Graeme Bartlett, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Explore the region

Launceston & North East Tasmania

Launceston, the Tamar Valley, the north-east, the Central Highlands and the upper East Coast.

Use the collections below to move from an overview of the region to detailed guides for its towns, landscapes, history and routes.

Places to explore

Towns, neighbourhoods and landscapes across the region.

Aerial view across Ansons Bay and its forested shoreline

Image credit: Graeme Bartlett, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia CommonsPlace · Launceston & North East

Ansons Bay, Tasmania

Plan an Ansons Bay visit with practical road, boating, service and conservation-area guidance.

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Aerial view of Avoca within the Fingal Valley

Image credit: Graeme Bartlett, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia CommonsPlace · Launceston & North East

Avoca, Tasmania

A guide to Avoca’s rivers, historic streets and practical role on the route between the Midlands and east coast.

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Wide view of Beaconsfield township and its mining landscape

Image credit: Peripitus, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia CommonsPlace · North & North East

Beaconsfield, Tasmania

A guide to Beaconsfield’s mining landscape, the heritage centre, the 2006 mine rescue and the town’s place in the Tamar Valley.

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Image credit: Bidgee, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia CommonsPlace · Launceston & North East

Beauty Point, Tasmania

A practical guide to Beauty Point’s wharves, maritime institutions and west Tamar connections.

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Snow-covered alpine plateau at Ben Lomond

Image credit: Peripitus, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia CommonsPlace · Launceston & North East

Ben Lomond National Park

Plan Ben Lomond around current road conditions, mandatory winter chains and genuine alpine weather.

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Granite shoreline and clear water at Binalong Bay

Image credit: Phil Whitehouse from London, United Kingdom, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia CommonsPlace · Launceston & North East

Binalong Bay, Tasmania

Plan a Binalong Bay visit for beaches, rocks and short coastal walks while protecting living cultural and natural values.

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Bracknell Hotel in the rural village centre

Image credit: Chuq, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia CommonsPlace · Launceston & North East

Bracknell, Tasmania

Use Bracknell as a respectful rural stop, with context on its village services, recreation ground and farming district.

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Image credit: Egcashion, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia CommonsPlace · Launceston & North East

Branxholm, Tasmania

Use Branxholm as a quiet north-east stop with river walks, railway history and practical services.

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Things to do

Walks, attractions, parks and practical local guides.

Green farming and forest landscape near Scottsdale in north-east Tasmania

Image credit: gekko, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia CommonsGuide · North & North East

Beyond Launceston city centre

Choose realistic day trips from Launceston to the Tamar Valley, Evandale and Longford, or Scottsdale and the north-east.

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Cassiterite (FOV 30mm) Locality: Blue Tier tinfield, Blue Tier district, Tasmania, Australia; Exposed in the Tasmanian Museum, specimen X6068

Image credit: Ralph Bottrill, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia CommonsWalk · Launceston & North East

Blue Tier Regional Reserve in north‑east Tasmania offers short accessible rainforest circuits, steep summit climbs and longer one‑way heritage walks. Match track grade to fitness and experience, follow vehicle and track rules, prepare for rapid weather change and note that camping is not permitted anywhere in the reserve.

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Cape Portland Tasmania (right back) Swan Island and little Swan Island. Little Musselroe Bay is the beach at front left with the mouth of the Musselroe River at the right end of that beach. Lyme Regis is a named location at the river mouth at the end of route C844. Boobyalla Beach is at top left. Left of Cape Portland is the Foster Inlet with two islands: Maclean Island and Baynes Island. Tregaron Lagoons lie inland from the Foster Inlet Beach with Petal Point to the left separating the Boobyalla Beach.

Image credit: Graeme Bartlett, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia CommonsOutdoors · Launceston & North East

Boobyalla Beach

Practical guide to Boobyalla Beach on Tasmania's north coast. Covers location, surf and bar systems, extensive dunes and reserve limits, access by 4WD, lack of patrols, suitability for visitors and essential checks to make before travelling.

