Tasmanian Field Naturalists’ Club 
EASTER CAMP-OUT, 1919 
By Clive E. Lord, Hon. Secretary 
Sines the formation of the Tasmanian 
Field Naturalists’ Club in 1994, excur¬ 
sions into that infer! sting realm of 
nature, "the bush,” have always been 
prominent features of the club’s activi¬ 
ties. As the club grow, : he seashore and 
later the floor of the ocean itself were 
added to the collecting grounds of til 1 
members. In pre-war days we used to 
charter a large coastal steamer, and sail 
away to the eastward. The camp would 
be pitched amid the pine fring.d gran¬ 
ite coasts of I'Tpycin f Peninsula, or 
some such beauty spot, and our vessel 
used for making excursions, or for the 
purpose of dredging specimens from Nep¬ 
tune’s garden. In 1914 one hundred mem¬ 
bers formed the camp at Wineglass Jlav, 
but since that time the war cloud has 
overshadowed all things. It was con¬ 
sidered advisable to keep the club’s ac¬ 
tivities in working order, however, and 
for the past few years smaller camps 
have been held at places nearer home. 
This year it was resolved to visit Eagle- 
hawk Neck, which had neon previously 
visited in 191B. and when all arrange¬ 
ments were complete, if was founu that 
the camping party would number forty 
members. As in previous years, an ad¬ 
vance party left in order to prepare the 
catnip for the main body. Accordingly 
on Wednesday morning, April 18, a few 
members in charge of all the camp im- 
nodimenta lift Hobart by the s.s. Car- 
tola. and arrived at Eagtehawk Neck at 
lunch time. Here the numerous pack¬ 
ages and,articles indispensable to a camp 
were loaded on to waggons and conveyed 
to the camp site. Owing to the kindness'' 
of Mr. denies, this was on his pro¬ 
perly. Peudennis. An open clearing sur¬ 
rounded by scrub and tall enenlypts was 
the chosen spot, and as it was' in close 
proximity to the bench, and a running 
creek supplied the camp with water, it 
was an almost ideal base upon which 
to found a camp. A start was immedi¬ 
ately made to erect the tents, and a pro¬ 
portion of our labours was accomplish¬ 
ed when darkness fell, and we assembled 
around the camp fire to enjoy a well 
earned meal. Next morning the autumn 
sun shone brightly, and after courting 
Neptune we continued the work of con¬ 
structing the miniature village, and this 
took most of tlie day. 
Kaglelmwk Neck has an interesting his¬ 
tory. As is well known, it is emeuy 
noted for being the only gateway to Gov¬ 
ernor Arthur’s "Natural Penitentiary” 
of Tasman’s Peninsula. Its connection 
with the convict era will ever remain, 
but apart front this it has historical sur¬ 
roundings of earlier date, and these, to¬ 
gether with the natural wonders of Tas¬ 
man's Arch, the Tesselated Pavement, 
and the Blowhole, will forever entwine 
the charm of romance with the other 
beauties of this locality. Along this 
rugged (except for exceptional intervals, 
such as Eaglelnawk Nick) section of the 
coast, Tasman first sailed his ships in 
November, 1642, and made known to the 
world the existence of u portion of Terra 
Australis. His ships were anchored a 
Few miles to the north of the Neck. Hire, 
too, i,n 1772, came the ill-fated Marion 
du Fresne, and it was on this voyage 
that the Tasmanian aboriginals were first 
met with, and, alas, some killed. The 
third European, us far as our present 
day records are aware, and the first Brit¬ 
ish navigator to sail along this section, 
was Captain Furneiuix, in 1773, and in 
1777 Captain Cook himself sailed by. The 
next visitor was Captain liligh. in the 
Bounty, in 1788. during the course of his 
ill-fated expedition. He visited the island 
again in 1792, when on a second and more 
successful expedition in quest of the 
bread fruit trees of Tahiviti. In 1789 
came Ca»tain Cox. in Hie Mercury, and 
it was In- who drew up the first chart 
of Maria Island. The exploring work 
of the French Admiral, Bruny D'Entre¬ 
casteaux, in 1792, and again in 1793, did 
much to advance the knowledge of Tas¬ 
manian geography. Commodore Sir John 
Hayes, who visited the island in 1793, 
spent most of his time in the Denvent 
estuary. It was not until the summer 
