"Rebecca"Print Page

The monument commemorates where "Rebecca",the boat which carried John Batman across the Bass Strait, was built. The monument was erected in 1954, Tasmania`s sesquicentennial year. 

The "Rebecca" was launched in 1834 and sold to John Batman who sailed in her and founded the site of Melbourne in 1835.

A plaque commemorating the building and launching of the schooner Rebecca in which John Batman sailed in 1835 to found the State of Victoria was unveiled before nearly 200 people at Rosevears, on the West Tamar, yesterday. The plaque was unveiled by the Master Warden of the Launceston Marine Board (Mr. W. Hart) as part of Launceston's sesquicentenary celebrations. It was erected by the descendants of Capt. G. Plummer, who built the ship, in conjunction with the Northern branch of the Royal Society of Tasmania. Among the descendants of Capt. Plummer at the ceremony was 86-year-old Mr. V. Plummer, of Union St., Launceston, a grandson.  Another was Mrs. M. B. Beauchamp, of Rosevears. A great-grandson, Mr. K. Plummer, acted for the family in the ceremony. Mr. Hart said Capt. Plummer, originally in the East India Co. service, began building ships in 1832. He laid down the keel of the Rebecca, probably from a tree cut from the forest on his property, The Terricks, with the idea of trading with Sydney. However, the Rebecca was sold to Batman and his partners and they left in her for Victoria, on May 10, 1835. Mr. W. Gellie also spoke. The president of the Northern branch of the Royal Society (Mr. R. Smith) and the past president (Mr. K. R. von Stieglitz) said they were glad to be associated with the commemoration of the launching of the most historically interesting ship built on the Tamar.
Mercury (Hobart, Tas.), 13 November 1954.

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