Prosperous - the Kennedy Murrays and the origins of historic Evandale in Van Diemen's Land / Tasmania

Evandale, now known as one of Tasmania's best-preserved Georgian villages, began as "Murray's Prosperous village" — a farm hamlet founded by Kennedy Murray Jr, born in 1799 on Norfolk Island to First Fleet-era parents, who successfully applied to Governor Macquarie for a land grant here in 1818. Murray went on to serve as Chief District Constable, built a local school around 1830, and was involved in early infrastructure including the Launceston Water Scheme, helping Evandale grow into one of Van Diemen's Land's larger towns by 1840.

Murray's descendant was Harry Murray VC — the most highly decorated infantry soldier in British Empire forces during the First World War — whose statue was unveiled in Evandale in 2006, prompting renewed interest in the family's role in the town's origins. This book, by Cameron Richards, traces that story using primary documents, alongside the wider development of Evandale and its surrounding families.

See Related Products below for more Evandale and Northern Midlands local history — order two or more titles together and we'll combine postage into one parcel.

BOOK DETAILS
Softcover book. Published 2025. 475 pages. Black and white photos.

CONDITION
New.