Launceston, Corra Lynn, Power House, Gorge, Wreck at Launceston Habour

This Ilford Special Rapid box has the code of I4 printed on the lid and number 1870 stamped on the bottom. According to the Photomemorabilia website I4 means September 1904. The lid has the following notes written inside in pencil:

Launceston
Cora Lynn
Power House
Gorge
Wreck at Launceston Habour(?)

Corra Linn was a popular site for tourists visiting Launceston. The iron bridge over the North Esk River in this photograph was opened in December 1888 and replaced the old wooden structure built in 1857.

Alexandra Suspension Bridge in the Cataract Gorge was opened to the public on 29 November 1904. It is seen on this image and just barely visible in the background of another photograph.

Cliff Grounds band rotunda and the Tea Rooms appear on several photographs. The image of the Mill Dam resembles this postcard view. It is interesting to compare the photograph taken from the Cliff Walkway in 1896 with the view captured from the same location. By the time the latter photograph was taken the saplings seen in the 1896 image grew into tall trees.

A modern day photographer would notice an unusual rendering of aerial perspective in these images. It is possible that the emulsion on these plates was not even orthochromatic, but an "ordinary" or "non-colour sensitive" type which could only register ultraviolet to blue-green part of the spectrum. The blue sky would appear almost white and the foliage in the foreground is unusually dark. Many landscape photographers of the 20th century liked the pictorial effect produced by such plates and continued using orthochromatic materials long after panchromatic emulsions sensitive to the whole visible spectrum became available around 1940s.

The negative with the Power House is apparently missing. Most likely this was an image of the Duck Reach Power Station built in 1895 that remained in operation for 60 years. The image of the wreck is a 4x5 inch sheet film. The photograph is blurred, and the shipwreck could not be identified.