Launceston – Travel guide at Wikivoyage
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-41.441944
147.145000
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Oceania
Australia
Tasmania
Eastern Tasmania
Launceston
Launceston
Contents
Understand
Get in
2.1
By plane
2.2
By car
2.3
By bus
Get around
See
4.1
Tamar Island
4.2
Cataract Gorge
Do
Buy
Eat
7.1
Budget
7.2
Mid-range
7.3
Splurge
Drink
Sleep
10
Go next
Launceston
For other places with the same name, see
Launceston (disambiguation)
Launceston
is the second-largest city in
Tasmania
and provides a base to explore the northern part of the state. The city was settled in 1805 and has a population of 87,645 (2021), making it Australia's fifth-largest inland city.
Understand
edit
Tourism website
Get in
edit
By plane
edit
Launceston is approximately 50 minutes from
Melbourne
on the mainland. Daily flights fly from Melbourne with
Virgin Australia
Qantas Link
, and
Jetstar
. Direct flights from Sydney are available daily and direct flights from Brisbane are available on selected days.
-41.545
147.215
Launceston Airport
LST
IATA
) has four gates and not a lot of flights, so security moves quite quickly. The waiting area has free but slow wifi, a few cafes, and a standard airport shop with books and souvenirs. Rental cars are available at the airport.
By car
edit
Launceston is a hub of the highway system in Northern Tasmania. From
Hobart
Devonport
, or
Burnie
, use Highway 1.
By bus
edit
Tassielink
run a coach (M-Sa) from Hobart and Devonport.
Kinetic
(formerly Red Line Coaches) run coaches from Hobart and Devonport, generally twice per day.
Get around
edit
'"`UNIQ--maplink-00000006-QINU`"'
Map of Launceston
The best way to get around Launceston is by car. Taxis are available, but may add up to be expensive; try to get a transfer when you are moving from the airport to your hotel. Car rentals are available for reasonable rates. There is also a
Metro bus service
which goes all through the town.
Bicycle is a reasonable way to get around Launceston and out the Gorge. Traffic is fairly quiet in town, and there is a good network of bike paths.
See
edit
Launceston City Park
- includes an enclosure housing a large number of Macaque monkeys
Historic houses
and buildings including Macquarie House, Franklin House, Entally House, Clarendon House and the 'Old Umbrella Shop'.
Tamar Valley
- wine-growing area
National Motor Museum
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Tasmania Zoo
1166 Ecclestone Rd, Riverside
+61 3 6396 6100
100 species of animals.
updated Feb 2018
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147.140474
Queen Victoria Museum
2 Invermay Road
+61 3 6323 3777
Extensive museum featuring exhibitions of colonial art, contemporary craft and design, Tasmanian history and natural sciences, a working planetarium, and displays related to Launceston's industrial environment and railway workshops.
updated Aug 2024
Tamar Island
edit
The
Tamar Island Wetlands
is a unique urban wetlands reserve 10 minutes' drive from the heart of Launceston in Tasmania's north.
Tamar Island has been Crown Land since settlement and up to the 1980s was leased to private and public operators. In the 1980s the Tasmanian Government purchased the wetlands area around Tamar Island, which was incorporated into the greater Tamar River Conservation Area.
An interpretation centre offers visitors the opportunity to learn about the value of the wetlands, along with a hike that takes you through the wetlands, in bird hides and over to the historic Tamar Island.
Cataract Gorge
edit
Cataract Gorge
Cataract Gorge
is 1 km from the centre of Launceston. There is paid parking at the entrance to the park, either all day or by the hour.
There are many
walking tracks
which skirt the side of the gorge, and cross it at a suspension bridge and a low level bridge.
You can
swim
in the gorge. The water can be quite cold, and there is a current, but with care you should be fine. There are constructed entrances to the water, and access is free. There is also an unheated swimming pool, and access to that is also free.
You can see the
gardens
and
pergolas
, and the peacocks walking around.
You can play on the
playgrounds
You can take a
chairlift
across the gorge, and walk back, or vice-versa, although going both ways on the chairlift is about the same price as a one way ticket.
There is a
cafe
on each side of the gorge, serving ice-creams, coffee, snacks, etc.
Do
edit
Boag's brewery in downtown Launceston
Cruise the Tamar River
Tour the surrounding
wineries
of the Tamar Valley
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Boag's brewery
39 William St
+61 3 63326300
Tours leave weekdays (from 9AM; closed on public holidays) from the Boag's Centre for Beer Lovers located in the Tamar Hotel in the heart of Launceston. Bookings and fully enclosed footwear are essential.
Yoga in the park open classes by local yoga teacher in Launceston parks on weekend mornings. Saturday morning in City Park before the harvest markets and on Sunday mornings in Riverbend Park www.werethee.com.au donation based/bookings not required.
Launceston Ghost Tour
14 Brisbane St
+61 421 819 373
Starts 8:30PM nightly at the Royal Oak
Fun night walking around one of Australia's oldest cities. Unearth the eerie side of Launceston in the 19th century. Fascinating for history buffs. Bookings required.