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Salamanca Place. In the 1830s as trade opened up in VDL the wharves were on Hunter Island, now Hunter Street. But the waters were more sheltered on the Salamanca side of the harbour so convicts were employed to mine the steep hill side, create a quarry, and built a new shore line so that deep sea facilities for ships could be provided near Salamanca. John Lee Archer was involved in this 1827 plan to re-shape Sullivans Cove which included building up soil in front of the Customs House. In the 1840s the dock facilities moved to Salamanca Place and the large warehouses were built. The apple industry used the sheds right on the wharves in the 20th century. By the 1970s the area was derelict so the Tas. government bought seven warehouses to create an arts centre in 1976. Soon the other warehouses were privately renovated into upmarket galleries, shops and cafes. American Rebel Memorial in Princess Park. In 1839 a number of convicts (around 160) were transported from Canada to Tasmania because they had taken part in a rebellious movement against the British Crown. They were American patriots who had crossed into Canada, but some were French prisoners from French Canada. They had an uprising, were eventually arrested and shipped to Australia but only the American rebels were offloaded in Hobart. (The French rebels were offloaded in Sydney.) They were given hard labour at Port Arthur. The society they belonged to- the Hunters Lodge - had about 20,000 members who urged the Canadians to fight the British. Seven uprisings occurred. Queen Victoria pardoned the Americans between 1844-48. Only a few stayed on in Australia. None stayed in Tasmania. Most returned to the USA. Battery Point, Arthurs Circus, and the Lena House Hotel. Originally guns guarded the harbour from the point, hence the name Battery. Wealthy merchants chose to live there by the 1850s with Alexander McGregor being a good example. He arrived in Hobart from Scotland in 1831.He built up a large whaling fleet and bought Lenna House site from a ship’s captain once he was wealthy. He built this grand house around 1860 with a roof top tower for watching his sailing ships come up the Derwent estuary. It is now a fine hotel, so you can walk in side and look around. Despite two marriages he had no children. Opposite the Lenna is a fine example of a wooden fancy gabled Tudor Gothic style house in Runnymede Street. At the top of Runnymede St is Arthur’s Circus- named after the Governor with its quaint cottages and large horse Chesnuts in the middle of the circus. Is this really Australia? Although in England by the time of its development, Arthur owned this land at Battery Point and sold it off for housing in 1847. The blocks around the circus were all narrow frontage, suitable for workers’ cottages. The cottages were all built around 1850. Battery Point was home to master mariners, shipwrights, seamen, fishermen, shipping agents shipbuilders and as wealthy merchants. St Georges Anglican Church. The story of St George’s begins in 1836 with services commencing in 1838. The church was consecrated by Bishop W. G. Broughton, the first and only Bishop of Australia. St George's was designed in the Neo-Classical style then current in London. The only other examples of this style of church left in Australia are one in Richmond and one in Sydney. The Government architect, John Lee Archer, designed the body of the building; the tower and porch were designed by convict architect, James Blackburn. The church has an unusual layout, with two side aisles instead of a single central aisle. It still has its original cedar box pews. The Government agreed to grant convict labour, stone and timber for the church tower. Lime, lead and glass had to be provided by the church members. By 1847 the tower was finally completed, but the porch and the rooms at the basement of the tower were left unfinished. St George’s porch was not added until 1888. The stone for its fine fluted Grecian columns was quarried at Bellerive. James Blackburn (1803–1854), was a civil engineer, surveyor and architect who had been transported for forgery in 1833. He was pardoned in 1841, but continued in private practice as an architect until 1849. His work included: St Mark's Anglican Church at Pontville (Romanesque), the Lady Franklin Museum (Grecian) and The Grange at Campbell Town (Tudor). Narryna House. Narryna was built as a grand Georgian style house in 1836, one of the first on the hill at Battery Point for Captain Haig. He had built a warehouse down in Salamanca Place in 1833 and lived in that with his family whilst the house was completed. He sold it in 1842 and the property then had many different owners. It is a fine box like, very symmetrical simple Georgian house of grand proportions and constructed with first class quality sandstone. One long time resident was an early mayor of Hobart and a MP. The government bought the house as a TB hospital in 1946. It was established as Australia’s first heritage house museum in 1955. St David’s Park. This was originally the first Hobart graveyard, right opposite the first hospital on the corner of Salamanca Place and Davey Street. Was this a coincidence or expeditious planning? In 1926 the graveyard was converted into this park. In the centre is a fine memorial to Lieutenant Governor Collins. Some of the old headstones are now on the wall behind the Tasmanian Supreme Court. Collins you will remember was the first Lieutenant Governor of VDL and found a new mistress among the Norfolk Islanders, 16 year old Margaret Eddington. In Sydney he had had two children with Ann Yeates in the 1790s. His wife always remained in England. He had two illegitimate children with young Margaret Eddington before he died in 1810. His morals and administration were heavily criticised by the NSW Governor William Bligh.

