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Huonville is the largest town in the rich orcharding area of the Huon Valley, 39 kms south of Hobart. The town, river and valley are all named after the French explorer Captain Jean-Michel Huon de Kermadec, who served under Admiral d'Entrecasteaux. The Admiral discovered the river and its surrounding area in 1792. (Source: "Who's Who in Pacific Navigation" by John Dunmore, 1992)
The district began to develop in the 1840's when apples and hops were first grown in the area. (The immediate area around Huonville was originally part of a grant to a James Walton back in 1853).
Early settlers recognised that the area was very suitable for growing apples and the industry flourished to an extent that apples from the Huon were loaded at Port Huon and shipped around the world. The first apples were exported from the area in 1876, the year that also saw the building of the first bridge across the Huon River at Huonville. Aquaculture and timber production are also important industries in this district.
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