Brian Rollins
Resume
Brian Rollins is secretary of the Burnie Historical Society Inc which was formed in 1995. The society’s objects include the fostering of an interest in and the gathering, recording, collating and storing of the history of the Burnie area and its people. On behalf of the society Brian has previously conducted over a dozen public and private tours into this area.It was while engaged in his professional capacity as a Registered Land Surveyor, surveying the new Guildford-Hampshire and Cradle Mountain Link Roads during 1985/6, that Brian discovered an old cairn atop Mt Prospect on the Black Bluff Range. A chance encounter lead to the location of an 1832 survey plan by Henry Hellyer which indicated that this was one of Hellyer’s survey stations used for mapping the Surrey Hills. It is older than Port Arthur.
Realising that this relic had survived over a century and a half, it was an irresistible challenge to use Hellyer’s old survey plan to predict the whereabouts of other relics, search for them on the ground, and see what had survived the ravages of time. Discovery of various features was followed by as yet unfinished archival research to learn more about the pioneers who lived their lonely lives in the wilds behind Emu Bay.
Brian’s interest in the VDL Co is not confined to this area alone, but to the entire arena of its exploration and involvement – from Westbury to Woolnorth – and there are many fascinating untold stories. After all, it is people, places and events that make life interesting, be it today or 180 years ago.