Launceston, Tasmania, Australia

Launceston is is a city in the north of the state of Tasmania, Australia at the juncture of the North Esk, South Esk, and Tamar rivers. It is Tasmania’s second largest city and is becoming a major tourist centre.

The city is compact and its colourful Victorian and Edwardian homes line the hillsides along the river banks. It has one of the best regional galleries in Australia – the Queen Victoria Museum at Inveresk, along with art and craft galleries and quality restaurants.
Like most Tasmanian towns it’s easy to get around and nearby Launceston Gorge, with its Victorian parklands, complete with peacocks, steep, rugged cliffs and wild areas is within easy walking distance of the city centre.

Launceston is a good base for exploring the vineyards of the Tamar Valley, and you can visit boutique cool-climate wineries that line both river banks. From Launceston you can also explore national parks such as Narawntapu (known for wildlife spotting) and Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair, or the historic colonial villages of Evandale and Longford with their grand old farms and mansions – Woolmers, Brickendon and Clarendon.

Things to See & Do

* Historic buildings and precincts
* Cataract Gorge
* Tamar valley wineries
* Penny Royal World
* Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery

Cruise Season – Jan - Dec
Currency – Australian Dollar (AUD$)
Language – English
Land Area – 1,357.3km²
Population – 103,330 approx
Electricity – 2 angled pins and 1 flat pin centred below Australian style
Time – GMT plus ten hours
International Country Telephone Code – + 61

Port Location – The Port of Launceston is located on the Tamar River.

Transport Links - The city is served by Launceston Airport (IATA code LST), just south-east of the city. There are direct flights to and from Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. The Midlands Highway provides a fast and smooth trip (approximately 2 hours) down the center of the state to Hobart, the state capital.