01/09/2026
Did you know Tasmania was once divided in two?
Just north of Ross, beside the Heritage Highway, you'll find the 42° South sculpture. It marks the location of a line that once divided what was then known as Van Diemen's Land.
In 1804, Governor King established Tasmania's first political boundary along the 42nd parallel of latitude. The northern half became the County of Cornwall, under Lieutenant-Governor Paterson, while the southern half became Buckinghamshire, under Lieutenant-Governor Collins in Hobart Town.
But why divide the island?
Paterson had been instructed to establish a settlement at Port Dalrymple in the north, but refused to do so if he was to be under Collins' command. With neither Lieutenant-Governor willing to answer to the other, Governor King solved the problem in a rather decisive way: he drew a line between them. The division lasted until 1812, when the two administrations were finally reunited.
Today, the line itself is invisible, but its story is still marked here in Ross. The interpretation panels just across the road from the Tasmanian Wool Centre tell more about this fascinating piece of Tasmania's history.
So next time you're driving past that 42° South marker, you'll know there's considerably more to it than a sign beside the highway!
