Account of Macquarie Harbour . 
359 
Art. III. Account of Macquarie Harbour. By T. G. 
Lempriere, Esq., D.A.C.G. 
Macquarie Harbour was discovered in 1816, by Mr. 
James Kelly, formerly Pilot and Harbour Master at 
Hobart Town, in the course of & voyage round Tas¬ 
mania in an open boat. 
The quantity of fine timber (especially of that valuable 
wood commonly called Iluon pine, in consequence of 
having been first observed on the banks of the river of 
that name in D’Entrecasteaux’s Channel,) growing in 
difierent parts of the shore of this estuary, induced Mr. 
Kelly to revisit the place several times, in a brig then 
belonging to Mr. Birch, a merchant of Hobart Town; 
and he returned each time with a valuable cargo of 
timber. 
In 1821, the Government being desirous of finding a 
proper place for the confinement and punishment of the 
worst description of convicts, Macquarie Harbour was, 
on the report of Mr. Kelly, selected as combining the 
threefold advantage of affording the means of employing 
the prisoners in such a manner as to make them severely 
feel their punishment,—of preventing, by its locality, the 
chance of their escape,—and of rendering their labour in¬ 
strumental in some measure to the purpose of repaying 
the expense of the establishment. 
Tw r o brigs were despatched with prisoners on the 12th 
December, 1821, for Macquarie Harbour; one of which, 
from contrary winds or other causes, reached the coast 
of New Holland, and, after some detention, was obliged 
to return to Hobart Town. The other was more fortu¬ 
nate ; and from her landed on the 2nd January, 1822, the 
first Commandant, Lieut. Cuthbertson, of His Majesty s 
48th regiment, Mr. Spence, the Assistant Surgeon, a 
detachment of the 48th regiment, and some male and 
