Cygnet, Tasmania
| Cygnet Tasmania |
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 Cygnet
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| Population | 839 (2006 census)[1] | ||||||||
| Postcode(s) | 7112 | ||||||||
| Location | |||||||||
| LGA(s) | Huon Valley Council | ||||||||
| State electorate(s) | Franklin | ||||||||
| Federal Division(s) | Franklin | ||||||||
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Cygnet is a town in the Huon Valley, south of Huonville, Tasmania.
History
The bay on which Cygnet sits was named Port des Cygnes (Port of Swans) by French navigator Bruni D'Entrecasteaux in 1793, because he observed a large number of black swans in the area.
The first European settler in the district was William Nichols in 1834. Nichols received a grant for three hundred and twenty acres of land on the north side of Port Cygnet in 1829. After the land had been cleared and accommodation built, Nichols moved his family to this property. At the time the property was only accessible by a walking track from Browns River or up the river by boat.
His grandson, John Wilson, established a shipbuilding business at what was now known as Port Cygnet. Until the end of the 1850s, timber was the main source of income as land was cleared. Timber was exported from the area for firewood, house building and fence palings.
In 1840 the township of Port Cygnet was surveyed. Land was advertised for sale to the public in 1848. The Post Office opened on 1 January 1854. The town was known as Port Cygnet until 1895, Lovett until 1915 and then Cygnet.[2]
The town today
There are three pubs, one RSL club, two petrol stations (one with an ATM), a Commonwealth Bank, Bendigo Bank, Catholic and Anglican churches, three cafe/restaurants, a hardware store, three doctor's clinics, a couple of backpackers hostels, a public golf course, a bookshop, newsagent, two hairdressing salons, butcher, take away food shop, organic grocer and various other clothing and special interest stores. There are also several art studios, a print workshop with an old printing press, a library linked to the collection of the State Library of Tasmania, a children's toy library and a museum.
Cygnet is something of a local mecca for artists, musicians, craftspeople and creative types and the home of the widely popular annual Cygnet Folk Festival, Cygnet Folk Festival [1] which occurs in early January and attracts musicians and music lovers from mainland Australia and the world. Festival musicians are billeted with locals.
Reflecting the mix of agricultural and creative local residents, other events in Cygnet include the Harvest Festival, film festivals (e.g. "Bollywood Film Festival"), annual art exhibitions [1], dances and numerous other social gatherings.
The local area also supports a farming population and there are many second homes, sometimes known as "shacks" in Tasmania. About a mile south of the town centre is Port Cygnet (home of the Port Cygnet Yacht Club), a safe anchorage for pleasure craft with easy road and walking access to Cygnet. Cygnet and surrounding suburbs have access to the beautiful D'Entrecasteau Channel on one side and the Huon River on the other.
Cygnet is in the Huon Valley Council municipality.
References
External links
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Southern region of Tasmania, Australia
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