Page 7 - 1978 NAB Calendar Early Australian Maritime Life Part Two

GEELONG, 1894

FEBRUARY
In spite of its inadequate port facilities in the early days, 107 vessels were
Geelong is today the largest provincial city in Victoria. It is known not only for its
registered at Geelong between 1848 and 1900. They included such well known
industrial progress and its many tourist resorts, but also for the quality of its social
ships as the schooner Osprey and the barques Olivia Davis, Planter, Sydney
and cultural amenities.
Griffiths and Sussex.
C. P. Billot in his book “Geelong then and now” says that all this tremendous
Historical records show that in 1894, the year in which this painting was done,
growth could not have come about without the establishment of the Geelong
the sailing ship ‘Timaru’ left with the first consignment of frozen meat for the U.K.
Harbour Trust which was instrumental in developing Geelong’s Port facilities so
However, most of the cargo had to be thrown overboard before it reached
vital to its commercial growth.
England as the refrigeration machinery broke down.
Although the Trust was established by an act of Parliament only in 1905
Little appears to be known of the artist William Tibbits except for what appears
Geelong’s fight for Port facilities and a satisfactory channel through the bar began
on a copy of his visiting card held by the State Library of Victoria. It describes
in 1854 in the face of strong opposition from Melbourne. Various channels were
him as a painter of landscapes and private residences and specializing in
dredged but none was completely satisfactory until the completion of the
watercolour sketches. His address was 74 Albert Street, Windsor, near St. Kilda
Hopetoun Channel in 1893.
Junction.
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