Sheffield - Cradle Valley, Tasmania.
Sheffield sits in the shadow of Mount Rowland about 30 kilometres south of Devonport amid a patchwork quilt of undulating hills and valleys which produce fat lambs and pigs as well as a variety of vegetable crops.
The area around Sheffield was first explored in 1842 by a Government surveyor named Nathaniel Kentish but, like much of the north coast of Tasmania, the district was very heavily timbered and initially not considered suitable for farming. It would be another seventeen years before any kind of settlement was established here and named by one of its earliest inhabitants, Edward Curr, after the city of Sheffield in his native Yorkshire.
Sheffield might have remained a quiet rural backwater for ever had the Tasmanian Government not undertaken the development of the Mersey-Forth Power Development Scheme in 1963, a move which saw the town develop very rapidly as the commercial and administrative hub of the project. A great engineering feat the scheme delivered seven man-made dams and seven power stations over the period of a decade but, when work ended in 1973, the bubble that was Sheffield’s industrial prosperity burst and the town slipped into economic decline.
Some years later local business leaders, seeking to resurrect their town and attract visitors to the district, became aware of a small town in Canada that was famous throughout North-America because of the murals decorating its buildings.
The community embraced the idea and the first mural appeared in Sheffield in 1986. Since then more than forty art-works have been completed, adorning walls throughout the town and depicting the regions history and scenic attractions.
Now known as the ‘Town of Murals’, the initiative is credited with attracting 120,000 visitors per year to Sheffield.
This Tassie Local snapshot was produced by Footloose Photographic & Media Solutions
Things to see around - Sheffield
Having the identity as the art capital of Tasmania means that museums and craft workshops are filled with tourists and local residents on a daily basis, However not only is there the Kentish Museum and Mural House there are numerous natural attractions in the Sheffield area such as Mount Roland and Cradle Mountain.
Kentish Museum
The Kentish Museum is a heritage museum at Sheffield, north west Tasmania. The Kentish museum preserves and displays artifacts from Sheffield’s history. Exhibits include agricultural machinery, minerals, shop fittings, old books, historical newspapers, pioneer household effects and clothing. The museum also has excellent displays on the history of hydro-electricity in the local area.
The Kentish Museum is located in Sheffield’s main street and is open from 10am until 3pm each day.
Telephone: 03 6491 1861 Location: 93 High Street, Sheffield, Tasmania.
Mural House
The Mural House showcases spectacular murals that have been created by local artists in the area. With a small admission cost you can enjoy the relaxing mood the murals have to offer and share with others the stories and history behind the town of Sheffield on High Street.
Telephone: 03 6491 1784 Location: 100 High Street, Sheffield, Tasmania.
Website: www.muralhouse.com.au
Tasmazia and The Village of Lower Crackpot
Tucked quietly away in a curious town called 'Promised Land' just 15 minutes south of Sheffield is the intriguing world of Tasmazia.
Set aside a whole day to explore this magical world created by Laird and Lady Crackpot (Brian Inder and his wife Laura) over the past 20 years, the complex includes 8 mazes including an exact replica of the famous maze at Hampton Court Palace in England, a scale model village featuring houses, churches, pubs and the school of lateral thinking.
Tasmazia also features a childrens haven called 'Cubby Town', a Pancake Parlour with a selection of sweet and savoury pancakes and extensive picnic facilities to enable you to bring your own lunch. The Honey Boutique, Lavender Farm and Gift Shop rounds out the experience, a day the whole family will enjoy.
Telephone: 03 6491 1934 Location: 500 Staverton Road, Promised Land, Tasmania.
Website: www.tasmazia.com.au
The weather in Tasmania’s Cradle Valley is generally mild, with an average maximum temperature of 21 degrees Celsius (69 degrees Fahrenheit) in summer and 11 degrees Celsius (51 degrees Fahrenheit) in winter.
Sheffield - Cradle Valley, Tasmania