$24/person or $20 with a voucher from the local hotels
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York Park
known commercially as University of Tasmania Stadium, formerly Aurora Stadium
),
2 Invermay Rd, Invermay
+61 3 6323 3383
Tasmania's largest sporting venue with a maximum capacity of 21,000. Watch a game of Aussie Rules or cricket.
updated Feb 2018
Launceston self-guided walking tour along historic Cameron Street
. See
Launceston Historical Society's Page
for more details.
Buy
edit
Tasmanian Wool Products: Waverley Woolen Mills, The Sheep's Back (George St)
The Tasmanian Devil as soft toys, hand-puppets etc
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Design Centre Tasmania
Cnr Brisbane St and Tamar St, City Park
+61 3 6331 5506
Australia's only museum collection of contemporary wood design, they run exhibitions and tours of crafts, design and art, nationally and internationally. A not-for-profit organisation with a mission to support and sustain design.
Eat
edit
Budget
edit
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Morty's Food Court
25 Wellington St
+61 3 6331 5788
A small food court with a good variety of dishes (various Asian cuisines and a coffee/wine bar that sells cakes).
updated Feb 2018
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Aromas Fine Food Cafe
272 Charles St
+61 3 6331 4150
Good coffee and pastries in a quiet and relaxing area.
updated Feb 2018
Fish and Chips
at the end of the Wharf, past the end of the flood barrier when walking from town. Possibly the best fish and chips you'll ever have. Prices depending on fish and season.
Mid-range
edit
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Star of Siam
Paterson St
+61 3 6331 2786
Informal, casual Thai with a wooden interior.
updated Feb 2018
-33.8954
151.107
La Calabrisella
56 Wellington St
+61 3 6331 1958
ianroberts02@bigpond.com
W-M 5PM-late
Italian and Mediterranean. Pizza, pastas, salads and pies.
updated Feb 2018
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The Prickly Cactus
72-74 George St
+61 3 6334 0584
Classic Mexican. Famous for their fishbowls and margaritas.
updated Feb 2018
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Frankie's Coffee House
Franco's
),
42 George St
+61 3 6331 8648
Home-style Italian.
updated Feb 2018
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The Metz
119 St John St
+61 3 6331 7277
Casual dining. Pizza and à la carte.
updated Feb 2018
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The Star Bar Cafe
113 Charles St
Tapas and wood-fired pizzas.
updated Feb 2018
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Bread + Butter Cafe
70 Elizabeth St
+61 3 6124 2299
House made sourdough bread, cultured butter and viennoiserie and cakes, as well as excellent coffee and other café style items made with local produce. This is a breakfast/lunch venues only.
updated Apr 2024
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10
Me Wah
39-41 Invermay Rd
+61 3 6331 1308
A Tasmanian spin on Chinese with good seafood.
updated Apr 2024
Splurge
edit
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11
Stillwater
2 Bridge Rd
+61 3 6331 4153
info@stillwater.net.au
Elegant and contemporary Tasmanian. Try the rye waffles.
updated Feb 2018
Brisbane Street Bistro
, 24 Brisbane St, Fine dining (including degustation) using local ingredients, modern Australian/French style. They can cater for most dietary requirements with advance notice. Bookings essential regardless.
The Gorge Restaurant
74 Gorge Rd
+61 3 6331 3330
Indoor and outdoor dining in a beautiful setting. Peacocks roam about.
updated Feb 2018
Quigley's
Dockside
Black Cow
Drink
edit
Launceston has several "olde worlde" UK style pubs, including
The Cock and Bull
and
Irish Murphy's
. In the city centre there are pubs on many of the street intersections.
Sleep
edit
There are many motels, hotels and bed-and-breakfast establishments offering accommodation in the area.
-41.4419
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Art Hotel on York
The Old Bakery Inn
),
270-280 York St
corner of York & Margaret Streets
),
+61 3 6331 7900
Check-in:
2PM
, check-out:
10AM
100-year-old converted bakery combined with the neighbouring townhouses from the same era. Rooms are simple but clean and well looked after. Plenty of parking on site.
$125/night
The Sebel Launceston
Corner St John & William Streets
+61 3 6333 7555
reservations@thesebellaunceston.com.au
This Launceston hotel is within walking distance to the city centre, Launceston’s seaport and Cataract Gorge.
-41.43347
147.14592
Waratah on York
12 York St
+61 3 6331 3300
bookings@waratahonyork.com.au
Hotel
updated Jan 2020
Go next
edit
Routes via Launceston
Devonport
Westbury
Perth
Hobart
END
A3
NE
Scottsdale
St Helens
Greens Beach
Beaconsfield
Grindelwald
NW
A7
SE
END
George Town
Hillwood
A8
END
END
C401
C432
jcn to
Ben Lomond National Park
Mathinna
The historic town of
George Town
and Low Head lighthouse are a one-hour drive to the north along the Tamar River.
Perth
and
Longford
are historic towns 20 km south via the freeway
Devonport
and
Deloraine
can make a scenic round trip, following the west Tamar, along the northern coast, and before looping south.
St Helens
is a coastal town on the Eastern Coast.
Scottsdale
lavender farm
George Town
is an historic settlement north on the eastern Tamar.
Ben Lomond National Park
is a skiing/hiking area in northeast Tasmania.
This
city
travel guide to
Launceston
is a
usable
article. It has information on how to get there and on restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please
feel free to improve
it
by editing the page
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