Launceston is the second largest city in Tasmania, and is situated at the confluence of the north and south Esk Rivers, which merge to become the mighty Tamar River. The first explorers, Bass and Flinders reached the area in 1798, and named their landing point Port Dalrymple.

This name was in honour of Alexander Dalrymple, the Admiralty Hydrographer. Bass and Flinders spent a total of sixteen days in the area, travelling up the river. Some years later William Collins made it as far as the junction of the North and South Esk Rivers.

The paranoia felt by Governor King in Sydney and the authorities in general, that the French would start explorations in the area, combined with Collins' report following his trip, combined to act as an incentive to send an expedition to set up a settlement.

And so it was that in 1804, Colonel Paterson established a settlement at Port Dalrymple, located at present day George Town.

The settlement began to move location in 1805 to the site of present day Launceston, and was originally called Patersonia, after Colonel Paterson, the founder and commander of the area. Paterson had been greatly impressed with the area when he discovered it whilst exploring, and decided that it would make an ideal location for a township.

The new settlement was renamed Launceston by Paterson, in honour of Governor King's birthplace in Cornwall, England. Laun or Lan were Celtic words meaning a religious enclosure, and Ces signified St Stephen; therefore the town derived its name from the Celtic for St Stephen's religious enclosure.

In early 1805, a sergeant and some soldiers were sent to clear some of the scrub and build a blockhouse at a spot which was named Ritching's Park. Paterson did not actually move his headquarters here until 1806.

The road to Hobart was opened in 1818, and the town developed to such an extent that it was declared a town in 1824, and was nominated as the official capital of the north a year later. Ritchie's Mill produced the first flour for the settlement in 1835, and continued to operate until 1973. St John's Hospital, founded in the 1840s, was the site of the first 'anaesthetic' operation in the Southern Hemisphere in 1847.

1857 saw the establishment of a telegraph service to Hobart, and the first water supply scheme. The first part of King's Bridge was constructed in 1863. A year later the Town Hall was completed.

Rail lines to Deloraine and Hobart were completed in 1871 and 1876 respectively. Waverley Woollen Mills commenced operations in 1874, and they remain the oldest operating woollen mills in Australia. Launceston was declared a city in 1888, and in 1895 the city became the first in the southern hemisphere to be lit by hydro electricity.

The city was constantly growing : the Cataract Gorge was developed for public recreational use between 1898 and 1907. Electric trams were introduced to relieve the pressure of the growing population's transport requirements in 1911. A bulk storage wheat terminal was established in 1959.

Today Launceston is an engaging mix of history, natural beauty and modern commercial components, all of which blend nicely to make the city a premier tourist destination in Tasmania.


There are an abundance of attractions to be enjoyed in and around Launceston. For more information, please explore the following links :

Museums and Historic Attractions
Natural Attractions
Other Attractions

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