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| The First
Basin at the Gorge |
Launceston
Second largest city in Tasmania noted for its
exceptionally beautiful nineteenth century
buildings.
Launceston is Tasmaniašs second major centre.
Located 199 km north of Hobart on the Tamar
River, Launceston, with its population of
approximately 65 000, is really nothing more
than a large country town with an extraordinary
history and a large number of elegant nineteenth
century buildings. There is an argument that it
has the greatest concentration of large
nineteenth century buildings of any city in
Australia. While it doesnšt feel like a major
city it does have a distinctive ambience and
charm and it is this that helps to make it a
destination of great charm and an ideal central
point for exploring the many nineteenth century
villages which are within half and hour of the
city centre.
The Tamar river was discovered by Europeans
when bass and Flinders, during their
circumnavigation of Van Diemen's Land in 1798,
entered it. They explored the river for 16 days
and named it Port Dalrymple after Alexander
Dalrymple, the British Admiralty's hydrographer.
The area was settled in 1804 when Governor
King, fearful that the French might settle in
Van Diemen's Land, sent a small expeditionary
force under Lieutenant Colonel William Paterson
to the district. Paterson set up camp at the
present-day site of George Town. Shortly
afterwards an expedition, heading southward,
came to the present site of Launceston. They
were so impressed that a blockhouse was built
and by March, 1806 Paterson had decided to
relocate to the area which was originally named
Patersonia (for obvious reasons) but soon
renamed Launceston, after a town in Cornwall
where Governor Philip Gidley King had been born.
Like Hobart its economic importance was
originally based on its function as a port. By
1824 it had become the official headquarters of
the islandšs northern military command. This was
against the wishes of Governor Macquarie who had
favoured George Town, closer to the mouth of the
Tamar River, as the main settlement. In 1826 it
was surveyed and by 1827 the town had a
population of 2 000 and was already shipping
wool and wheat from the surrounding districts.
By the 1830s it was being used as a port of
call by whalers and sealers although it was
still officially a military town. In 1852 it
assumed the role of Tasmaniašs second major
centre and was proclaimed a municipality. Tin
was found at Mount Bischoff in 1871 and a decade
later Launceston opened its own stock exchange.
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| The old No.16
tramway at Penny Royal
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In 1911 electric trams were introduced into
the city. A remnant, the No.16, still runs as a
tourist attraction at the Penny Royal Mill
complex.
Today Launceston is an attractive and
important centre. It is known as Tasmania's
Garden City because of the large numbers of
parks and gardens. Realistically it is
Tasmania's second city and, for most visitors
who make the trip across Bass Strait, it is
their first port of call after they have arrived
at either Devonport or George Town.
The Economy
Bell Bay, located a short distance away, is home
to one of the largest aluminium smelting works
in the Southern Hemisphere. It is one of the few
success stories for the Tasmanian
Hydroelectricity Commission. Huge amounts of
electricity are needed to convert bauxite into
aluminium and the cheapness of Tasmanian power
persuaded the multinational Comalco organisation
that it was economically viable to ship bauxite
from their mines in Queensland and the Northern
Territory to a smelter in Tasmania. Launcestonšs
industrial base also includes meat exporting,
wood chip manufacture, food processing, and the
manufacture of textiles.
Things to see:
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1. Historic Buildings
The best way to explore Launceston's historic
past is to get a copy of 'Walk About Launceston'
produced by the City Architect and Planner's
Department. It nominates 25 places (including
Cataract Gorge) concentrated in central
Launceston and offers a comprehensive overview
of the city's magnificent architecture. The walk
passes starts at Brisbane Street Mall and
includes F & W Stewart, an interesting 19th
century jewellers and the Tasmania Hotel, a
Georgian Hotel near the city centre. It
continues through Princes Square (an
extraordinary square where, during the 19th
century there was a hot air balloon attempt, two
bushrangers were hanged and the fountain was
purchased from the Paris Exhibition of 1858.
It moves on to Morton House (a two storey
Georgian House originally known as St John's
Hospital where, in 1847, the first use of
anaesthetic in Australia occurred), Drysdale
House (a Queen Anne/Georgian building), Milton
Hall (built in 1842 and first used as St John's
Square Chapel), through rows of Georgian houses,
to the Synagogue which was built in 1844. It is
characterised by a public facade which was
typical of the Egyptian revival period of
architecture at the time.
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| Ye Olde
Bridge Hotel (1888) |
Other attractions on the walk include
Quadrant Mall (surrounded by a number of
attractive late 19th century buildings including
the City Hotel (1870s) and ANZ Bank (1880s), a
terrace of Victorian shops between 78-86 George
Street, the Brewery Oast House, the huge Monds
and Affleck Mill (built 1860), the substantial
Customs House (1885), Johnstone and Wilmots
store (1842) in St John Street, the Town Hall
and Post Office and the complex of Public
Buildings fronting Cameron, St John and Paterson
Streets. The true enjoyment of Launceston is to
take your time, linger at each building, and try
and imagine what this remarkable city was like
in the 1880s and 1890s.
