PRISONER CORNELIUS GLEESON
STEREOGRAPHS 1872
Thomas Nevin was married and a first-time father by June 4th, 1872 when heavy rains and the great landslide at Glenorchy destroyed houses, farms, businesses and streets and tore boulders and vegetation from the slopes of Mount Wellington. He was living at his city studio, The City Photographic Establishment, 140 Elizabeth St. Hobart with his wife Elizabeth Rachel Day and their new-born daughter May (Mary Florence) who was born just a fortnight earlier on the 19th May 1872 (she died to the day exactly 83 yrs later, on 4th June 1955). That Tuesday night of the great flood in Glenorchy, photographic stock at Nevin's old studio in nearby New Town was probably saturated by the heavy rain, if water damage on some of his extant photographs taken a few months earlier in January 1872 at Adventure Bay, is any indication. But his anxieties would have been far greater concerning his parents living in the cottage his father had built at Kangaroo Valley on land above the Lady Franklin Museum, in the northern foothills of Mount Wellington.
Within days of the landslide, Thomas Nevin was out and about taking photographs of the damage on commission for the Lands and Survey Division of the Hobart City Council, most likely in the company of Mr. Hull, Council Clerk for the district. These three extant stereographs are held at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery. Both stereographs in yellow mounts bear verso the Royal Arms insignia studio stamp issued to Thomas J. Nevin by the Attorney-General, W. R. Giblin and Surveyor-General J. Erskine Calder in 1868 for use on government commissions. The same stamp appears on police photographs of prisoners (convicts), of the Royal Mail coach operated by Sam Page, of full-length and mounted cartes-de-visite of staff members of the Hobart City Council, their wives and children, and on photographs such as these of streets, landscapes, mining operations, caves and geological formations. The third stereograph in a buff mount is the same photograph of Humphrey Rivulet as the one above it. It bears no stamp, and was probably printed for private or experimental use.
Water flow caused by the landslip at Glenorchy, June 1872
Stereograph in arched yellow mount
Thomas J. Nevin, June 1872.
Verso stamped with Nevin's Royal Arms insignia issued by Lands Dept.
TMAG Ref: Q1994.56.2. Verso below
Verso:Water flow caused by the landslip at Glenorchy 1872
Stereograph in arched yellow mount
Thomas J. Nevin 1872.
Verso bears Nevin's Royal Arms insignia stamp issued by Lands Dept.
TMAG Ref: Q1994.56.2.
The Landslip at Glenorchy June 1872
Humphrey Rivulet showing passage of the debris flow.
Stereograph in arched yellow mount
Thomas J. Nevin June, 1872.
TMAG Ref: Q1686.20. Verso stamp same as above on Q1994.56.2.
The Landslip at Glenorchy June 1872
Humphrey Rivulet showing passage of the debris flow.
Stereograph in arched buff mount
Thomas J. Nevin 1872.
Sames as TMAG Ref: Q1686.20. Verso blank.
TMAG Ref: Q16826.36. Verso below.
Historical accounts of the Glenorchy Landslip 1872
Tasmanian Geological Survey Record 2007/01
A compilation of historical accounts of the 1872 Glenorchy landslide
C. Mazengarb, G. J. Dickens & C. R. Calver
Read the full document HERE
EXCERPTS
These excerpts are courtesy of the Department of Infrastructure, Energy and Resources Mineral Resources Tasmania. A single image print held at the Archives Office of Tasmania of another of Nevin's photographs of the landslip was published in this report, viz:.
Title:The landslip on Mt Wellington near Glenorchy
In:Tasmanian scenes P. 33, item 66
Publisher:[ca. 1873]
Description:1 photograph : sepia toned ; 11 x 19 cm
Format: Photograph
ADRI: AUTAS001124075482
Source: W.L. Crowther Library
From the Introduction:
"Late at night on Tuesday 4 June 1872, after about 24 hours of heavy rain, a large landslide took place on the steep northern slope of Mt Arthur (at approximately 517 300 mE, 5 252 400 mN — coordinate datum GDA94). The slide — incorporating a huge volume of floodwater, boulders, broken trees, sediment and other debris — was channelled rapidly down Humphrey Rivulet and disgorged onto the plains of what is now the city of Glenorchy. A number of houses and farms were damaged or destroyed. Miraculously, no lives were lost, although one drowning had occurred during the floods of the preceding afternoon.
