Launceston and the Tamar Valley

Launceston and the Tamar Valley are the cultural hub of Northern Tasmania and well worth spending a few days exploring.

Launceston is one of Tasmania's oldest cities with heaps to see and do. During the summer months head down to Cataract Gorge and go for a swim or explore the gardens and the walks surrounding it. If you are feeling brave and/or lazy you can take the chair lift across the gorge to the gardens and tea house sitting high up above the water.

Launceston is home to some great parks, gardens and museums dating back to the 1800s. It's worth stopping by City Park in Launceston just to see the monkeys (yes we know this statement might sound confusing) but the whole park is really quite beautiful. Near to City Park you will find the National Automobile Museum and the Boag's Brewery which you can tour as well.

Heading out of Launceston to the Tamar Valley you can explore some of Tasmania's best farmland and local produce including premium wines from wineries such as Josef Chromy and Jansz. 

Launceston is quickly becoming a major mountain biking hub in Tasmania with a number of new trail networks and projects starting up in the region. Hollybank, which is only a twenty minute drive from the centre of Launceston, has received rave reviews since opening in 2014 and has some of the best flow trails in Australia. 

North of Launceston is Narawntapu National Park which is home to an abundance of native wildlife and includes some important Aboriginal heritage sites with middens and artefacts still visible from walking tracks around the park.

A Brief History of Launceston

Launceston is one of the oldest cities in Australia first being settled by Europeans in 1806. By the 1820s the town had grown to become a major export hub for the local pastoral industries and later mining.

Prior to European settlement the area was home to a nomadic population of Tasmanian Aborigines, evidence of these inhabitants is still visible at a number of coastal spots today.

Our Local Tips

• Enjoy some of the local mountain bike trails including Hollybank and Trevallyn Reserve trails.
• See an AFL game at Aurora stadium during the winter months.
• Go wine tasting in the Tamar Valley.
• Swim in Cataract Gorge.
• At Low Head have a look at the Maritime Museum, go up to the Low Head Lighthouse (we recommend Sundays at midday) and then listen for the penguins in the evening.