The 'City of Clarence' is a
Local Government Area in
Tasmania,
Australia. It is located on the eastern shore of the
Derwent River, opposite the
City of Hobart and
City of Glenorchy. It is run by the 'Clarence City Council'.
The city has large areas of residential property interspersed with natural bushland. It has a long range of hills known as the
Meehan Range which runs parallel to the river, and housing is only built to a certain height, preserving the natural skyline along the hills. There is large areas of farmland, and many vineyards, particularly in the
Coal River valley. It also includes some rural and non-urban areas, such as the
South Arm peninsula. The city of Clarence, along with
Glenorchy,
Hobart, and
Kingborough form
Greater Hobart.
In terms of area, Clarence is one of the largest cities in
Australia, covering over 386 square kilometres, with 191 kilometres of coastline.
Clarence was the site of the first European settlement in
Tasmania (then
Van Diemen's Land) in 1803 at
Risdon Cove. It became a municipality in 1860, and a city on the 24th of November, 1988. As of the 2004 census, the population of the City of Clarence was 50,257.
Clarence is connected to
Glenorchy via the
Bowen Bridge, and Hobart via the
Tasman Bridge, both over the
Derwent River. It is connected to
Sorell at
Midway Point by the 19th century historic convict built
Sorell Causeway.
The
Hobart International Airport and
Bellerive Oval are both located in the City of Clarence.
Rosny Park is the main commercial district (featuring
Eastlands Shopping Centre) and also the administrative centre of Clarence.
Recent history
Clarence suffered terrible damage and many homes were lost within the city during the infamous
1967 Tasmanian fires. A second disaster occurred in the city in 1975 when the bulk carrier, ''
Lake Illawarra'' collided with the
Tasman Bridge collapsing a section of roadway in the
Tasman Bridge Disaster. Ironically, this event, which severed 'The Eastern Shore' from
Hobart for nearly three years, was responsible for considerable infrastructure growth on 'The Eastern Shore', leading to it being largely self-sustaining, and being declared a city in its own right.
References
1. Local Government Area populations and median ages - Tasmania
External link
★
Clarence City Council