The descriptions of this event are consistent with it being due to a debris flow, a fast-moving torrent of water, mud and debris. The 1872 Glenorchy landslide remains the largest and most damaging debris flow recorded in Tasmania since European settlement. If a similar event was to be repeated today, the impact on the now densely built environment of the city of Glenorchy would be severe. Similar debris flows could also reach Hobart from the slopes of Mt Wellington, and although likely to be highly unusual (infrequent) events, debris flows are a significant geological hazard in the greater Hobart area, as shown by recent geohazard mapping (Mazengarb, 2005)...."
Source: Tasmanian Geological Survey Record 2007/01 A compilation of historical accounts of the 1872 Glenorchy landslide by C. Mazengarb, G. J. Dickens & C. R. Calver
Page 5: The Mercury, Wednesday 5 June 1872
Prisoner Gleeson's commendable heroics
Mercury 5th June 1872
TRANSCRIPT
WELLINGTON BRIDGE.
This bridge narrowly escaped being burst up in consequence of the accumulation of debris, consisting of timber, and other things, which had to be removed by special means. Aldermen Nicol and Rheuben were particularly active on the occasion, and Superintendent Propsting, Constables Green and Hollis, and others, did substantial service in superintending and assisting to clear away obstructions. At the request of the Public Works Committee, the Hon. Colonial Secretary gave orders for two gangs of prisoners from the gaol to work at the bridge, and these, headed by a man named Gleeson, behaved with much daring, indeed risking their lives, to seize the debris as it rushed, borne on the torrent, towards the bridge, and hand it ashore. The attention of the Colonial Secretary was specially directed to Gleeson and the other men who acted so praiseworthily in behalf of the citizens. Besides the Aldermen already named, we noticed Aldermen Crisp, Risby, and Belbin taking an active interest in the various operations. The timber and other articles rescued from the water were stacked in the road, and showed how much good had been effected in removing such formidable obstructions. The names of the constables referred to, and other members of the force who rendered good service in this and other localities, and of the prisoners mentioned, will be submitted in a formal way to the authorities, with a view to the recognition of their services, and, in the case of the prisoners, to some indulgence, which they well merit.
Cornelius Gleeson was discharged on 26 June 1872, at the Hobart Gaol from a 6 months sentence, residue remitted, originally charged on 12th February 1872 with being on premises for an unlawful purpose. It is entirely possible that his sentence was remitted on merit because of the leadership he showed in heading a group of fellow prisoners from the Hobart Gaol to catch and clean up the debris at Wellington Bridge (Elizabeth St.) during the great deluge of June 4th 1872 which swept through the city and resulted in a huge landslip at Glenorchy. The Mercury mentioned him twice in this report of the floods, June 5th, 1872. Despite the promise of indulgences for these heroic deeds, Gleeson continued to offend. Eighteen months later he was sentenced at the Supreme Court Hobart for the crime of burglary and larceny (2 December 1873), for which he earned an eight year sentence and a mugshot taken by Thomas Nevin at the Hobart Gaol.
Print of Thomas Nevin's original mugshot (glass negative) of Cornelius Gleeson (1873)
Reprints by J. W. Beattie ca. 1915
QVMAG Collection: Ref : 1983_p_0163-0176
Page 7: The Mercury, Wednesday 5 June 1872
GLENORCHY.
Very serious disaster has to be recorded in this locality,
and the devastation, we regret to say has been attended
with loss of life, a man named Moran in the
employment of Messrs. Wright and Co. having been
carried away by the flood in the endeavour to save the
property of his employers by removing some logs
which threatened it. The properties of Messrs. Wright,
Reed and the Rev. Mr Symons, have also suffered
much injury, the whole of the extensive hop grounds of
Mr Stephen Wright being completely inundated. The
residence and grounds of the Rev. Mr Symons was
almost entirely submerged, the water being up to the
eaves of his cottage and he and his family being
compelled to seek refuge at the residence of Mr H
Hopkins, New Town.
