CYGNET The traveller will not encounter Cygnet, which is a bit of a shame, because Cygnet is a very nice small town. Town pride is clearly on display at Cygnet. Free settlers arrived and by 1850 a school had been established. The town was named Lovett in 1862 but this was changed to Cygnet in 1915. The Cygnet area was first explored by Bruni D'Entrecasteaux who, in 1793, sailed up the Huon River and named the narrow bay which runs up to Cygnet, Port des Cygnes (the Port of Swans) because of the large number of swans he observed in the area. Located 56 km south of Hobart, the first European settler in the district was William Nichols who arrived in 1834. Part of the home which Nichols built is still standing. It was Nichols grandson, John Wilson, who established the first shipbuilding business at Port Cygnet. In 1836 an orchard was planted at Petchey's Bay and by 1840 Port Cygnet (as it was known at the time) was surveyed and land blocks and streets were laid out. The area became a major centre for convicts with the establishment of Convict Probation Stations at Port Cygnet, Lymington and Nicholls Rivulet (it is a misspelling of William Nichols name). The population rose dramatically in the late 1840s however the stations were short-lived. By 1848 the convict stations were in decline. Heritage factors are important in Cygnet. By the 1930s Cygnet was the centre of an extraordinarily productive fruit growing region. Figures for the year 1935 indicate that the district produced 644 800 bushels of apples, 21 170 bushels of pears, 5 470 lbs of gooseberries, 31 890 lbs of blackcurrants, 100 750 lbs of raspberries and 160 880 lbs of strawberries. The bread basket for Hobart. To this day the region looks prosperous. The congregational churches are all repreented. The Catholic in particular is a grand design. The Anglican over 100 years old. The United also is a classic The Cygnet War Memorial is central. The Cygnet Hotels are also very old buildings but are undated. Be sure to allow a bit of time when visiting or passing through. Heritage diary