Ancestors

Dolly Dalrymple lived from 1812 until 1864. She was one of the first children born in Tasmania with an Aboriginal mother, Worrete-moete-yenner, and a European father. She was adopted by a white family and grew up in Launceston.

She met and was eventually allowed to marry a freed convict named Thomas Johnson and together they farmed at Dairy Plains.

In about 1847 Dolly and Thomas moved to Latrobe where they prospered in a timber business and became owners of large areas of land. Dolly and Thomas raised 10 children, many of whose descendants live in the north-west of Tasmania today.

Fanny was born in 1834 at Wybalenna. Her mother was Tanganutura of the Cape Portland people; her father was thought to be Nicermenic from Robbins Island. In 1847 she and her family went to live at Oyster Cove. In 1854 she married William Smith. The government gave Fanny ₤24 per year, which would have been the cost of her keep at Oyster Cove.

Fanny kept in close touch with her family at Oyster Cove. When she was given a 100 acres land grant, she selected it at Nicholls Rivulet to be near her people. The grant was some form of compensation to her as an Aboriginal person. Fanny practised and taught many of the old traditional skills of hunting, stringing shell necklaces and basket making. She and William raised a large family of 11 children and became a mainstay of the little community in the Channel region. She was loved and respected by Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people alike.

Download the Dolly and Fanny story panel.