Pages 9, 10 : The Mercury, Thursday 6 June 1872
GLENORCHY — IMMENSE LAND SLIPS.
In addition to the few particulars which we gave in our
yesterday’s issue, we have now to record a far more
disastrous visitation in this locality. The residents in
the vicinity of O’Brien’s Bridge [locality 3, fig. 1] were
at a late hour on Tuesday congratulating themselves
on the belief that the worst danger had passed, and
hailing with satisfaction the gradual subsidence of the
waters in the creek, when at about half-past ten o’clock
a dreadful dull rumbling sound, a heavy smothered
crash, and a deafening roar of flowing waters, gave
evidence of some unusual convulsion of Nature. Those
who had not retired to rest started to their feet in alarm,
whilst many who had sought repose after the fatigues
and anxieties of the day’s work in protecting their
premises from destruction, hurriedly attired
themselves and issued from their dwellings anxious to
ascertain the cause of the shock. The night was
intensely dark, and the inhabitants of the village were
soon all astir congregated in groups, and dull
forebodings passed rapidly from one to another as to
the unknown, invisible danger which threatened
them. Preparations were at once made for the saving of
life and property, those having tenements on the low
lands leaving them and taking with them such
property as they could secure. About an hour after the
sound was heard that caused so much consternation,
the waters were heard approaching with a dull
rumbling sound. An immense wall of it was seen in the
darkness to be coming on, bearing onward with
irresistible force everything with which it came in
contact. Eyes which had now become accustomed to
the darkness, saw borne on the foaming torrent, huge
masses, consisting of trees uptorn by the roots, and
bearing with them branches of others, tangled
undergrowth, dead timber, masses of rocks, portions
of broken buildings, and other debris all mingled,
tumbling one over another in a most grand but terrible
confusion. Houses substantially built were carried
away like wooden matchboxes, and the furious flood
burst from the inadequate creek channel, and forced
for itself new passages over the cultivated ground.
Land which had hitherto had entire immunity from
inundation was suddenly covered to a depth of many
feet; and trees, dead timber, and other drift, finding
obstructions, piled itself in gigantic heaps, resembling
hastily constructed barricades. The light of morning
was never more anxiously awaited then by the
watchers through that fearful night, and when dawn
broke it revealed surroundings which told in the most
forcible way of the desolation which has been wrought
in the few previous hours. Hundreds of acres of
ground which a day to two before had gladdened the
eye of the traveller as he passed through the
picturesque village, and admired the trim and neat
appearance of the gardens and the luxuriance of the
hop grounds and orchards, were now a desolate waste
of mud and silt, with sheets of turbid water lying in
patches over their surface, and trees of immense size
cumbering the ground at short intervals. A glance to
the left disclosed the cause of the previous night’s
alarm. Those familiar with the scenery at the foot of
black-browed Wellington at once discovered an
appearance entirely dissimilar to that which had
hitherto met their eyes as they had daily wandered
round the horizon. A great land slip had occurred. One
immense mass of fallen earth of a dusky brown
intermixed with a yellow clayey material met their
view, and another similar, but a much smaller one, was
to be seen where, the previous evening, only verdure
clad hills were visible. It is impossible to adequately
describe the altered appearance of the locality and the
dire destruction which has visited the property
holders. On the estate of Mr. Murray thousands of tons
of wood are to be seen spread over the ground. His
property of Murray field [locality 5, fig. 1] has suffered
to an extent which at present it would be difficult to
estimate. His manufactory has been thrown down, and
the vinegar and candle works and appliances by which
he carried on his business, entirely destroyed. The
bridge has been severely assailed. At the present time a
huge denizen of the forest some six feet in
circumferences lies stretched entirely across the creek
