Alderman Louis Manton ShoobridgePrint Page

The seat commemorates the service of Alderman Louis Manton Shoobridge (1851 - 1939) on the Hobart City Council from 1934 to 1938. Mr Shoobridge was also a member of the Tasmanian Legislative Council from 1921 to 1937.

Louis Shoobridge was born at New Norfolk on 25 October 1851 and educated at Somerset House School, Hobart Town. He too joined the family fruit-growing enterprise, eventually developing the Fenton Forest estate which expanded into the extensive Glenora estate on the Styx and Russell Falls rivers. Credited with experimenting on over five hundred apple varieties, he attained export levels of 16,000 bushels a year and like his brothers travelled to London to further the export trade.

He was president of the Agricultural Council, Royal Agricultural Society, Tasmanian Farmers' and Stock Owners' Association and the Australian Pomological Committee, as well as chairman of the National Park Board and member of many other societies. He was president of the Melville Street Methodist Church and vice-president of the Protestant Alliance of Friendly Societies. As member for Derwent in the Legislative Council in 1921-37 Shoobridge promoted agricultural and regional interests.

Perhaps, however, his most enduring achievement stemmed from his selection and preservation of 20 hectare near the beautiful Russell Falls. The site was proclaimed part of an enlarged 121 hectare reserve in 1885 and in 1917 was incorporated into the 10,927 hectare Mount Field National Park. With Alan Wardlaw, Louis also planted the Pioneer Avenue of trees between Hobart and Oatlands.

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