Free Attractions Guide - Launceston, Tasmania
1. 1842 Eighteen Forty-Two
"1842" occupies one of Launceston's oldest commercial buildings on the corner of St John and Cimitiere Streets (opposite the Tourist Information Centre) in the CBD. The retail showroom is in the original Counting House of Johnstone and Wilmot's wholesale grocery business, while the furniture workshop and exhibition space is in the unusual warehouse building, considered architecturally unique in Australia.
From our inner-city showroom, they also retail hand-made furniture and wood products for other Northern Tasmanian makers and exhibit art and glassware by Tasmania's finest artists. The artisans of "1842" make fine, hand-crafted studio furniture, mainly from Tasmanian timbers such as Huon pine, Myrtle, Blackwood and Sassafras.
2. Academy Gallery
The Academy Gallery is located at the University of Tasmania, at Inveresk, northern Tasmania. The gallery is dedicated to the pursuit of excellence by exhibiting contemporary art and design including works from Tasmania's School of Visual and Performing Arts students.
The modern gallery is a Level A class exhibition space incorporated into the Inveresk cultural precinct. It represents the new public face of the University of Tasmania. The viewing audience consists of members of the Launceston community and nearby regional centres, national and international visitors and numerous primary and secondary school groups.
The gallery welcomes full participatory interest and engagement with its local constituency and visitors to Tasmania. The exhibition program includes international exhibition projects, exhibitions by well-known Australian and emerging artists, craftspeople, designers, as well as student exhibitions. The program aims to display art, craft and design that has the capacity to be insightful, challenging and rewarding to a wide cross-section of the community.
The Academy Gallery exhibition program focuses on production of exhibitions for touring intrastate, interstate and internationally as well as attracting high quality exhibitions from across the globe. The Academy Gallery is approximately 10-minutes drive from Launceston's central business district in a campervan hire Tasmania.
3. Benchmark Tasmania Wine Gallery
Benchmark Tasmania Wine Gallery is located near Launceston's central business district and waterfront, northern Tasmania. At Benchmark Tasmania Wine Gallery you can experience the best of Tasmania's premium wines in one convenient location.
Situated in Launceston, in Tasmania's beautiful Tamar Valley, the gallery showcases the world's largest collection of Tasmanian wine, with over 250 wines from vineyards of all areas of the state.
An extensive range of rare and premium Australian and imported wines adds to the unique experience of Benchmark. Benchmark's knowledgeable staff and interpretation centre will ensure you have all the best information to fully enjoy your Tasmanian wine experience on the Tamar Valley or Southern Wine Routes.
The gallery is located just minutes from Cataract Gorge, the Tamar River waterfront hospitality precinct and city centre. Benchmark offers free tastings of selected Tasmanian wines, and a fully licensed venue with light lunches, cheese platters, coffee and a sunny outside deck. Benchmark Tasmania Wine Gallery can provide you with a fully insured freight service for all your wine purchases, and information about the Tasmanian wine industry, its history and current developments, along with general tourist information for your holiday.
4. Cataract Gorge Reserve
Launceston's own piece of wilderness just a 15 minute walk from the city centre. Here you'll find walking and hiking trails, the world's longest single span chairlift (fees apply), swimming pool, restaurant, kiosk, peacocks and wildlife, gardens, suspension bridge, Interpretation Centre and lookouts with spectacular views.
+61 3 6323 3468 69 Basin Road, West Launceston5. Clockwise
Established in 1992 By Graham and Sallie Mulligan, Clockwise started out as a small home- based business in Launceston, Tasmania. A stint in the rear of a St John Street antiques shop followed, before another move brought the business to larger premises in Elizabeth Street.
Ten years have passed, during which Clockwise has well and truly established itself within the Tasmanian community. Clockwise specialises in buying, repairing, restoring and selling antique clocks and wrist, and pocket watches. Also available are antique clock case restoration, antique music box and metronome repairs and quartz watch battery replacement.
6. Hollybank Forest Reserve
This popular place for walking dogs and enjoying family outings is just a short drive from Launceston in your campervan hire along Lilydale Road. Hollybank offers a variety of barbecue and picnic sites from large family groups to intimate quiet sites. You can enjoy a game of cricket, kick a football, relax or have some exercise walking through the many different forest types.
There are a variety of walks to choose from including a stroll down "The Avenue" or the longer 'Walk of Change' or take the side track down to the junction of Butchers Creek and Pipers River. The English atmosphere created here is due to its name, its history and its trees, one of the earliest private plantations in Tasmania consisting of European trees. One of these species was originally planted to obtain wood for the construction of cricket bats. These deciduous trees are a colourful contrast to the natives in autumn and a delight for the children to play in.The forest is just 30-minutes drive from Launceston. Turn off on the B81 at Rocherlea.
