The ▁Vo ice ▁of ▁the ▁Mid lands " ▁ ▁History ▁O at lands ▁is ▁one ▁of ▁Tas mania ' s ▁oldest ▁settlement s ▁and ▁was ▁named ▁by ▁Governor ▁Mac qu arie ▁after ▁an ▁English ▁town ▁in ▁the ▁county ▁of ▁Sur rey ▁in ▁ 1 8 2 1 . ▁ ▁It ▁was ▁developed ▁as ▁a ▁military ▁base ▁for ▁the ▁control ▁and ▁management ▁of ▁conv ict s ▁because ▁of ▁its ▁central ▁location ▁between ▁Hob art ▁and ▁La unc eston . ▁ ▁Con v ict s ▁were ▁assigned ▁to ▁nearby ▁far ms ▁and ▁properties , ▁and ▁also ▁worked ▁on ▁public ▁buildings , ▁roads ▁and ▁brid ges . ▁ ▁O at lands ▁Post ▁Office ▁opened ▁on ▁ 1 ▁June ▁ 1 8 3 2 . ▁ ▁Much ▁of ▁the ▁Black ▁War ▁( ear ly ▁sett lers ▁against ▁local ▁ab orig ines ) ▁took ▁place ▁in ▁the ▁surrounding ▁districts , ▁and ▁O at lands ▁was ▁also ▁the ▁home ▁of ▁the ▁ex - conv ict ▁Sol omon ▁Bl ay , ▁Tas mania ' s ▁most ▁fe ared ▁hang man . ▁There ▁are ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁unique ▁land marks ▁in ▁O at lands , ▁including ▁the ▁Call ington ▁Mill ▁and ▁St ▁Paul s ' ▁Church . ▁The ▁mill ▁was ▁built ▁in ▁ 1 8 3 7 ▁and ▁was ▁restored ▁to ▁working ▁order ▁during ▁June / J uly ▁ 2 0 1 0 , ▁and ▁the ▁Catholic ▁Church ▁was ▁designed ▁by ▁August us ▁Wel by ▁P ugin , ▁the ▁father ▁of ▁Goth ic ▁Rev ival ▁architecture . ▁ ▁For ▁some ▁years