Introduction The Great Walk Solitude in The City Trip Around The Galaxy Seek Out Something Special Sip Away The Day See The Homes of Landed Gentry Penguins and Pademelons
The Great Walk
Spend the day walking through Launceston’s history. The Great
Walk trail will guide you from beautiful City Park with its monkey enclosure
and historic Albert Hall to the stunning Cataract Gorge Reserve at the
edge of the city. Follow the historic carriageway past some of the
region’s finest colonial buildings to the restored Ritchies flour Mill
housing a fine collection of art and craft and to the Penny Royal complex
with its fully operational windmill, watermill and gunpowder mill.
Here the South Esk River spills into the Tamar through the Cataract Gorge
Reserve, a 160-hectare reserve in the heart of Launceston. Top
Solitude in The City
Wander by the toll house through the gardens and cliff grounds developed
at the turn of the century, through the Victorian band rotunda, tearooms
and cottage restaurant which have all been restored. Feed the roaming
peacocks. Ride the longest single span chairlift in the world or
walk across the ‘swinging’ suspension bridge for superb views of the ravine
or to reach the native bushland and swimming pool on the river’s eastern
bank. Follow the trail to the river’s higher reaches and Australia’s
first municipal hydro electricity station at Duck Reach. Top
Trip Around The Galaxy
Visit the city’s Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery which houses
one of the finest colonial art collections in the nation, as well as fascinating
relics from Tasmania’s past including the famous Tasmanian tiger.
Take a quick trip around the galaxy at the museum’s planetarium, one of
only four in Australia. At the nearby Maritime Museum based in an
1842 merchant’s warehouse, artifacts recovered from the wreck of the historic
Sydney Cove form part of the display of the region’s maritime heritage.
Top
Seek Out Something Special
Shop for something old or original at Launceston’s antique shops, galleries,
studios and craft outlets - all within walking distance of the central
business district. The Design Centre near City Park displays the
work of many of Tasmania’s best crafts people and speciality shops in the
city centre draw shoppers from around the state. When the sun goes
down, the city’s finest restaurants light up, local bands strike up at
nearby pubs and the gambling tables at the Country Club Casino begin to
hum. Top
Sip Away The Day
Plan a picnic in the Tamar Valley and pack your hamper as y you go.
Almost 70% of Tasmania’s acclaimed cool climate wines are grown in the
undulating landscapes of the Tamar region. Sample a chardonnay at
the cellar door, sip away the day at a vineyard restaurant overlooking
the river, or linger overnight in a bed and breakfast and wake up to birdsong.
Succulent stone and berry fruits are sold in season at roadside stalls
and served with country fare at the pubs and tea rooms that are dotted
throughout the region. Make your way to Beaconsfield and steep yourself
in the history of Tasmania’s gold mining era in the Grubb Shaft Museum
Complex, rebuilt in the original mining ruins. Top
See The Homes of Landed Gentry
Drive back through history to the stately homes of Launceston’s prosperous
country gentry. Clarendon House near Evandale, Franklin House in
outer Launceston, the Grove at Georgetown and Entally House at Hadspen
are outstanding examples of Georgian and Victorian architecture and are
open to the public. Allow someone else to drive you on a guided tour
to the magnificent Woolmers Property or to the gardens of historic Brickendon
and Evandale village. Top
Penguins and Pademelons
Drive for 30 minutes to an hour from the city centre to see Tasmania’s
native animals in the natural habitat. Wait quietly for the fairy
penguins at Low Head to return from the day’s fishing at sea, at the entrance
of the Tamar River, or take a sunset guided tour from November through
to March. Head east to Ben Lomond National Park in winter and hit
the slopes at the state’s premier cross country and downhill ski resort.
In the warmer months, follow the mountain trails for dramatic views of
the region and the chance to see echidnas, wombats, wallabies and pademelons
and superb alpine plants, endemic to Tasmania. Top
