1928 A MODEL FORD “LIZZIE”
Frederick Smithies
Frederick Smithies O.B.E. was one of Tasmania’s most celebrated explorers, mountaineers and photographers in the first half of the 20th century.
An early visitor to Cradle Mountain, Frederick Smithies was instrumental (with others) in having the area declared as a National Park. Fred was an early walker throughout Cradle – Lake St Clair, Frenchman’s Cap, the Lakes District and the West Coast.
He was a member of the Scenery Preservation Board (now National Parks) for many years, a foundation member and for many years President and then Patron of the Northern Tasmanian Alpine Club. Fred was also a Member of the International Stereoscopic Society, The Launceston Art Society, The Northern Tasmanian Camera Club, The Royal Society and The National Trust. Frederick Smithies and his friend Bill King made the first motor vehicle journey from Waratah to Zeehan on a pair of Indian motorcycles in 1924. Fred purchased the Model A Ford on display to replace an ageing Model T, and kept the car until his death in 1979.
This 1928 A Model Ford, known affectionately as “Lizzie” throughout many Tasmanian communities, was the first two-wheel drive vehicle to navigate the road up Ben Lomond.
The expedition led to the opening of the West Coast road, which made it only 160 miles from Hobart to Queenstown, however it was still over 200 miles from Launceston and 300 from Burnie. People rallied to have another road built from the Great Lake to Bronte on the Marlborough highway to fill in the missing link. It was Fred and Lizzie who once again proved the journey was possible and the Missing Link road was constructed after this epic journey. Lizzie with Fred at the wheel also featured in many other improbable journeys into the heart of Tasmania’s wilderness.