Historic Highlights in Central Launceston
If you are limited by time the buildings worthy
of particular attention include:
(a) Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery -
an excellent museum which offers an insight into
the history of Launceston including both its
Aboriginal and convict past. It opened in 1891
and is considered one of the best regional
museums in Australia.
(b) Prince's Square - surely the finest and
most impressive of all the city's squares it is
notable for its fountain and handsome Georgian
and Victorian buildings.
(c) Macquarie House - now part of the Queen
Victoria Museum it was built by the local
merchant, Henry Reed, in 1830. The museum is
open from 10.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m. Monday to
Saturday. It specialises in the history of
Launceston. Details: (03) 6331 6777.
(d) Batman Faulkner Inn - Originally known as
the Cornwall Hotel - it was here that John
Batman and his friends met and decided to cross
Bass Strait and establish the new colony which
would eventually become Melbourne.
2. Cataract Gorge.
An exceptionally beautiful park characterised by
a chairlift across the basin, excellent nature
walks through the surrounding bush, excellent
views and a range of facilities including a
kiosk, restaurant, swimming pool. There is also
a pleasant walk across a suspension bridge, a
bandstand and a wide range of flora including
the South Esk pine, Bull Oak and some very old
lime and cypress trees. The area was developed
in 1899 with the first suspension bridge being
built in 1904. Not surprisingly Cataract Gorge
is Launceston's most popular destination for
family picnics. It is a unique and pleasant
destination which is open from early morning to
late in the evening with the hours shortened in
the winter months. You should get a map, or very
clear instructions, as the route to the car park
from York Street is a little complex.
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| Penny Royal
near Launceston |
3. Tourist Attractions
(a) Penny Royal World
This is a tourist attraction based on the
original Penny Royal Windmill which was built in
1840. Completed in the 1970s, it now comprises
accommodation and reconstructed 19th century
mills and attractions. There is a 16.5 metre
windmill, a fort, a gunpowder mill, a
paddlesteamer and a cannon foundry. The Penny
Royal Watermill was built at Barton, near
Cressy, 54 km from Launceston and was moved to
its current site in 1973. The Penny Royal
Cornmill is a working replica of the original,
built in 1825. Visitors can see the mill moving
the grinding stones. This is basically a theme
park offering a variety 19th century mills and
activities. As part of the attraction there is
an historic Launceston tram (the No.16) which
operates every ten minutes between the watermill
and the windmill. Also the Lad Stelfox
paddlesteamer offers a 45 minute cruise of the
Tamar River and Cataract Gorge. For further
information contact (03) 6331 6699.
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| Franklin
House |
(b) Franklin House and Franklin Village
Franklin House is one Launceston's major
historic attractions. This grand Georgian house
was built by convicts in 1838 for a Launceston
brewer, Britton Jones. By 1842 it had changed
hands and, for the next 40 years, it was the
W.K. Hawkes School for Boys. It now belongs to
the National Trust which first opened it to the
public in 1961. In fact the National Trust was
established in Tasmania in 1960 specifically to
purchase the building. The house has been
carefully furnished. Notable pieces include an
18th century mahogany clock, an organ, Tasmanian
cedar piano and French musical box, a range of
interesting portraits and, most importantly, the
extensive use of cedar for for doors,
architraves, windows and skirting boards. It is
open from 9.00 a.m. - 5.00 p.m. (it closes an
hour earlier in the winter months). For details
contact (03) 6344 7824.
(c) The Old Umbrella Shop, 60 George
Street, Launceston.
Built from Tasmanian blackwood in the 1860s, and
owned for three generations by the Shott family,
this shop now houses the National Trust Gift
Shop and Information Centre and is open from
9.00 a.m. - 5.00 p.m. Monday to Friday and from
9.00 a.m. - noon on Saturday. It is an
excellent, and rare, example of a Victorian
shopfront and interior which are basically
intact. Telephone: (03) 6331 9248.
(d) Waverley Woollen Mills
Located 5 km from the centre of Launceston the
Waverley Woollen Mills were established in 1874.
This is Australia's oldest woollen mill. It also
has a hydro electric generating plant which
dates back to 1889 and which the company claims
to be the oldest in the southern hemisphere.
Conducted tours of the mill are available (they
take about 30-40 minutes) between 9.00 a.m. -
4.00 p.m. Monday to Friday and the showroom is
open (it sells garments made from the factory's
products) from 9.00 a.m. - 5.00 p.m. Monday to
Friday.
(f) City Park
Located at the north-western edge of the central
business district the City Park (sometimes
referred to as Monkey Park) is five hectares of
lawns, flower beds, beautiful European deciduous
trees, a kangaroo enclosure and a monkey island,
and the fascinating John Hart conservatory with
its colourful hothouse blooms.
