TASMANIA: Launceston

"The City on the Rivers"

The Centre of Tasmanias Northern Agricultural Heartlands

Launceston is the ninth largest non-capital city in Australia. It boasts a very old and distinuished history with the first European visitors arriving in 1798 and just a few years later in 1804 the first settlers arrived, such was the impression left upon Bass and Flinders, the original explorers. Besides being the first city in Australia to be fed hydro-electricity it is also distinguished as the first to have underground sewerage sytems.

The scenic Esk and Tamar rivers as well as the historic buildings are themselves good reason to visit but there is also plenty to do. Right in the middle of suburbia Cataract Gorge is a reminder of the wild countryside that is close by this historic city and a wonderful family picnic destination.

Launceston is the major northern Tasmania centre for manufacturing, minerals and agriculture.

It has long had strong cultural influences with many of the historic hotels the centres for plays, film and musical presentations and they still carry on in that tradition.