Mount Mort

The Mt Mort district was originally part of the huge Laidley Plains leasehold which was taken up as a sheep run in 1843. The run extended across the Franklin Valley, named after Sir John Franklin, Lt-Gov of Van Diemen’s Land 1837-1843.

The Mt Mort district was originally part of the huge Laidley Plains leasehold which was taken up as a sheep run in 1843. The run extended across the Franklin Valley, named after Sir John Franklin, Lt-Gov of Van Diemen’s Land 1837-1843. In 1849, the lease and 13,000 sheep passed to Sydney businessman Thomas Sutcliffe Mort. In 1852, the lease was transferred to his brother Henry Mort and his brother- in-law James Laidley, with Henry managing the Franklyn Vale section of the run in the early 1850s.

Franklyn Vale has been the home of the Mort family since Henry Jonathon and Maria Mort settled there in 1849. Franklyn Vale Homestead was erected in the early 1870s for Mr and Mrs Henry Crace, son-in-law and daughter of Henry Mort who was the owner of the property. The homestead replaced an 1849 slab dwelling which was then used as a stables until it wad demolished ca. 1949.