Ivy Doe



Snakes! For some, shudders, shrieks and horror, for others, fascination and wonder. Most Tasmanians would have seen these slithery reptiles sliding silently through the grass or twisting an undulating body across a warm road. Sometimes it is a rustle and sudden movement near our feet when walking through the bush that sends shivers down our spines. The sheer numbers, the size and the relative ferocity of snakes in Van Diemen’s Land would have made early settlers wary. We know that to walk through long grass near rocks or fallen trees we need to be ever aware. Convicts and free alike knew the danger. In Britain, there had been only three types of snakes, the grass snake, the smooth snake and the adder, of which only the adder at 90 cm long is poisonous and even then, it does not inject much venom. Snakes in Britain are shy, and not seen in great numbers.



Will Miller



 In Tasmania, there are also three snakes, the small whip snake, the tiger and copperhead. All are poisonous and the larger tiger and copperhead can be quite aggressive. The two photographs here were taken at Lower Wilmot and show Ivy Doe (wifeof Roland) and William Miller (husband of Ruby Doe). They are both probably tiger snakes, which were very abundant. Roland once lost a small dog which disappeared into the ferns, yelped as it was taken by a snake and was not seen again. Another time, he killed a snake, placed it on a log and finding it at his feet again, took another swipe. When he turned to the log, the first snake was still there and a third snake was now taking it's chances at his ankles.

Betty Doe was terrified after hearing a hiss in the passageway of the home and discovering a snake.

The following request was made by the Police magistrate at Georgetown. It seems to be aimed at collecting rather than slaughter of snakes and reflects the interest in nature at the time. Many later Tasmanians had no such ideals and the cry of "snake" was quickly followed by the words "Kill it"

 Hobart Police Office  28^th January 1837

The Chief Police Magistrate sends his compliments to the Resident  Magistrate at George Town and requests the favor of his instructing his constables to kill and collect all the snakes they can in their rambles on duty and forward the same to the Chief Police Magistrate for the purpose of a Public Collection.