Tasmania: Launceston

From Kuching, via Kuala Lumpur and Melbourne, we were in Launceston, a town I had never heard of, in the middle of Tasmania. Founded in 1806, Launceston is the third oldest town in Australia. While it reminded us of so many US towns, as it does not have the density of European or Asian towns, we saw rather encouraging results in the evolution of such towns - every retail space filled with local businesses of every kind, buildings from every era well preserved, public buses go in all directions to the suburbs, doubled as school buses for older students... In an alternate universe, in a different life, the US could be full of Launcestons.

The town is on the Tamar River at the end of the Cataract Gorge, and we had a walk up the gorge of dolerite columns and to the old hydro-electric plant. Until Tasmania got on the Australia national grid, they were 100% hydro, now it's 80%.

We also took the city bus to the Tamar Island Wetlands. We saw numerous birds and encountered our only snake in Tasmania. Every guide that had the opportunity made it very clear to us - all snakes in Tasmania are venomous.

There is a loop walk up the Cataract Gorge and back. The trail starts in town and soon we had a view back to the harbour.


Halfway to our turnaround at the ruins of the hydroelectric plant is the First Basin, with an historic gondala and bandstand, picnic lawn, and swimming pool. Very European circa 1920's.






Beyond the First Basin there are spectacular views of dolerite columns and the Tamar River, with the turnaround at the swinging bridge and old power station.










Back at the First Basin, we returned to town on the "Cataract Walk" originally built in 1890 to allow townsfolk to stroll up to the First Basin. Today, locals and tourists walk here, and the occasional cruise boat as well








After the Cataract Gorge walk, we grabbed a quick lunch and took a public bus up to the Tamar Island Wetlands Centre boardwalk. Wow. There were ripe blackberries by the thousands, a sunning snake, several swamp hens with blue breasts, and hundreds of black swans with eye-catching red and white beaks. And at the end of the boardwalk, a view back to Launceston. We hung out in the wetlands until the last inbound bus of the day.


























We ate at Dave's Noodles twice. Oh my "good"!




The Launceston Harbour.


A few spiffy 20th-century buildings like the Holyman House, the former General Hospital, and the Egyptian Revival-style Synagogue.