and jammed against the bridge. One of the centre stays
has also given way, but the bridge still seems tolerably
secure. When the flood came down, the bridge was
completely submerged, the archway became choked
with the debris, and the water escaped over both sides
and covered the road to a depth of several feet. Of the
sudden and furious discharge of the destroying
element, the land slips, were, it is conjectured, the
primary cause. Of the extent of these, various and
widely different estimates have been made, but that
they have been of very great extent, admits of no
doubt. They occurred amongst the subsidiary hills at
the base of Mount Wellington, and about six miles
from O’Brien’s Bridge. The earth has not slipped in one
mass, but in two distinct divisions on either side of the
gully which forms the source of the creek crossing the
road at O’Brien’s Bridge. Those familiar with the
conformation of the country in the locality of the hills
mentioned, will understand that behind those hills,
and lately enclosed by them was a natural basin, and it
is supposed that during the heavy rains a vast area of
water was here collected, which forced away the
immense wall of earth and carried down with it the
masses of trees, rocks, dead logs, and debris, which
created such destruction as it deluged the low lands in
the ungovernable fury of its onward course. This view
of the catastrophe is borne out by the fact that over the
dark soil of the land slip which presents itself to the
spectator, and even at a distance of six miles the water
may be still seen in several places where it has cut its
way into the fallen bank of earth and still continues to
flow in reduced volume over it. It would of course with
the very insufficient data which we at present have at
command, be impossible to judge with any degree of
accuracy of the extent of these land slips. From
observation the first would appear to extend in one
direction for nearly a mile, and the area of earth has
been variously estimated to contain from 200 or 640
acres of land. The second slip on the further side of the
creek is of much smaller proportions, and not much
more than half of the magnitude of the other. In order
to convey some idea of the noise produced by the land
slip, it may be mentioned that it was distinctly heard at
Risdon ferry some nine miles distant.
In the hurry of collecting particulars of yesterday’s
floods in this locality, a mistake occurred by which the
name of a man drowned at O’Brien’s Bridge was given
as Moran, and he was stated to have been in the
employ of Messrs. Wright. The unfortunate man who
lost his life was named Andrew Ranaghan, and he was
employed by Mr. Murray as foreman. In the
endeavour to save his master’s property, he was, on
Tuesday afternoon, with some others, engaged in
attempting to make more secure a wooden
embankment which kept the water in the creek from
flooding the premises [locality 9, fig. 1]. With this
object he took a chain, and clambering over the barrier
was in the act of fixing it on the side abutting on the
creek, when the barrier suddenly gave way, and falling
on the poor fellow he was borne down under the turbid
waters, never rising to the surface. He was an excellent
swimmer, but, of course, could not bring his powers
into use. The poor man leaves a wife and eight
children. We have been unable to gather the whole of
the particulars of losses in this locality, but append a
list of the principle ones. Mr. Murray has been by far
the greatest sufferer, the whole of his manufacturing
works being destroyed, his lands submerged, and
thousands of tons of fallen timber and other debris
scattered over his ground. A large portion of Mr. Thos.
Laing’s premises were carried away. Mr. R.
Shoobridge had a portion of his house destroyed, and
his grounds partially inundated. Mr. Edwin Morrisby,
miller, has had his private bridge and mill race washed
away. His brother, Mr. Tasman Morrisby has a portion
of his garden destroyed. Mr. Isaac Wright has suffered
extensively; the walls of his tannery [locality 10, fig. 1]
are gone and the tan pits filled with debris. Mr Stephen
Wright, on the opposite side of the creek, had five acres
of hops destroyed [locality 11, fig. 1]. A house occupied
by Mr. Cane, on the estate of Mr. Murray, was
completely knocked in, and Mr. Cane had only time to
make his escape without an opportunity of dressing.
