New Norfolk

Replica oast houses built for a nursing home in New Norfolk

Approximately 163 of the pioneers who settled around the town were from the 554 folk resettled when the first Norfolk Island settlement was closed, most arriving during the period between 29 November 1807 and 2 October 1808.[5] These Norfolk Islanders were mainly farming families, who were offered land grants in Tasmania as compensation for their relocation.

The climate was colder than sub-tropical Norfolk Island, which proved a challenge for the hardy pioneers during the first few years, but eventually the district became self-supporting. In 1825 the original name of the town, Elizabeth Town, was changed to New Norfolk in honour of their former home.

Many founding folk were "First Fleeters", transferred from Sydney to Norfolk Island when it was settled just a few weeks after Sydney. Ten First Fleeters are buried in the Methodist Chapel at Lawitta, New Norfolk.

Notable is Betty King, née Elizabeth Thackery, a first fleet convict girl who married at New Norfolk on 28 January 1810. The headstone on Betty's well-tended grave reads, "The first white woman to set foot in Australia" from the First Fleet at Sydney Cove. She is also believed to be the last surviving First Fleeter, male or female, when she died at 89 years of age on 7 August 1856. Her husband was Marine Private Samuel King of the First Marine Regiment, another First Fleeter who arrived aboard the warship "Sirius". Sam King was the last male "First Fleeter" to survive until 21 October 1849, aged 86 years.

Nine other First Fleeters were Ellen Guy (née Wainright), James Bryan Cullen, William Dempsey, William Edmunds, William Foyle, Abraham Hand, Stephen Martin, John Ruglass, and Edward Westlake.

The pioneers were successful farmers of the rich land around the town. Initially cattle and sheep were predominant, with some cropping as land was cleared. Hop plants were introduced in 1846, and became an important crop. A number of hop drying kilns or oast houses remain in the area including those at Glen Derwent (built by Cullen) and Valleyfield.[6]

The first road connecting the town to Hobart was built in 1818.

On 19 April 1827, Governor George Arthur issued an order to create the Willow Court infirmary, later known as Lachlan Park and most recently the Royal Derwent Hospital, as an asylum to accept sick and invalid convicts from Hobart, Launceston and outstations. Willow Court is now a large antiques centre.

The New Norfolk Post Office opened on 1 June 1832.[7]

For some years after 1848, New Norfolk was the place of exile of the Irish nationalist leader Terence MacManus. His cottage "Kilburn Grange" still stands. Later he was joined by his fellow Irish rebel, William Smith O'Brien, who lived at Elwin's Hotel (now known as Glen Derwent).

In 1887, the railway, now preserved as the Derwent Valley Railway, was built. In 1888, Australia's first telephone trunk call was connected from Hobart to the Bush Inn Hotel in New Norfolk.[6]

The 500-seat Plaza Theatre was constructed on a corner lot on High Street and opened its doors in 1932. Seating increased to 650 after renovations in 1940, however capacity was heavily reduced to 250 in 1971, with the venue utilising only the balcony seating. By March 1986, a new projection box was built and a side entrance was added to an auditorium wall, with the rear stalls and the previous foyer utilised for shopping. In 2016 the building is a Terry White Chemist.[8]

During the 1940s, a newsprint mill was established at nearby Boyer, boosting industry in the local area.