Image credit: denisbin, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia CommonsWalk · Launceston & North East

Campbell Town Heritage Walk

A compact self-guided heritage walk in Campbell Town that links the 1838 Red Bridge, the Convict Brick Trail on High Street and a concentrated colonial streetscape. The route uses town footpaths and riverbank paths, suits most walkers and can be combined with short visits to the local museum, library and river reserves.

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Image credit: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia CommonsWalk · Launceston & North East

Cataract Gorge, Launceston

Cataract Gorge Reserve sits on the South Esk River just west of Launceston CBD. Pick a route by surface and time: the sealed riverside Cataract Walk to First Basin is short and flat, while Duck Reach and upper trails are longer and rougher. First Basin supplies basic visitor services and seasonal pool supervision.

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Evercreech Junction Railway Station Looking towards Bath and Highbridge. The actual junction of the two tracks lies in the middle distance.

Image credit: Tudor Williams, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia CommonsWalk · Launceston & North East

Evercreech Regional Reserve

Evercreech Regional Reserve protects tall forest at the headwaters of the South Esk River. The famous White Knights loop is closed until further notice because of storm damage. The Falls walk, picnic facilities and basic amenities remain available. Access is via unsealed roads from Fingal or Ringarooma, so check park alerts, weather and road conditions before you visit.

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Launceston city landscape near Cataract Gorge

Image credit: Mattinbgn ( talk · contribs ), CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia CommonsFood and drink · Launceston & North East

Food and Drink in Launceston

Plan where and how to eat in Launceston through markets, independent dining, Tamar Valley wine and seasonal northern Tasmanian produce.

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The columned facade of Launceston Town Hall seen across Civic Square

Image credit: Mattinbgn (talk · contribs) via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0.Walk · North & North East

Launceston heritage walk

A practical walking route through Launceston’s civic centre, Georgian streets, Victorian parks and industrial edge.

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History and heritage

Stories that explain the region’s communities and built landscape.

Launceston Town Hall and its columned nineteenth-century facade

Image credit: Mattinbgn (talk · contribs), CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia CommonsHistory · North & North East

A history of Launceston

Launceston’s history from Aboriginal Country and the Port Dalrymple settlement to a city shaped by trade, industry, civic ambition and conservation.

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Image credit: Peripitus, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia CommonsHistory · Launceston & North East

Historic Churches in and around Launceston

Explore significant church buildings in Launceston and nearby towns while checking access with each active congregation or owner.

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Image credit: Mattinbgn (talk · contribs), CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia CommonsHistory · Launceston & North East

Launceston Historic Sites

Connect Launceston’s major historic sites through public walks, official records and the river systems that shaped the city.

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View across the Launceston city grid and surrounding hills

Image credit: Nick-D, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia CommonsHistory · Launceston & North East

Launceston Street Names

Use Launceston’s street names as evidence of colonial planning, public memory and later suburban growth.

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Franklin House seen from the road at Youngtown

Image credit: Jin-oh Choi, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia CommonsHistory · Launceston & North East

Launceston’s Historic Homes

Explore Launceston’s historic houses through public streets, museums and documented heritage places without intruding on private homes.

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Stored diesel locomotives beside the former railway at Lilydale in northern Tasmania

Image credit: TasmanianMapping via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.History · North & North East

North East Railway

The railway that crossed the hills from Launceston to Scottsdale and Herrick, why it was built, what survives and how part of the corridor is used today.

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Image credit: JJ Harrison (https://www.jjharrison.com.au/), CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia CommonsHistory · Launceston & North East

Ross Bridge

A close guide to the construction, carvings and responsible viewing of the 1836 Ross Bridge.

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Historic building facade in central Launceston

Image credit: Mattinbgn (talk · contribs), CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia CommonsHistory · North & North East

The names of Launceston

A guide to the names Launceston, kanamaluka and the city’s suburbs, with a method for separating official records from repeated local stories.

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Road trips and day drives

Routes that connect nearby places with manageable travel days.

Aerial view across Fingal and the valley

Image credit: Graeme Bartlett, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia CommonsRoad trip · Launceston & North East

Esk Highway Road Trip

Plan the A4 Esk Highway with realistic stops, mountain weather, fuel checks and time for the Fingal Valley towns.

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Image credit: jacobharrisau, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia CommonsRoad trip · Launceston & North East

North Eastern Tasmania Drive

Build a flexible two or three-day drive through George Town, Scottsdale, Derby and St Helens without underestimating rural distances.

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