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About Launceston

Launceston is Tasmania’s second major city and a vibrant hub for food and wine, culture and nature. In fact, the whole region is packed with city and country charm, gorgeous old towns, excellent food and wine and beautiful scenic highlights.

One of Australia’s oldest cities, Launceston has one of the best-preserved early cityscapes in Australia with its elegant Colonial and Victorian architecture and century-old parks.

Just a short walk from the city centre, Cataract Gorge is a slice of wilderness right in the heart of town and Launceston’s star natural attraction.

There’s also plenty of culture on offer at art galleries, museums and design studios. The Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery is the largest regional gallery in Australia.

From Launceston, you can follow the Tamar River north through Tasmania’s premium wine-growing region, past forested hills and farmland, lavender fields, vineyards, orchards and pretty riverside towns. Historic villages are found around every corner, from Longford on the outskirts of Launceston to Evandale, Ross and Campbell Town along the Heritage Highway south.

For those interested in wildlife, nearby Narawntapu National Park provides many opportunities to see Australia’s unique animals.

Launceston’s history began in 1804 when the commandant of the British garrison Lt. Col. William Paterson, set up a camp at Port Dalrymple, now known as George Town. A few weeks later, the settlement was moved across the river to York Town and in 1806 they finally settled in Launceston.

Weather and Climate

Northern Tasmania has a cool temperate climate (sometimes optimistically described as Mediterranean!), segmented into four distinct seasons. Nestling in the Tamar Valley, and ringed by large hills and mountains, our weather patterns are known to vary considerably within a short period.

The average temperatures for September and October ranges from is 5 °C  to 16 °C.

Come prepared – bring a coat – and you will be sure to enjoy all that our seasons have to offer.