The historic St Matthews church

Rokeby
Interesting commuter suburb of Hobart
Located only 14 km from Hobart, Rokeby is an independent and fascinating settlement which is currently feeling the pressures of urban sprawl - pressures which were greatly exacerbated by the completion of the Tasman Bridge in 1965.

Today it is effectively a commuter suburb of Hobart. The first European settlement of the area occurred in 1809 only five years after the establishment of Hobart Town. It is pleasantly located on the Clarence Plains just north of Ralphs Bay. It is distinguished by a village green and the historic St Matthews Church (turn north into Mockridge Road) was completed in 1843.

Things to see:  

St Matthews Church
The church is of particular interest. The Reverend Robert Knopwood (known simply as Bobby Knopwood), the first chaplain in Van Diemen's Land, is buried in the graveyard. Knopwood arrived in Hobart Town in 1804 with the first European settlers and Rokeby was to be his last parish. He died here in 1838, five years before the church, based on a design by James Blackburn, was completed. Inside the church is an organ which came from the old St David's Church in Hobart (it is reputed to be the first organ used in Australia having arrived in Van Diemen's Land in 1825) and some chairs which were carved from wood used in the ships in Nelson's fleet.

Rokeby Court
On the corner of the High Street and Hawthorn Place is Rokeby Court which has, at various times, been a Court House, a Police Station and a Gaol. It is a simple single storey sandstone building with triple casement windows and a steep, gabled roof.

It is claimed that Rokeby was the site of orchard which grew the first apples exported from Van Diemen's Land and that the first wheat grown on the island was also grown in the district.

	Hotels
	Rokeby Tavern 10 Ralph Tce Rokeby TAS 7019 Telephone: (03) 6247 7679 or 018 138 520
	Restaurants
	Silver Pearl Restaurant 33 High St Rokeby TAS 7019 Telephone: (03) 6247 6581