Preservation Matters - Visionary in the power game

Askin Morrison was one of Tasmanian’s oldest colonists who perhaps did more than any other man to advance the commercial interests of early Tasmania. 

Born in 1800 at Augher, Country Tyrone, Ireland, Morrison arrived in Tasmania in 1829 with a quantity of merchandise, the profits from which he purchased St Peter’s Pass near Oatlands on September 5, 1829.   Subsequent trading voyages to China for tea over the next few years made him handsome profits.   

A strong supporter in the construction of the Sorell Causeway, Morrison was an early champion for the connection of Hobart with the eastern shore operating the double hull, with central paddle wheel steam ferry, the ‘Kangaroo’. 

He also had close connections to the whaling industry, was a Director of the Hobart Town Gas Co, a Member of both Houses of Parliament and at the time of his death in 1876, maintained interests in several banks, tramway and railway companies. 

However it is his contribution to agriculture that he is best known for in Tasmania.  Morrison was reported to be the largest buyer of wool for export to London and had connections to the Hopkins family, who are credited to introducing steam threshing into Tasmania. 

Early railway proposals suffered from insufficient capital with any projected profits from such ventures, unlikely to cover the cost of investment.   

In 1864 Morrison made the bold move to purchase the first steam traction engine in Tasmania; an Aveling & Porter engine and the ironwork for six wagons from the company’s ‘Invicta’ factory, Rochester, Kent, England, revolutionising powered dry land transport in the State.   

The Hobart Mercury of November 23, 1864 said “Mr Askin Morrison has introduced into the colony at his own expense, an improved locomotive in the form of a traction engine. The report from England of the trial speaks very favourably of its capabilities.’”

The Launceston-based Cornwall Chronical on November 19, 1864 reported ‘’the Traction Engine will, no doubt, prove a useful and economical locomotive power for the transport of stock and stores, and the conveyance of all kinds of produce from the inland districts to the port of shipment. But it seems unlikely that it will compete in its present stage with the Stage Coach. In the absence of railways, the use of Traction Engines is the likeliest means of lessening the cost of the conveyance of all kinds of pastoral and agricultural produce to market and to the seaside.”

The engine left London on November 1, 1864 on the ship Indus.  It was originally to be transported by the ship Harrowby, but its hatchway was not large enough for the engine to fit. 

On the May 23, 1865, The Hobart Mercury reported “Mr A Morrison’s traction engine was safely landed from the Indus yesterday and will be conveyed to Kangaroo Point.” 

Once assembled, the traction engine commenced trial work.  Tenders were called for the manufacture of five goods wagons from the ironwork shipped with the engine from England. 

Coach maker Mr Nichols was awarded the contract to make the five wagons for the total cost of 100 pounds. A sixth wagon was later assembled by Mr McPherson in Collins Street. 

The ‘Invicta’ named after the factory in which it was built, made its first Grand Public Trip on July 22, 1865.  The event naturally attracted a lot of interest, with the wagons carrying the Hobart Mayor and Members of State Parliament. 

The first commercial trip was transporting heavy machinery to the Fingal Quartz Crushing Company. It left Hobart Town on August 8, 1865, arriving in Fingal on August 22.  After this, Morrison endeavoured to provide a weekly freight service between Hobart Town and Oatlands.

Due to the difficulty in obtaining suitable men to work the engine, Morrison attempted to auction off the traction engine in December 1865.  It was then leased for 12 months to Messrs Overall, McMillan and Hopkins who used it to carry bark to their Launceston mill from “Vaucluse” at Cleveland. 

In 1867 the engine was sold to Mr Arthur O’Connor of Lake River.  The last known location of the Invicta was at E. E. Newton’s tannery in the main street of Cressy where it worked until 1897.  As recent as 1988, it was reported among steam enthusiasts, that the remains of the Tasmania’s first traction engine was located at Pawtella. 

Traction engines for agricultural purposes did not arrive in Tasmania in any large quantities until the 1890s.  Yet Morrison’s considerable investment of up to sixteen thousand pounds to bring self-propelled motion power to the state 30 years earlier was visionary.