't be allowed to sleep through winter, tempting as that may be.

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