About the Author

JOHN TAIT

a brief biography

John is a now-retired school teacher/real estate agent/businessman who decided to move from hot, humid Brisbane to the delightful cool of Tasmania.

After several years of him and wife touring the island, he found all he could seek about places was assorted small brochures in each village/town, each briefly telling in minor detail the user about some historical facts of that immediate area. So, John decided to gather a list of placenames (A-to-Z) and investigate each as to its relevant map position, how the place was named, and any pertinent historical fact which should interest a tourist or local.

He produced in 2005 a ‘telephone-book-sized’ reference book which he named “TASPLACES”, a book which sold to schools, police and fire stations.    

Years went by and the internet rapidly improved, so from 2017 for some 4 years John reproduced a hugely-increased digital version of “TASPLACES”, filled with interesting historical facts of Tasmania’s early development and why the some 16,300 A-to-Z placenames were so-named.