The Rev. Mr. Symons was not so severe sufferer as was
reported to us yesterday, the water only rising a little
over the doorstep. Of Mr. John Oswald’s four-roomed
cottage not a vestige is left, and an enormous tree now
marks the spot which, on Tuesday evening was Mr
Oswald’s bedroom. Of the wholesale devastation
which is visible on every side it would be extremely
difficult to convey an idea, and the dwellers at
Glenorchy and in the vicinity of O’Brien’s Bridge will
long have cause to remember sadly the floods of June
1872, and the landslips at Mount Wellington.
We regret to state that the splendid garden of Mr. H.
Cook was flooded by the waters of the creek, which
washed away a quickset hedge and then overspread
the garden, which is about 3½ acres in extent.
Yesterday the whole area of the land presented the
aspect of a foaming sea. All the valuable trees are
destroyed. Mr. Cook was a large sufferer by the flood
of 1854, but the damage now sustained is
unprecedented and greatly discouraging.
Page 11: The Mercury, Friday 7 June 1872
THE FLOODS.
GLENORCHY — THE LAND SLIPS.
The marshy state of the ground and the numerous
mountain torrents render it impossible to get
sufficiently near the scene of the recent land slips in
this locality, and hence no accurate estimate can be
formed of their extent. A stream of water still continues
to pour over the dislodged earth, but its volume has
materially diminished. The damage to Mr. Murray’s
manufacturing buildings [locality 5, fig. 1] has been
found to be not so severe as at first reported. The
buildings used for the manufacture of candles and
vinegar have not been destroyed but are still standing,
although the former are surrounded by a densely
packed mass of dead timber. A portion, consisting of
one corner of the building used as a soap manufactory
and store-house was carried away, but this, it is
anticipated, may be easily repaired. Mr. Calloway, Mr.
Murray’s manager, has a large body of men vigorously
engaged in removing the timber and other
obstructions, and expects to be able to proceed with the
manufacture of candles on Monday morning next. On
the night of the great flood two young men employed
by Mr. Murray, and a son of Mr. Calloway, had a most
miraculous escape. They were watching the waters of
the creek when the great wave of water came down
and overtook them. They were knocked down several
times, and with difficulty regained their feet. Two of
the young men found security on some higher ground,
and had already reported to Mr. Calloway that his son
had been overtaken by the waters. Young Calloway
had, however, clambered on to a cattle shed, and from
this afterwards climbed into a gum tree, and remained
in this perilous position some three hours. During this
time his parents were in a most anxious state, but were
at length re-assured by their son announcing his
safety. No efforts could, however, by made to relieve
him till the waters abated. Mr Calloway describes the
descent of the waters as most terrific, the noise caused
by the enormous boulders as they came crashing down
the creek, being likened to the discharge of a hundred
pieces of heavy ordnance. Trees from 50 to 100 feet
long and six or seven feet diameter at the butt, are
strewn all over the ground. An embankment built to
protect Mr. Murray’s property, the piles having been
shod with iron and secured with iron rods, and which
was considered an impregnable barrier to any flood,
was carried away for over thirty yards of its course,
and it was when this gave way that the lives of the
young men mentioned above were placed in jeopardy.
Some of the houses on Mr. Murray’s estate have been
miraculously preserved by the barricades of wood
which accumulated before them. Large logs coming
down became in many places fixed and by this means
other timber piling itself caused the diversion of the
water, and saved, besides Mr. Murray’s buildings,
several dwelling houses. This was observable in two or
three instances, the piles of timber forming closely
packed walls around three sides of many of the
cottages. Mr Murray’s garden, which before the flood
was in a most flourishing state, and contained many
choice and prolific fruit trees, has had the top soil
washed away, boulders and drift timber remaining.
The hut of a man named Craig was knocked through
by heavy trees in three places. At Mr. Stephen Wright’s
as we mentioned yesterday, immense injury has been
done, and further examination discloses greater
disasters. The top soil has been carried away over a
large area, and the ground, in many places strewn with
rocky boulders, has a slight resemblance to the
ploughed field on Mount Wellington. The creek at this
point has made for itself an entirely new channel,
running through the properties of Mr. Isaac Wright,
and Mr. Cook, instead of in its old course [locality 10,
fig. 1]. A number of men were yesterday engaged in
putting Mr Isaac Wright’s tanneries in order, and
others in clearing the road and bed of the creek at
O’Brien’s Bridge. A party of men were out searching
for the body of the unfortunate man Andrew
Ranaghan, but without success. Barrett’s store was one
of the places flooded on Tuesday night, about a foot of
water going into the shop Tuesday night, about a foot
of water going into the shop and filling the cellars. The
road at this point is still covered some inches deep with
sludge.
