Geeveston is located 71 kilometres south west of Hobart, and is well known for its association with the timber industry. The settlement was originally known as Lightwood Bottom until 1961 when it was named Geeves Town.

The Geeves family arrived from England in 1842 and first settled in nearby Franklin, before deciding to explore the area further downstream at the mouth of the Kermandie River in 1847. The Reid family had owned 100 acres of land in the Geeveston area and had been "spot" milling 13 years prior to the arrival of the Geeves family, after whom Geeveston is named. Family descendants still reside in the locality.

The timber industry has strong links to Geeveston, with the development of a tramway in 1856 to carry logs from the hillsides surrounding the town to the sea for transportation. Shipbuilding had been ongoing since 1842 and the first apple orchards in the area were planted in 1851.

Other timber related industries sprang up in the area and included a newsprint plant running from its inception in 1927 to 1934, and an Australian Paper Manufacturers Ltd pulp mill which ran from 1962 to 1982.


Natural Attractions

The Arve Road, nearby to Geeveston, allows visitors a chance to explore the Southern Forests of Tasmania, and is one of the most popular natural attractions in the southern area of the state.

The natural splendour of the nearby Hartz Mountains National Park and the Huon and Picton River valleys are all waiting to be explored by bushwalkers, climbers, rafters and canoeists. Beautiful beaches - perfect for swimming, sailing and fishing - are also close by to Geeveston.

One of the first Marine Reserves is located nearby. Tinderbox Marine Reserve is ideal for scuba divers and snorkellers and has a vast array of fish, reef animals and plants and sandstone platforms to explore.

The Esperance Forest and Heritage Centre documents the history of timber getting and forestry work in the area. It also provides educational displays and a unique forest management section in which you can decide the fate of a section of forest, as well as hosting exhibitions of woodturning and other craft skills. For further information you can telephone the complex on (002) 97 1836. They are open from 10am until 4pm every day.

Other Attractions

The Hartz Gallery is located in the Heritage Centre and has a variety of paintings and sculptures for visitors to admire.

Brookside Craft Gallery and Workshop offers you the chance to view a selection of local crafts and arts. You can also watch the woodturner at his craft. To get there take the Dover Road past the Big Log and look for the signs on the Southern side of the town.

Relax with a Devonshire Tea in any of the quaint tea rooms in the town. Enjoy a game of golf on the 9 hole golf course, or crew on a yacht at the nearby Huon Yacht Club. Bowls and tennis can also be played in the area.

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