Dog LinePrint Page
The bronze sculpture of a dog denotes the `Dog Line,` where a row of savage snarling beasts deterred escapes during the convict era in colonial times, ferocious dogs guarded the isthmus. They were intended to ensure no convicts escaped the Port Arthur penal settlement.
The dog line which ran across the Neck was devised by John Peyton Jones. Any break of the scrub, movement or slightest noise would set the hounds barking and alert the sentries. Dogs were also placed on stages out in the water to detect absconders attempting a sea crossing. They made an impassable barrier. When one of the sergeants foolishly decided to test the effectiveness of the line he was attacked, receiving a severe wound from one of the dogs. A convict handler was responsible for their care. It was he who 'brought their meat, shook up their beds, was their friend, and caressed them'. Today, a cutting through the sand dunes marks the location of the dog line.
Location
Address: | Arthur Highway , Eaglehawk Neck Historic Site, Eaglehawk Neck, 7179 |
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State: | TAS |
Area: | AUS |
GPS Coordinates: | Lat: -43.01329 Long: 147.926116 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate. |
Details
Monument Type: | Sculpture |
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Monument Theme: | Culture |
Sub-Theme: | Crime |
Artist: | Ruth Waterhouse & Curtis Hore (sculptors) |
Dedication
Actual Monument Dedication Date: | Wednesday 1st September, 1999 |
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