Page 12: The Mercury, Monday 10 June 1872
THE LAND SLIPS.
A correspondent writing from Glenorchy on Friday,
says:—
Yesterday four of us started to follow up the gully
down which the fatal O’Brien’s Bridge deluge poured.
Those who knew the gloomy, densely wooded ravine
prior to the descent of the water, will be astonished
when they see it again. From the bed of the creek, for
perhaps 80 yards up, each hill-side has been swept of
every tree, and the ground is covered with silt and
sludge in which stones, rocks, fragments and nearly
whole trunks of trees lie tossed together in supreme
confusion. For over a mile from the foot of the great
slide the course of the water had a slope of at least 30
degrees. The timber met with along here, presents a
singular uniformity of appearance. Every branch and
root has been shorn close to the stem, the bark stripped
off, and a large proportion of the surface wood
feathered up into fine splinters. One green trunk,
about 30 feet long, and perhaps 4 feet through at the
base, attracted our particular attention. It is split for
about half its length, and three considerable logs
remain wedged in it. A little above where this log lies,
my companions judged the torrent must have been at
least 150 yards wide, and perhaps 70 feet deep [locality
12, fig. 1]. The edges of the stream are lined with
shattered timber. Large trees, standing many yards
above the water mark have been struck high up, their
branches rent and bark torn off, apparently by the logs
which the water hurled along. One spot, on the left as
we ascended, seems to have been passed over by a
water spout. Trees have been torn up and smashed, the
naked trunks of others left, blotched with muddy
splashes, and large mud-covered stones scattered
among them, yet there is no sign of water having
overflowed the ground.
What is spoken of here as the “small landslip” appears
to be on the clearance made by the surging of the water
when its course was arrested by the hill which faces
that down which it poured. The so-called small slip is
exactly opposite the large one. If the winding course of
the valley permitted, it would be seen from the main
road that each side, for some distance downwards, is
bared almost as high up from the bed of the creek.
The aspect from the foot of the great slide is
inexpressibly grand and awful. Its distance from
O’Brien’s Bridge lends it an appearance of smoothness,
which leaves the observer quite unprepared for what
will meet his gaze when he enters upon the scene itself.
By the time we reached this spot, our party was
reduced to two. Mr._____ and myself climbed to
within what he thinks was 150 yards of the head of the
great slide, when a fog began to shroud the top, and
obliged us to descend. The course we had traced by eye
from below bade fair to lead us right out, and it was
disappointing to be obliged to return without reaching
the top. The journey up and down is one not likely to be
forgotten.
Page 12: The Mercury, Tuesday 11 June 1872
THE LAND SLIPS. — A visit to the locality of the
recent Glenorchy disaster, made yesterday, showed
the course taken by the devastating torrent, which
swept down upon the unsuspecting inhabitants of the
district on Tuesday night last. The aspect of the
gigantic convulsion which has occurred, viewed from
the road at O’Brien’s Bridge, conveys but a faint idea of
the wonderful magnitude and destructive effect
produced a few miles distant, the apparently smooth,
level surface, which presents itself to the eye of those
travelling along the road being, on a nearer approach,
changed to rugged, rocky, and uneven banks, while
the mountain sides are utterly denuded of vegetation,
and rent and channelled by the many torrents which
have occurred down their dusky sides. The site is of the
grandest, although most terrible description. A
pressure on our space compels us to hold over a
detailed description, which will appear in to-morrow’s
issue.
etc etc
This stereograph was taken of the swollen creek at Kangaroo Valley in the aftermath of the floods. The verso is stamped with Nevin's government contractor's stamp with Royal Arms insignia, though much faded.
