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Tassie ABCs M-words.

© Allyso

M is another letter well-catered-for in Tasmania. For one thing, we have lots of mountains! Then there are interesting people, such as the Macquaries and the Merediths, whose names are dotted all over the island. There are also mines, Marys and Marias... but here we go.

M is for - Maatsuyker Island

It rains a lot of Maatsuyker Island, with wet weather on about 250 days of the year. The island lies 10 km off the south coats of Tasmania, and supports Australia's most southerly lighthouse. For pictures and some history, go to http://www.lighthouse.net.au/lights/TAS/...

M is for - Macquarie, Governor Lachlan and his wife Elizabeth.

Lachlan Macquarie was born on an island in the Scottish Hebrides in 1762, joined the Army at 14 and spent several years in India. A Scottish museum devoted to Macquarie has its own splendid website at http://www.holidaymull.org/macq.html

Macquarie was married twice, once briefly to a woman called Jane who died of tuberculosis, then to a distant cousin named Elizabeth Campbell. Her very interesting life story can be found at http://www.lib.mq.edu.au/all/journeys/hi... I think Lachlan must have been fond of Elizabeth, for she has several Tasmanian namesakes, including the Elizabeth River, Elizabeth Town and Campbelltown.

Lachlan Macquarie was Governor of New South Wales for several years, but his entry here is because he travelled extensively in Van Diemens Land (as Tasmania was then known) in 1811 and 1821. For more about his life, check out http://members.tripod.com/virtaus4/volum...

M is for - Macquarie Island and Macquarie Plains, also more than one Macquarie Street. All these were named after Governor Lachlan Macquarie, nicknamed "the builder", whose entry is above. Macquarie Island is 1500 km south south east of Tasmanian, one of Australia's sub-Antarctic territories and occupying a place on the World Heritage List. For pictures and lots more information, go to http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/homemi/macqi... . Expect to spend some time there; the website is very interesting.

Macquarie Plains is an area down in the Derwent Valley, in southern Tasmania.

M is for - Mangalore.

Mangalore is one of the southern towns on the way to Hobart. Others include Brighton, Pontville and Bagdad.

M is for - Mangana.

Mangana is a small town north west of Fingal. Gold was discovered there in the 1850s. It is named for Mangana, who was the chief of the Bruny Island tribe of Aborigines during the early 1800s. Mount Mangana on Bruny Island was also named for him.

M is for - Margate.

Margate is a small town situated on the Channel Highway, about 20 km south of Hobart. This is a lovely part of the world, and if you ever get the chance, do come and visit. Meanwhile, check out this website http://www.travelways.com.au/travelways/...

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