Destination overview

Launceston is only a one-hour flight from Melbourne and a short trip from Tasmania’s other main centres and has all you need for a perfect short break or a major holiday. Launceston is an ideal base to discover the many natural and historic attractions of the Tamar Valley – at a leisurely pace you will enjoy. Founded in 1806, Launceston is the nation's third-oldest city with a fascinating history traced in its beautiful old buildings and streetscapes dating from early Colonial and convict times to Georgian and Victorian eras.

These beautiful buildings are kept alive with business and social activity from fashion houses and restaurants to banking institutions and high-tech work environments.  Immerse yourself in the city's rich cultural heritage and enjoy a thriving food and wine scene among the backdrop of vibrant Georgian streetscapes. The boutique riverside city of Launceston is located at the head of the picturesque Tamar Valley and boasts magnificent natural attractions including the spectacular Cataract Gorge Reserve and beautiful parks and gardens.

Greater Launceston has a population of around 100,000. The city has the charm and pace of a regional centre and the facilities of a much larger city, but without the crowding, traffic, litter and crime. You will experience some of the freshest air ever in Launceston and the Tamar Valley, which make outdoor pursuits even more pleasurable.

Launceston is the gateway to a gourmet paradise. From award-winning restaurants to quality family dining, relaxed pubs and funky cafes, the region’s eateries showcase its superb local produce. Every taste is catered for. Visit one of the inner city restaurants to sample everything from modern Australian cuisine to French, Vietnamese and Cajun cooking. Seek out that exquisite little café in a corner of a city street, or take in the sweeping view from a winery restaurant in the Tamar Valley. Visit the Seaport waterfront precinct which is a focus for great dining, or stroll along the boardwalk and take your pick of gourmet delights including succulent seafood, tasty tapas, perfect pastries and magnificent fish and chips.

Launceston and the Tamar Valley have a passionate food and wine culture that will satisfy your appetite and feed your soul.

Launceston is situated in the central north of Tasmania and takes approximately half a day to get anywhere on the Island. An easy two-and-a-half hours from the World Heritage listed Cradle Valley, granite formations on the east coast, spectacular Wineglass Bay, and even Hobart, Launceston truly is at the heart of the southern island state.

Cataract Gorge Reserve
This stunning piece of natural wilderness is only a 15-minute walk from Launceston city and is central to the history, lifestyle and unique appeal of Launceston. The Gorge will take you to new heights, whether it’s onboard one of the southern hemisphere’s longest single-span chairlifts, or from the top of the Alexandra Suspension Bridge and the spectacular Gorge lookouts.

Why not enjoy a stroll along the many walking and hiking trails, or have a picnic by the open-air swimming pools in the Basin lawns.

The elegant Cliff Ground Gardens, Launceston’s social playground for over 100 years, are home to local wildlife and peacocks, towering conifers, exotic deciduous trees, azaleas and rhododendrons.

Cradle Mountain National Park - Lake St Clair National Park
At the start of the 65-kilometre Overland Track is the northern end of the 161,000-hectare Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park, part of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area.

Tasmania's highest mountain, the 1,617-metre Mt Ossa is in the Park, just off the Overland Track, while another beautiful national park, the Walls of Jerusalem, abuts its eastern boundary.

Take one of the many short walks through the ever-changing vegetation of the shores and mountainside to gain a full appreciation of the magic of this area. Stroll from cascading rivers to dense, old-growth rainforest in just 20 minutes on the Enchanted Walk, or take most of the day to tackle the summit.

If it’s a walk you’re after, some of these include the Dove Lake Loop Walk (1-2 hours) or Crater Lake Circuit (2 hours).

Lake St Clair
Lake St Clair's scenic beauty is characterised by pretty coves and beaches interspersed among moraines formed by glaciers as they forced debris aside in the process of scooping out the lake bed.

The vegetation mix of the area is a legacy of thousands of years of burning by Aboriginal people. Wildlife is prolific and you are likely to see wallabies and a wide variety of birds at Cynthia Bay. If you're lucky, you'll also catch sight of a platypus, echidna or wombat. In summer, rangers provide walks, talks and slide shows that are a great introduction to the ecology and cultural history of the region.

In addition to offering bushwalks and opportunities for wildlife-watching, Lake St Clair is a popular place to fish for trout. Make sure you have a fishing licence and only fish in-season (generally August to April).

Glorious walks at Lake St Clair vary in length, just like at Cradle Mountain and include Lake St Clair (40-90 minutes), Shadow Lake (4 hours), Echo Point (20 minutes by ferry, then 3 hours) and Mt Rufus (7 hours).

Bicheno

Bicheno is a picturesque seaside resort town on the east coast and is just north of the Freycinet Peninsula. Known for its laid-back lifestyle and outdoor activities, if a holiday relaxing by white, sandy beaches, dining on fresh seafood and playing leisurely games of golf sounds appealing, you’ll love Bicheno.

You can explore the coast at your own pace in a sea kayak, or pick up some local knowledge on a guided boat trip. Marine life and seabirds abound in Governor Island Marine Reserve which you can enjoy from a glass-bottomed boat, or you can scuba dive amid sheer rock walls, deep fissures, caves, sponges and sea whips. Tasmania is considered to be one of the best temperate water dive sites in the world, so if that’s your thing, you must give it a try.

Swansea

Swansea is a historic township overlooking Great Oyster Bay and the beautiful Freycinet National Park. It’s ideal for fishing, swimming and diving, or relaxing on the beach, and is home to some fascinating historic buildings.

Take a self-guided historic walk of Swansea past Schouten House, Meredith House and Morris's General Store. Look out for the quirky profile of Spiky Bridge, just outside town on the northern side, or sample Swansea's fresh harvests from land and sea - part of the east coast experience.
Wander the many beaches and bays in and around Swansea and stop by lookouts over picturesque coastline. Shearwater (mutton bird) colonies are also common in the area. Swansea has a population of 530, housed in colonial buildings, contemporary homes and classic beachside shacks.

Freycinet National Park

Freycinet National Park is a peninsula of pink granite mountains, pure white beaches, coastal dunes and dry eucalypt forests on the Island's east coast.

The park is famous for Wineglass Bay, just one of its white sandy beaches and the pure clear turquoise waters that are perfect for sea kayaking, swimming and scuba diving. The Hazard Range offers climbing, abseiling and mountain walking, and the coastal heathlands have wonderful day walks.

Bird lovers may see a white-bellied sea eagle gliding overhead or large Australasian gannets diving for food. In the forested areas you will often see or hear small nectar-feeding birds such as eastern spinebills and yellow-throated or crescent honeyeaters and yellow-tailed black cockatoos, which often feed and fly in raucous groups. Moulting Lagoon Game Reserve, just outside the Park on the Coles Bay road, is a wetland of international importance.
As you can see, everything you could possibly desire to have an amazing Tasmanian experience is right on Launceston's' doorstep. With such easy accessibility, there’s no reason not to explore as much of the region as you can. You won’t be sorry!