Population 86,000
Launceston is Australia's largest inland port, and Tasmania's second largest
city. It is situated at the head of the Tamar River at the junction of
the north and south Esk, in the central northern region of Tasmania.
Climate
Average temperatures: January max 21C (70F) - min 13C (55F); July max 13C
(55F) - 5C (41F). The average rainfall is approximately 750mm (29.5 ins)
with the wettest period being from May to October. The Sunshine hours
are Summer 7, Autumn (Fall) 4, Winter 3, Spring 6.
Characteristics
Known as the 'garden city' because of its abundance of well established
beautiful public and private gardens, Launceston nestles in a wide river
valley amid lush green countryside. It has given rise to the description
of Tasmania as 'this other England'.
How to Get There By Sea
Spirit of Tasmania passenger/car ferry operates between Melbourne and Devonport,
9206 6211. Tasmania's Own Redline coaches operate a service from Devonport
to Launceston, (03) 6336 1446.
The DevilCat Express catamaran passenger/car ferry operates Port Welshpool,
Gippsland, Victoria to George Town with a coach to Launceston daily return
during peak season (summer) and 5 times a week during off season (not Tues & Thurs).
By Bus
Tasmania's Own Redline coaches operate a Hobart/Launceston and Launceston/Devonport,
Burnie, Wynyard and Smithton service.
By Car
The trip from Hobart 199km (124 miles), via the Midlands Highway, takes
approximately 2.5 hours. From Burnie 143km (89 miles) it takes about
the same time. From the east coast (St. Helens) via Scottsdale, the trip
is again about 2.5 hours, however via St. Marys it can take about 2 hours
45 minutes.
Tourist Information
The Gateway Tasmania Visitor Information Centre is on the corner of St
John and Paterson Streets, (03) 6336 3133. It is open Mon-Fri 9am-5pm,
Sat 9am-3pm, Sun & Public Holidays 9am-12pm.
Accommodation
Launceston, with many hotels/motels, boasts of first class accommodation,
and also caters for moderate budgets. Prices vary considerably depending
on the standard of accommodation and the season. Here we have a selection,
with prices for a double room per night, which should be used as a guide
only. The telephone area code is 03.
Novotel Launceston, 29 Cameron Street, 6334 3434. 162 rooms, licensed restaurant
- $164.
Country Club Casino, Country Club Ave, Prospect Vale, 6335 5777. 104 rooms,
licensed restaurant, bistro, heated indoor pool, spa, sauna, tennis, squash,
golf - $255-275.
Hotel Tasmania, 191 Charles Street, 6331 4966. 25 rooms, licensed restaurant
- $45.
Abel Tasman Airport Motor Inn, 303 Hobart Road, Kings Meadow, 6344 5244.
42 units, licensed restaurant - $90.
Batman Fawkner Inn, 35 Cameron Street, 6331 7222. 38 rooms, licensed restaurant
- $71-85.
Launceston Backpackers, 103 Canning St, 6334 9779. Room only, $16pp; 25
rooms available.
Caravan Parks
Treasure Island Caravan Park, 94 Glen Dhu Street, 6344 2600. Powered sites
$17 for two, on-site vans $38-40 for two.
Eating Out
Launceston has over 40 restaurants and many additional takeaway outlets.
Below we have listed some restaurants that cater specifically for certain
dishes. Most restaurants are BYO and those that are licensed have a corkage
charge if you bring your own.
Quigleys, 96 Balfour Street, 6331 6971 - game, seafood & French, licensed
- open daily.
Restaurant Synergy, 135 George Street, 6331 0110 - licensed - open Tues-Sat.
Calabrisella Pizza Restaurant, 56 Wellington Street, 6331 1958 - Italian,
BYO - open Wed-Mon.
Plate of the Art, 185 Wellington Street, 6334 3220 - modern Australian
- open for dinner Tue-Sun, lunch Fri - good selection of wines.
Terrace Restaurant, at the Country Club Casino, 6335 5775 - refined setting,
excellent service - dinner Tue-Sat.
Waterfront Restaurant, 13 Park Street, 6334 0554 - take-away also available.
Snappers Seafood Restaurant, 3 Earl Street, 6331 9999.
Franco's Italian Restaurant, 42 George Street, 6331 8648.
Fu Wah Chinese Restaurant, 63 York Street, 6331 6368.
Arpar's Thai Restaurant, cnr Paterson & Charles Streets, 6331 2786.
Points of Interest
There are many quaint malls and shopping centres in the city such as the
Quadrant Mall and Yorktown Square.
The Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery in Wellington Street has a unique
collection of Tasmanian fauna and Aboriginal artifacts, a Planetarium and
a reconstructed joss-house. Open Mon-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 2pm-5pm, 6331 6777.
The Umbrella Shop, in George Street, is built entirely of Tasmanian Blackwood
and is preserved by the National Trust, 6331 9248.
The City Park, 6323 3610, is spacious with well laid-out gardens amid old
elm and oak trees. It contains a small zoo and houses the John Hart Conservatory
which is noted for its displays of begonias, cyclamen and many other hot
house blooms.
The Design Centre of Tasmania, cnr Brisbane & Tamar Streets, 6331 5506,
is open Mon-Fri 10am-6pm, Sat 10am-1pm, Sun 2pm-5pm. It has displays by
Tasmania's best designers and craftsmen, some available for purchase.
The Penny Royal World, in Paterson Street, is an imaginative man-made development.
It depicts early nineteenth century gun-powder mills, cannon foundry and
arsenal in a landscaped setting with streams and waterfalls. Within the
complex there is a canal system and lake complete with a fleet of vessels,
two of which fire and proof their guns daily. A scale model railway system
runs the 700m (766 yards) from the Gunpowder Mill to the Penny Royal Watermill
complex. The Penny Royal Watermill is a motel, 6331 6699 - 33 units, $130
for two. Besides visits to the various Mills, and a ride on the train,
cruises operate from here. Open daily 9am-5pm.
The Country Club Casino, at Prospect Vale besides accommodation mentioned
above, has various gaming tables and offers live entertainment.
Franklin House, 7km (4.3 miles) south, is an early settler's home furnished
in the colonial style. It is owned by the National Trust - open for inspection
daily 9am-5pm, 6344 7824.
Tamar Knitting Mills, Hobart Road, are open daily 9am-4pm, 6344 8255. The
mills have been operating since 1926, and you can purchase woollen garments
there after touring the operation.
The Cataract Gorge is quite a place, and it is only a few minutes by bus
from the city. A 1.6km (1 mile) walk along the face of the cliff ends in
the Cataract Cliff Grounds Reserve from where a chairlift crosses the gorge.
Manicured gardens, complete with strutting peacocks, merge with native
flora on the upper bank, whereas on the city side, gardens surrounding
a swimming pool extend to the lake over which you pass in the chairlift.
National Automobile Museum of Tasmania, cnr Cimitiere and Willis Streets,
6334 8888. Show-casing a selection of international cars, some in pristine
condition and others undergoing restoration, this museum is open 9am-5pm
seven days.
Cruises on the Tamar River can be taken on either the Tamar Odyssey, a
14.9 metre Cougar Cat (6334 9900) or the Lady Stelfox, a paddlesteamer
operating every hour between 10am and 3pm daily (6331 6699).
Festivals
There are a number of local food, wine, racing and agricultural shows scheduled
throughout the year, and the Visitor Centre can provide details of specific
events.
Facilities
As with all cities of a reasonable size, all sports such as lawn bowls,
golf, squash, water sports, horse and greyhound racing, cycling and the
various football codes are catered for.
Outlying Attractions
In Launceston many tours - half day and full day - and a variety of travel
packages, are offered to see the sights of the Tamar Valley and the area
surrounding Launceston. Contact the Visitor Centre in Paterson Street,
(03) 6336 3133, for information.
South Hadspen
Located some 13km (8 miles) south-west, the village of Hadspen is often
referred to as being very much like England. Here Entally House, which
is built like an English farmhouse, is open daily 10am-12.10pm, 1pm-5pm,
6393 6201.
Liffey Valley
Around 60km (37 miles) south-west via Carrick and Bracknell, are the Liffey
Falls. It is a popular destination for bushwalkers and fishermen. There
is a large fernery located here which sells a large variety of ferns.
The Falls are in the Reserve and drop into a beautiful rainforest.
Ross
The town of Ross on the Midland Highway, is famous for its elaborately
carved convict-built bridge of 1836. 75km (47 miles) south of Launceston
and on the banks of the Macquarie River, Ross is classified by the National
Trust. It is well worth a stop on your way to or from Hobart. There are
many interesting buildings in the village - 1836 War Memorial, Sherwood
Castle Inn, Macquarie Store, Old Barracks Building (now a wool craft
centre) - and information can be obtained at the Tourist Information
Centre. They are located in the tearooms, which were originally St John's
Anglican Church.
North
Exeter
24km (15 miles) north-west along the Tamar River, Exeter is the centre
of a fruit growing area, and even the local school has its own farm. At
the mouth of the Supply River are the remains of Tasmania's first water
driven flour mill. The Visitor Information Centre is on Main Road, (03)
6394 4454.
Batman Bridge
The bridge spans the Tamar River another 30km (19 miles) downstream at
Whirlpool Reach. It was one of the world's first cable-stayed bridges.
Dominated by a 100m (328 ft) high steel A-frame inclined 20 degrees from
the vertical, it leans out 30m (98 ft) across the river and carries almost
the entire weight of the 206m (676 ft) main span. The bridge was opened
in 1968.
Bell Bay
Further downstream and very close to the coast, Bell Bay has become an
important inland port mainly nourished by Comalco's aluminium smelter.
George Town
The town is the residential and commercial centre for Bell Bay, but offers
little in the way of accommodation. It has a beautiful Georgian mansion,
The Grove, 25 Cimitiere Street, that has been restored and is open for
inspection daily 10am-5pm, 6382 1336. It is the port for the Catamaran
ferry service to Port Welshpool in Victoria. There is an information
centre on Main Road, (03) 6382 1700.
West
Scottsdale
Scottsdale, with a population around 2000, is 70km (43 miles) north-east
of Launceston, and is the centre of a large market garden area. A food
processing factory specialising in deep freezing and dehydrating vegetables
is located here. Oil poppies are grown in the area, and when they bloom
in January and February the countryside is a blaze of colour. Lavender
is grown around Nabowla, 13km west of Scottsdale. It blooms in late December
through January pervading the air with its perfume. The Bridestow Estate
Lavender Farm is at 296 Gillespies Road, Nabowla, 6352 8182.
Ben Lomond National Park
The Park is 48km (30 miles) south-east of Launceston, and reached via White
Hills. It boasts of spectacular mountain scenery, as do all national
parks in Tasmania. It is Tasmania's leading ski resort. Access is by
a very steep and winding mountain road through precipitous gorge and
across the mountain plateau. In winter it is often covered with heavy
snow. Contact the Visitor Information Centre in Laun-ceston about bus
timetables and departure points.
