Parattah, Tasmania

Infobox Australian Place | type = town
name = Parattah
state = tas


caption =
lga = Southern Midlands Council
postcode = 7120
est =
pop =
elevation= 431
maxtemp = 15.5
mintemp = 5.0
rainfall = 548.0
fedgov = Lyons
dist1 = 90 | dir1 = N | location1= Hobart
dist2 = 125 | dir2 = SSE | location2= Launceston
dist3 = 6 | dir3 = SE | location3= Oatlands

Parattah is a small highway township in Tasmania, located about 6 kilometres (4 mi) southeast of the town of Oatlands. While not populated as such, the area is home to about 30 families, and contains a farmhouse which was once home to Hudson Fysh, one of the founders of Qantas, and a historic railway station. A local organisation is attempting to restore the railway which once ran through the district.

History

The first post office serving the township opened 1 June 1879 and was named Oatlands Station; the post office was renamed Parattah with effect from 1 January 1882 and was located at the railway station until 8 January 1914. [ Orchard, A.E. (1991) "The Post Offices of Tasmania"] The postmistress from 1946 to 1966 was Mrs. Mary Fisher; she was succeeded by her daughter, Miss Vera Fisher, who retired in March 1977 and who claimed as an ancestor the postal reformer Sir Rowland Hill. [ "Posties for six generations", "Saturday Evening Mercury", 19 March 1977, p. 29]

References