7. National Automobile Museum of Australia
The National Automobile Museum of Tasmania in Launceston features one of Australia's most significant motoring collections. Spanning over one hundred years of style and technical achievement this impressive collection of traditional and contemporary automobiles is a must see for all those who appreciate history, design, engineering and style.
The museum comes alive with four sensational theme displays each year as well as constantly changing exhibits in the main hall and a mezzanine floor packed with motorcycles. Along with over one hundred exhibits the museum features a unique gift shop with a magnificent range of merchandise that will delight people of all ages.
Situated just one block from the city centre opposite Launceston's beautiful City Park, a visit to The National Automobile Museum of Tasmania is an ideal way to spend a leisurely afternoon. Open every day (except Christmas day) 9am to 5pm. Opening times during winter are 10am to 4pm.
8. Old Umbrella Shop
The Old Umbrella Shop is a heritage-listed store in central Launceston, northern Tasmania. The Old Umbrella Shop is one of the last surviving, largely intact early twentieth century shops in Tasmania. It offers an experience far from that of contemporary retail practice.
Operated by three generations of the Shott family, the shop now houses displays about the family, umbrellas and the blackwood souvenirs. Many of these souvenirs were made on the premises. The shop is also well known for the large range of umbrellas stocked for sale as well as a variety of National Trust and Tasmanian products.
While you are in Launceston, why not enjoy a coffee down by the water at Old Launceston Seaport or one of the many street-side cafes. Enjoy the leafy city parks or head down the Tamar Valley Wine Route where you will find some of Tasmania's finest cool-climate wines.
Cataract Gorge is just a few minutes walk from the city centre, where you can enjoy a chairlift ride over the scenic gorge below.
9. Queen Victoria Museum & Art Gallery
The Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery is the largest museum and art gallery in Australia located outside a capital city and is administered by the Launceston City Council, with continuing financial support from the Tasmanian State Government. It enjoys an enviable reputation and national profile for its collections of Australian colonial art, contemporary craft and design, Tasmanian history and natural sciences.
Special features include a Chinese Temple, Planetarium and now, the interpretation of one of Tasmania's most intact 19th century industrial environments, the Launceston Railway Workshops. The Museum is located on two sites: the original purpose-built building in Royal Park and the Inveresk site, once the Launceston Railway Workshops.
10. Queen Victoria Museum & Art Gallery at Royal Park
The Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery is the largest museum and art gallery in Australia located outside a capital city and is administered by the Launceston City Council, with continuing financial support from the Tasmanian State Government.
It enjoys an enviable reputation and national profile for its collections of Australian colonial art, contemporary craft and design, Tasmanian history and natural sciences. Special features include a Chinese Temple, Planetarium and now, the interpretation of one of Tasmania's most intact 19th century industrial environments, the Launceston Railway Workshops.
The Museum is located on two sites: the original purpose-built building in Royal Park and the Inveresk site, once the Launceston Railway Workshops
11. Trevallyn Dam
Trevallyn Dam is situated on the South Esk River just outside Launceston, Tasmania's northern city. Excellent for a picnic, trail walks and boating, the dam is located within the Trevallyn Nature Recreation Area. The 440 hectare (1089 acre) reserve offers a range of attractions and activities.
Visitors can walk along the South Esk River gorge, view the Trevallyn Dam wall in flood and experience cable hang-gliding. Wander the open grassy reserve where you are likely to see resident wombats and ducks out on the water. Enjoy short walks out to lookouts or a longer walk from the gorge right up past the Trevallyn Power Station.
During summer, the water is ideal for swimming and the shores of Lake Trevallyn are utilised by the Launceston community for water skiing, kayaking and windsurfing. Find a spot in the spacious undercover barbecue area to have your lunch. Trevallyn Dam is about 10-minutes drive (4 kilometres/2.5 miles) from Launceston's central business district.
12. Westhaven Dairy
Westhaven Dairy produce goats milk cheeses and cows milk yoghurts, with factory location in Launceston, Tasmania. The factory is open between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday. Westhaven Tasmanian Yogurt is produced from cows milk and has no sugar, artificial flavours, colours or preservative added.
There are only natural and pure fruit flavours within the products. Other cow’s milk products are specialty cheddar - Italian herb, sweet pepper, tasty and Feta cheese. Goat’s milk products are Feta, and Chevre - natural vine ash, sun-dried tomato and basil, Tasmanian pepperberry, and sweet pepper.
The produce is available through mail order and retail outlets. Please note this is the factory outlet for Westhaven Dairy and is located in Launceston's town centre.
Any Feedback?
Please email free-attractions@discovery-campervans.com.au
Call Center: Open
(closes in 5 hours)
AU - 1800 704 332
UK - 0808 120 7599
US - 1866 278 1155
DE - 0800 183 3668
NZ - 0800 448 112
Also available on
+61 7 3442 2900
‘We would love to help you with your holiday.’
- The Res Team
Our Free eBooks:
