View from near the Top of Constitution Hill, Van Diemens Land.

View of present day Dysart, situated near Constitution Hill, 40 k from Hobart on the old road to Launceston. The road was originally surveyed by Charles Grimes in 1807 and follows much of the same route as the Midlands Highway. In 1821 Governor Lachlan Macquarie selected sites for towns along the road. Joseph Lycett’s Tasmania pictures were made with the intention of attracting potential emigrants by depicting the availability of quality land and also showing the results of previous successful emigrants. There is no evidence to indicate that Lycett ever visited Tasmania, and it is more likely that he used drawings made by either or both, George Evans or James Taylor who had accompanied Governor Macquarie on his tour of inspection in 1821. The places depicted were all visited by Macquarie at this time.