Car Hire Launceston

Launceston Mini Guide

Launceston is a town in the north of Tasmania, Australia. It lies on the banks of the Tamar River and is the second largest city after Hobart. If you are travelling from further afield, you would probably find yourself in Melbourne as it is the nearest city on the mainland. A flight to Launceston Airport only takes an hour and there are also flights available from Sydney. Once you are there it is easy to explore the town by foot or you can use the Metro buses to get around.

What’s so special about Launceston?
There is plenty to see and do there - you won’t have time to be bored during your stay! For a little history visit the georgian Franklin House and see colonial art at the Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery. Spend a day at Cataract Gorge, a wilderness park and boulder filled gorge, you can hike or swim there and take a chair lift up the gorge. There are over 70 different species of flora and fauna there and you will see peacocks roaming around.

You can also take a river cruise along the Cataract Gorge and Tamar River. Join a tour and taste the local Boag’s beer at the J Boag and Son Brewery and in the evening hear stories of intrigue and murder on the Launceston Ghost Tour.

Further afield
Drive the Tamar Valley Wine Route and taste the local riesling and pinot noir. Visit the Grubb Shaft Gold and Heritage Museum at Beaconsfield to find out more about the gold mining history of the area. Head for Beauty Point, where you can see the only seahorse farm in the world at Seahorse World.

What Else can I do?
For a relaxing day out, go fishing at Launceston Lake or for the adventurous go cable hang gliding at the town’s Trevallyn Dam. If golf is more your thing, you can play 18 holes at the Launceston Golf Club or Riverside Golf Club.

Short breaks
Why not stay at the Quest Launceston, it is a restored property close to Cataract Gorge and the town. It has apartments with internet and cooking facilities and there is an in-house restaurant serving local and international cuisine. It is a perfect base for exploring the town and surrounding area.

As an old city there’s plenty of history there. If you’ve hired a car you can visit the old part of the city with its Georgian and Victorian architecture. Of particular note are Macquarie House and Franklin House.

Another interesting curio is the ‘Old Umbrella Shop’, one of Australia’s oldest retail establishments and an indicator of the weather you might expect there. The Tamar River that passes by the city has lots of things to occupy tourists too. A favourite is to join one of the many river cruises that travel from the city to the river’s furthest navigable point.