Bothwell, Tasmania facts for kids
Quick facts for kids BothwellTasmania |
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 Bothwell
Location in Tasmania
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| Population | 485 (2016 census) | ||||||||
| Postcode(s) | 7030 | ||||||||
| Elevation | 352 m (1,155 ft) | ||||||||
| Location | |||||||||
| LGA(s) | Central Highlands Council | ||||||||
| State electorate(s) | Lyons | ||||||||
| Federal Division(s) | Lyons | ||||||||
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Bothwell, Tasmania is a small town with a population at the 2016 census of 485. Situated in central Tasmania on the River Clyde in a broad valley, it is notable for hunting and being a lake district. It is part of the municipality of Central Highlands Council and will celebrate the bicentenary of its founding in 2022. Nearby locations include Hollow Tree, Hamilton, Ouse and Kempton.
The citation for Bothwell in the Australian Register of The National Estate describes Bothwell as:
"... an agricultural settlement on the Clyde River, set in a modified landscape, surrounded by low naturally vegetated hills. Consistently it is a loose grid plan settlement with large lot sizes. Civic details include avenue plantings and Queens Square. Dense pine plantings occur en route to the showground. Important homesteads occur on the west side of the river. It has two village centres, with fine churches and cemeteries grouped about Queen's Square. The general character of the town is one of looseness, internal open spaces being important, with consistent architecture generally in good condition. The settlement is important for its formal layout which is emphasised by continuing civic consciousness in building and landscape."
History
For some years after 1848, Bothwell was the place of exile of the Irish nationalist leaders John Mitchel and John Martin; their lodging Nant Cottage still stands.
Bothwell was until recently thought to be home to the oldest golf course in Australia, Ratho, which was thought to have been built in the mid-1850s. Recent research has shown that golf was not played in Ratho until 1860s. Golf in Australia started at Grose Farm in Sydney and the establishment of N.S Wales Golf Club by A.B. Spark.
Bothwell Post Office opened on 1 June 1832.
This was also the site of a radio telescope, built in the 1960s, in nearby Dennistoun, by one of the pioneers of radio astronomy, Grote Reber.
Climate
| Climate data for Bothwell | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 37.5 (99.5) |
36.0 (96.8) |
36.1 (97) |
28.6 (83.5) |
23.1 (73.6) |
17.9 (64.2) |
17.5 (63.5) |
21.5 (70.7) |
25.0 (77) |
32.3 (90.1) |
33.0 (91.4) |
34.0 (93.2) |
37.5 (99.5) |
| Average high °C (°F) | 22.5 (72.5) |
23.2 (73.8) |
20.6 (69.1) |
17.6 (63.7) |
13.5 (56.3) |
10.9 (51.6) |
10.6 (51.1) |
11.7 (53.1) |
13.6 (56.5) |
16.9 (62.4) |
18.4 (65.1) |
20.4 (68.7) |
16.7 (62.1) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 7.5 (45.5) |
7.4 (45.3) |
6.5 (43.7) |
5.1 (41.2) |
2.2 (36) |
0.1 (32.2) |
-0.2 (31.6) |
0.6 (33.1) |
2.2 (36) |
3.8 (38.8) |
5.6 (42.1) |
6.7 (44.1) |
4.0 (39.2) |
| Record low °C (°F) | -2.9 (26.8) |
-3.6 (25.5) |
-4.0 (24.8) |
-7.0 (19.4) |
-8.9 (16) |
-12.5 (9.5) |
-9.4 (15.1) |
-6.9 (19.6) |
-7.0 (19.4) |
-7.7 (18.1) |
-5.0 (23) |
-3.1 (26.4) |
-12.5 (9.5) |
| Precipitation mm (inches) | 37.7 (1.484) |
37.7 (1.484) |
37.2 (1.465) |
45.8 (1.803) |
42.0 (1.654) |
42.8 (1.685) |
44.5 (1.752) |
49.0 (1.929) |
46.9 (1.846) |
52.4 (2.063) |
50.9 (2.004) |
50.4 (1.984) |
536.9 (21.138) |
| Avg. precipitation days | 8.0 | 7.2 | 8.3 | 9.7 | 10.8 | 11.6 | 12.7 | 13.1 | 12.6 | 12.6 | 11.8 | 10.2 | 128.6 |
Notable residents
In alphabetical order by surname.
- John Frost chartist and convict, lived in Bothwell when he was assigned to W. Chester
- Keith Sydney Isles academic economist and vice chancellor of the University of Tasmania, born in Bothwell
- Maria Lord wealthy entrepreneur and convict, ran a shop in Bothwell and died in the town in 1859
- John Martin Irish nationalist leader and convict, lived in Bothwell with John Mitchell
- John Mitchel Irish nationalist leader and convict, lived in Bothwell with John Martin
- Harold Sprent Nicholas judge in the New South Wales Supreme Court, spent his childhood in Bothwell at his family property, Nant
- Sir Robert Officer politician and medical officer, lived in Bothwell
- Charles Myles Officer grazier and politician, lived in Bothwell
- Grote Reber radio astronomer, lived in Bothwell and constructed a radio telescope on the Dennistoun farm
- Charles Rowcroft novelist, one of the earliest settlers in Bothwell
- D'Arcy Wentworth Jr. soldier and politician, police magistrate of Bothwell
- William Weston 3rd Premier of Tasmania, lived in Bothwell for a time after his marriage to Ann Elphinstone, daughter of Captain William Clark of Bothwell
- John Dennistoun Wood Australian politician born at Dennistoun farm in Bothwell
