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In late 1890 Thomas purchased a sheep run known as Blackmans on the Forestier Peninsula, followed by the larger title of Lagoon Bay (1,640 acres) in 1899. Over the following years Thomas' sons purchased additional land, all of which now forms Bangor.
In January 2006, the Dunbabins had a family reunion to celebration their rich Tasmanian history. Many family members worked to collate the written and oral history of the family in Tasmania. This history has been documented into a beautiful book with a companion DVD, both titled "Welsh Oaks to She-oaks: Dunbabins in Tasmania 1830-2006".
Documentation of the family history is continuing, with Tom Dunbabin currently writing a book that will detail the seven years that the members of the Dunbabin family spent working on Maria Island, 1869 - 1876. Much of what is known about their time on Maria Island comes from a collection of letters written between family members on the island and the mainland of Tasmania. They give a fascinating insight into the daily lives of those tenacious pioneering farmers.
Tom is also writing some essays about the natural beauty of Bangor and has recently completed a beautiful short story titled "A Wedgies Tale", describing the eagles at Bangor.
Anyone interested in further information about any of these publications can contact Tom.
History of the Dunbabin Family in Tasmania
In 1830 John Dunbabin arrived in Tasmania. From Marchwiel, near Wrexham in North Wales, he was one of the thousands of men and women transported to Van Diemens Land for committing offences in Britain. John had stolen a horse and was given a 14 year sentence. On arrival he was assigned to a free settler Henry Bilton, who had property in southern Tasmania. John married Anne Eccles, a fellow convict, in 1839 and they lived at Bilton's Bream Creek property with their six children. Their sons John and Thomas had a grazing lease on Maria Island from 1869-76. John and Mary (née Murdoch) had three children, one of whom was Robert Leslie, professor of Classics at the University of Tasmania, 1917-39. Thomas and his wife Sarah (née Murdoch), had eleven children and farmed at Marchwiel and also here at Bangor, Dunalley.
FARMING FOR THE FUTURE
