1830 Chardonnay

The Story Behind the Label

In 1830 John Dunbabin, convicted of horse stealing, was transported to Van Diemen's Land. Having narrowly escaped the hangman's noose, he was determined to make the most of his opportunities. Through sheer hard work, John earned his freedom and bought his own land, paving the way for five generations of farming at Bangor.

The convict record of John Dunbabin, transported to Van Dieman's Land aboard the Clyde in 1830.

In 1830, 23 year old John Dunbabin arrived in Tasmania. From Marchwiel, near Wrexham in North Wales, he was one of the thousands of men and women transported to Van Diemen's Land for committing offenses in Britain.

"I am disposed to spare your life in consequence of your guilty plea and the excellent character given by the farmers from the neighbourhood. I record judgement of death, but recommend it be commuted to 14 years transportation to Van Diemen's Land".

The Judge, Shrewsbury Assizes, 24 March 1830.

Convicted of horse stealing, John was sentenced to 14 years transportation. On arrival in Hobart Town, he was assigned to a free settler, Henry Bilton, who had property in southern Tasmania. In 1839, John married a fellow convict Ann Eccles, and they lived at Bilton's Bream Creek property. By 1844 things were really looking up. John and Ann had completed their sentences and earned their freedom, and John was now managing Henry Bilton's farm in Bream Creek. By 1850 they had six children and were a thriving family. Then tragedy struck. In 1852, a deadly disease swept through the Bream Creek area, killing many young children. Taking desperate measures, John and Ann sent their baby son Richard away to live with friends at an isolated spot at the northern end of Marion Bay. One day, while returning home after visiting her baby boy, Ann got wet crossing the marsh. She caught a chill and developed pneumonia. Ann died a few days later at the age of only 34, leaving behind a heart broken John and their six young children. The epitaph on the headstone in the Bream Creek cemetery reads:

This was a painful setback for the family, but John continued to work hard and was held in high regard within the community. Then in 1856 John purchased his first parcel of land, 104 acres in Bream Creek, finally realising his dream of becoming a landowner. In 1857 Henry Bilton sold his Bream Creek farm to John, which he then named Marchwiel after his home in Wales. John and Ann's son Thomas followed in his father's footsteps and farmed at Marchwiel. In 1890 Thomas purchased a sheep run known as Blackmans on the Forestier Peninsula, followed by the larger title of Lagoon Bay (1,640 acres) in 1899. Over the following years Thomas' sons purchased additional land, all of which forms Bangor.

Bangor remains a family farm, managed today by Matt and Vanessa Dunbabin. Their three young children Henry, William and Amy are part of the 7th generation of the Dunbabin family in Tasmania, and the 4th generation of Dunbabins to be raised at Bangor. Bangor's 1830 Chardonnay is named in honour of John Dunbabin whose arrival in Van Diemen's Land, 184 years ago, started a long farming legacy in Tasmania.