As we delve into the history of Australia, it is hard to believe that a man like George Selth Coppin is all but forgotten. His drive and enthusiasm brought theatre and pleasure into the young Australia. He built and owned many a theatre, played on more stages, engineered a tramway and amphitheater in Sorrento, Victoria, organised a paddle steamer to transport the tourists to his resort, created Australia’s first zoo, facilitated Australia’s first balloon flight in 1858, owned or co-owned various Port Phillip steamers, assisted those not as fortunate as he, became a politician and entrepreneur . . .
His story of poverty, fame & fortune repeated itself a number of times during his lifetime, but it would appear that when his world collapsed around him, he would get up, brush himself down, and rise again . .
George Selth Coppin – (b. 8 Apr 1819 – d. 14 Mar 1906) » POI Australia
George Selth Coppin was a man of many talents. A man whose jovial disposition and unrelenting enthusiasm built many a business and building in the south eastern reaches of Australia. Often referred to as the ‘Father of the Australian stage’ as well as the ‘Father of Sorrento’, his story of poverty -…
Site of Queen’s Theatre c 1843 – Cnr Queen & Little Bourke Sts, Melbourne, VIC » POI Australia
Whilst wandering the streets of Melbourne, perhaps spare a moment, and a thought, for the beautiful hand-crafted buildings that once adorned the streets – and compare them to the architecture that has replaced them. It is a tragedy that allows such beauty and history to be demolished, and with it, …
On the 4th August 1845, the ‘Cataraqui’ was wrecked on King Island – far from its destination of Port Phillip Bay – only 8 crew and 1 immigrant were to survive the worst maritime tragedy in Australia’s history. George Coppin was quick to organise aid for the survivors and rescuers:
Wreck of the ‘Cataraqui’ c 1845 – Australia’s Worst Maritime Disaster, King Island, TAS » POI Australia
The wreck of the barque ‘Cataraqui’ was to become, and still remains, Australia’s worst maritime disaster . . . Migration to Australia was already in full swing in the early 1800′s. It is relevant to take a moment and remember that it was only in the May and June of 1835 that John Batman executed h…
Home of Australia’s first Zoo and first Balloon Flight, George Coppin’s Cremorne Gardens were filled with stage, theatre, beautiful gardens, a lake, rotundas, circus, refreshments – accessible to Melburnians via steamer or onmnibus:
Site of Cremorne Gardens c 1853 – Cremorne St, Cremorne, Melbourne, VIC » POI Australia
‘Cremorne Gardens’ once occupied some ten acres of land in Melbourne’s inner city suburb of Richmond. The gardens were bound by Cremorne Street to the East and the Railway Line to the West, as well as Balmain Street as its Northern Boundary, with the Yarra River as its Southern Perimeter. Extracts …
Affectionately known as the ‘Iron Pot’, the ‘Olympic Theatre’ was a prefabricated 2-storey iron building built in Manchester in England in 1854 and transported by sailing ship to Melbourne by George Coppin, as his first theatre in Melbourne:
Site of Coppin’s Olympic Theatre
It’s hard to imagine that in a time when ships were propelled by sail, a trip to the England would take between 2 to 4 months, when there were no power
Site of the Theatre Royal c 1855 – 215 Bourke Street, Melbourne, VIC » POI Australia
Viewing the construction that now occupies the site of the very first grand theatre to be built in Australia, it is impossible to comprehend that such a magnificent structure would be demolished to be replaced with that, that we see today. Another example of Melbourne’s total disregard for its pion…
” . . . It is, now about 14 years ago since I originated companies to clear the bush, to form and make roads to the Ocean Amphitheatre, to erect rotundas, and seats along four miles of paths running by the side of the ocean, to erect the Continental Hotel and several cottages, to erect public baths, Mechanic’s Institute and Public library and to purchase the New Zealand steamer ‘Golden Crown‘, reducing the return ticket from 20s by the tug steamer ‘Williams‘ to 7s 6d. by the first excursion steamer that ever ran down the Bay; and although have a balance of £6000 or £7000 upon the wrong side of my ledger, I have the satisfaction of knowing that I have secured good health for my family, and the pleasure of seeing the gradual progress of the place. The great attraction of the present season has been the tramway, as upwards of 50,000 passengers have travelled by it. Next season will be the most important since Sorrento has been established. We are to have a new steamer 50 ft longer and 3 miles an hour faster than the Ozone, and as both boats will run to Sorrento, a great addition to a number of passengers and a reduction in fares may be expected . . . “
Source: Excerpt – Queenscliff Sentinel, Drysdale, Portarlington and Sorrento Advertiser (Vic) – Article ‘Mr Coppin at Sorrento’ – published 26th April 1890
Sorrento Back Beach Precinct (formerly Ocean Amphitheatre Park) c 1870′s – Sth End Ocean Beach Rd, Sorrento, Mornington Peninsula, VIC » POI Australia
Located a short 1.5 km from the bayside township of Sorrento, which is located on the shores of Port Phillip Bay, the ‘Sorrento Back Beach’ precinct is situate on the ‘surf-side’ of the Mornington Peninsula – abutting Bass Strait. The ocean beach is captivatingly beautiful revealing a sandy cove pr…
Coppin’s Lookout (formerly Mt Coppin Rotunda) c 1870′s – Sth End Ocean Beach Rd, Sorrento, Mornington Peninsula, VIC » POI Australia
Approaching Sorrento’s breathtakingly beautiful surf beach, or ‘Back Beach’ as it is most commonly referred to, one of the features that strikes you upon the approach is the beautiful lookout set high above . . . The views bestowed on the way to, and, from ‘Coppin’s Lookout’ itself are spectacular !…
In order to ensure tourists could find easy passage to Coppin’s famous amphitheater precinct, he formed a paddle steamer steamer company to traverse Port Phillip Bay from Melbourne to Sorrento:
1883:
PS ‘Golden Crown’ » POI Australia
The vessel was built in Auckland, in 1870, of native woods, by Messrs. Duffy and Ross, for the Thames trade. The engines were made by Messrs. Thomson and Co., of Glasgow. They are 140 horse-power nominal, and are capable of being worked up to 400 horse-power. The two oscillating cylinders are 45½ i…
1886:
PS ‘Ozone’ » POI Australia
The PS ‘Ozone’ was built by Napier, Shanks & Bell of Yoker (Yard No. 34), Glasgow, Scotland in 1886. She was sleek and beautiful at 260 ft (79 m) in length, 28 ft (8.5 m) in width, 11.2 ft (3.4 m) in depth; and, weighed in at 572 tons gross (241 tons net). She featured a green hull, a white upper st…
The many ship wrecks occuring along the coast of the Mornington Peninsula caused George Coppin to petition for the formation of a “volunteer life-saving corps” in Sorrento. This lead to the construction of a Life Saving Track with 16 lookout and access points stretching along the back beach from Sorrento to Rye:
Life Saving Track c 1890′s – Sorrento Back Beach to Rye Number Sixteen Beach, Mornington Peninsula, VIC » POI Australia
Forming part of the 26 km ‘Coastal Walk’ which runs all the way along the surf coast of the Mornington Peninsula from Cape Schanck to ‘London Bridge’, this 9 km sector of the trail was carved out in the 1890′s due to the need to have look out points for ships in trouble, as well as access pathways f…
This is an ever evolving story. As our travels to various regions of Australia continue, more discoveries may come to light and will be added to this amazing story of the life of George Selth Coppin.