New Town creek in flood, June 1872
Stereograph by T. J. Nevin
TMAG Ref: Q16826.22
Verso: New Town creek in flood, June 1872
Stereograph by T. J. Nevin
TMAG Ref: Q16826.22
Sources of original newspapers articles
The Mercury, Wednesday 5 June 1872
The Mercury, Thursday 6 June 1872
The Mercury, Friday 7 June 1872
The Mercury, Monday 10 June 1872
The Mercury, Tuesday 11 June 1872
The Mercury, Saturday 15 June 1872
Notes on the landslip at Mount Wellington, Tasmania (Wintle, 1872)
Guide to Excursionists (Anonymous, 1879)
Round the Fireside: Reminiscences of an old Glenorchy Resident (Hull, 1940)
Read the full document HERE
The landslip area is clearly visible as two large indentations below a flattened Mt Arthur, with Mount Wellington behind and the Derwent Entertainment Centre (white building) in foreground in this photograph taken from the River Derwent on board the MONA vessel passing Elwick Bay. Photo copyright © KLW NFC Imprint 2015.
UPDATE May 2017
The Tasmanian Department of State Growth Mineral Resources section issued an updated version in March 2016 of their earlier report issued in 2007 to include two stereographs taken by Thomas J. Nevin of the Glenorchy landslip in 1872, held in the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery collections - read the updated report issued in March 2016 here (our link). The report compares the waterfall shown in this particular stereograph taken by Nevin with a present day photograph of the same waterfall (pages 14-15):
Caption: "Figure 6. A stereoscopic pair of photographs of upper Humphreys Rivulet, attributed to Thomas J. Nevin, showing a broad zone of stripped vegetation caused by the passage of the debris flow; and also showing significant super-elevation on the right (see later section for discussion). (Stereograph reproduced with the permission of the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery.) "
"The stereograph in Figure 6 (Nevin, 1872b) shows a waterfall in the bed of Humphreys Rivulet with a broad zone of bare slopes stripped of their vegetation by the passage of the debris flow down the Rivulet (see later section). The site of this photograph is well established by the position of this waterfall, which is still recognisable in the present day (Figure 7)."
Caption: "Figure 7. Present day view of the waterfall on Humphreys Rivulet that appears in the 1872 stereograph shown in Figure 6."
Source:
1872 Glenorchy debris flow
Tasmanian Geological Survey Record 2016/02 2
Historical assessment of the 1872 Glenorchy debris flow: a basis for modelling the large debris flow hazard from the Wellington Range, Hobart.
M.D. Stevenson, R.N. Woolley and C. Mazengarb
Tasmanian Geological Survey Branch
Mineral Resources Tasmania
Department of State Growth March 2016
ADDENDA
The stereograph scans (above) were supplied by the TMAG in June 2015. The photographs (below, front and back) were taken on a visit to the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, Hobart on November 10th, 2014. Both stereographs in yellow mounts bear the Royal Arms insignia studio stamp issued to Thomas J. Nevin by the Attorney-General, W. R. Giblin and Surveyor-General J. Erskine Calder in 1868 for use on government commissions.
Stereographs by Thomas J. Nevin, June 1872
Photos recto and verso copyright © KLW NFC Imprint 2014-2015
Taken at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, 10 November 2014
A stereograph produced with Samuel Clifford's rare blindstamp of another scene of destruction from the landslip is held at the State Library of Tasmania.
It is well known that the blue gum tree (Eucalyptus(Wintle, 1872; page 17 of Report op.cit.2007)
globolus) is amongst the toughest of Tasmanian woods,
a fact due to its labyrinthine grain, and yet a vast
number of these trees (many of which must have
attained a height far above 200 feet) had been snapped
as short in the middle — to use an expressive
vulgarism — as a carrot.
State Library of Tasmania
Debris of the floods and landslip 1872
Stereograph with blindstamp impress of Samuel Clifford
ADRI:NS2929-1-9
