Launceston
Situated
just 64km
from
Bass
Straight
where
the
North
and
South
Esk
Rivers
meet
to become
the
Tamar
River,
Launceston
is the
second
largest
city
in Tasmania
and
the
centre of the
northern
region.
Surrounded
by mountains,
the
city
sits
in the
wide
river
valleys
and
has
been
given
the
name
"The
Garden
City".
The
history
of the
valley
dates
back
to 1798
and
Launceston
was
founded
in 1805.
Originally
named
Patersonia
after
the
founder
and
first
commandant,
Colonel
Paterson,
who
changed
it to
Launceston
in honour
of Governor
King,
whose
birthplace
was
the
Cornish
township
of Launceston.
The
city
is now
rich
in heritage
and
graced
with
magnificent
Victorian
streetscapes
and beautifully
maintained
historical
architecture.
Just
a few
minutes
walk
from
the
centre,
the
South
Esk
plunges
through
the
spectacular
Cataract
Gorge
which
can
be seen
from
the
longest
chairlift
span
in the
world
a 308m
journey
which
takes
six
minutes.
The
12ha
park
containing
the
gorge
boasts
more
than
70 species
of fauna
which
is native
to the
area,
including
the
South Esk
Pine,
only
found
in the
river
valley.
City
park
with
its
enormous
Elm
and
Oak
trees,
houses
a small
zoo
and
conservatory
and
produces
spectacular
flower
shows.
Scottsdale
Situated
63km
east
of Launceston,
Scottsdale
is the
main
town
in the
North
East
region
and
serves
some
of the
richest
agricultural
and
forest
country
in Tasmania.
The
town
was
named
by the
Government
Surveyor,
James
Scott
who
first
explored
the
North
East
hinterland
in 1852.
Timber
from
the
pine
forests
is a
major
industry
and
a mill
has been
built
seven
kilometers
east
at Tonganah.
There
is also
a large
Birdseye
processing
factory
specailising
in the
deep
freezing
and
dehydration
of vegetables.
George
Town
George
Town,
situated
near
the
mouth
of the
Tamar
River
is a
flourishing
commercial
and
residential
centre.
Close
to some
beautiful
beaches,
the
town
has
modern
visitor
and
recreation
services.
In 1804
Colonel
William
Paterson
raised
the
Union
Jack
on Monument
point
and
fired
a salute
from
his
ship,
HMAS
Buffalo,
making
George
Town
the
first white
settlement
in the
north
and
one
of the
first
in Australia.
The
town
was
named
after
the
King
in 1811
by Governor
Maquarie.
Devonport
At the
mouth
of the
Mersy
River,
almost
in the
middle
of the
North
coast
Devonport
is referred
to as
the
Gateway
of Tasmania,
being
the
Tasmanian
port
for
the
Spirit
of Tasmania
Bass
Strait
service.
It is
a modern,
tourism
orientated
city
with
an airport
for
interstate
and
intrastate
services
with
full
accommodation
and
visitor
faculties.
The
city
has many
attractions
and
some
of the
states
best
scenery
is close
by.
Latrobe
Nine
kilometres
up the
Latrobe
river
from
Devonport,
Latrobe
is known
for
its
top
quality
cuisines,
created
from
the
local
produce.
The
town
is lined
with
Victorian
shopfronts
including
antique
shops
and
streetside
cafes.
Ulverstone
Ulverstone
is situated
on the
banks
of the
Leven
River
21km
west
of Devonport.
The
beautiful
beaches,
spectacular
scenery
including
mountains,
waterfalls,
and
raging
rivers,
make
Ulverstone
the
prefect
place
for
a holiday
in the
North
West.
The
town
has
a good
range
of accommodation,
great
picnic
spots,
barbecues,
playgrounds
and
sporting
facilities.
Attractions
include
limestone
caves and
the
magnificent
Leven
Canyon.
Penguin
Penguin
is situated
31km
west
of Devonport
on three
small
bays
below
the
spectacular
Dial
Range
,which
rises
steeply
behind
the
town.
The
town
is named
after
the
fairy
penguins
who
live
in the
rookeries
along
the
coast.
They
can
be observed
during
the
summer
months.
There
are
good
bushwalking
tracks
in the
Dial
Range
and
the view
from
Mt Montgomery
at the
northern
end
of the
range
is magnificent.
Burnie
Located
150km
west
of Devonport,
Burnie
is a
busy
port
which
handles
more
than
2 million
tonnes
of cargo
a year
and
has
the
states
only
regular
shipping
service.
The
town
is in
a key
position,
being
the
gateway
of the
scenic
and
historic
area
of the
Far
North
West
including
the
rich
mining
area
of the
West
Coast.
Burnie sits
on the
shores
of Emu
Bay
and
has
some
fine
gardens
and
natural
beauty
including
:- Burnie
Park,
Fern
Glade,
Guide
Falls,
and
Emu
Valley
Rhododendron
Gardens.
Six
kilometres
west
is the
town
of Somerset
on the
Cam
River,
an industrial
town
with
timber
and
plywood
mills.
Wynyard
Wynyard
is a
peaceful
town
at the
mouth
of the
Inglis
River,
nestled
beneath
the
scenic
Table
Cape
and
is the
centre
of a
prosperous
dairy
farming
area.
The
nearby
Table
Cape,
a flat
topped
promontory
rich
in volcanic
soils
with
spectacular
cliffs
which
drop
down
to the
sea
has
been
a landmark
since
the
early
days
of settlement.
The town
has
a significant
tourism
industry
with
a good
range
of accommodation
and
a major
airport
with
daily
services
to Melbourne.
Smithton
The
centre
of Circular
Head
municipality,
Smithton
was
the
first
settlement
in the
Far
North
West
and
was
named
by Bass
and
Flinders
in 1798.
The
area
has
rich
farmland,
much
of which
has
been
reclaimed
from
swamp,
and
has
an economy
based
on dairy
farming,
timber
and
fishing.
Many
rivers
wind
through
spectacular
Beech
forests
and undulating
farmlands.
Bones
of animals
which
roamed
around
the
area
more
than
40 000
years
ago
have
been
found
on farmland
drained
around
Mella.
They
include
remains
of a
giant
wombat,
a marsupial
rhinoceros
and
a giant
kangaroo.
There
is hotel
and
motel
accommodation
and
excellent
fishing
and
boating
in the
rivers
and
Duck
Bay.
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