George Town is the third oldest settlement in Australia after Sydney & Hobart. It was the initial northern Tasmanian settlement in 1804, before the main site was moved to Launceston.
Is one of the larger towns in north-east Tasmania, on the eastern bank of the mouth of the Tamar River. The town has a population of 4,123 although this declined by 8.7% in the two years to 2001 & further over fifteen years. It is the regional centre of the George Town Council Local Government Area.
George Town was widely known as the Tasmanian port for the now-defunct SeaCat speedy passenger ferry. Basslink, the 400 kV high-voltage direct current submarine cable connecting Tasmania to the National Electricity Market, terminates in George Town. The municipal area had a population of 6,728 (2001 census).
History
European explorers first visited George Town in 1798 when George Bass and Matthew Flinders discovered and partially explored northern Tasmania’s Tamar River in their sloop, the Norfolk.
However, Australia‘s third and northern Tasmania’s first European settlement was not established until 1804, when Lt. Colonel William Paterson landed at Outer Cove on the H.M.S. Buffalo.
The settlement was renamed George Town in 1811 by Governor Macquarie who had plans for its use as the northern administrative capital. The first map of the town was produced in 1813, showing streets in the town centre with the same names as those used today.
Although Macquarie’s orders to move headquarters to George Town were never fully implemented, the town continued as an administrative post and today has the distinction of being the oldest town in Australia.
The George Town Police District was created in 1828 and covered an area incorporating much of the East and West Tamar, the whole of the North East coast as far as George’s Bay (now St Helens), and had official control of the Bass Strait Islands (Furneaux Group).
There was at that time no settlement beyond Pipers River to the east and the nearest neighbour to the west was the Van Dieman’s Land establishment at Emu Bay (Burnie). The southeastern boundary was the Police District of Avoca.
Until 1888 George Town remained a Police District and local public works were cared for by a Road Trust. In 1889 the designation was altered to that of Municipal District, but the Road Trust continued in operation until 1906 when, under the Local Government Act a Municipal Council, with widely extended powers, was elected.
In the 1890s the then third and fourth largest towns in Tasmania – Beaconsfield and Lefroy – were in the George Town municipal district.
Today George Town remains the chief centre of the municipality, which has an area of 64,900ha extending from the Tamar River, north-east as far as Little Pipers River and south as far as Mount Direction.
Geography and landmarks
- Mount George
- Low Head
- Batman Bridge – Joining the George Town Municipality to the West Tamar
- Tamar River
Low Head
- Low Head Pilot Station
In 1996 the Iron Baron ran aground on Hebe Reef, off Low Head, causing the worst oil disaster in Australia’s history.
Low Head is a small hamlet located on a peninsula by the same name 5 km north-west of George Town, Tasmania, Australia. On the mouth of the Tamar River. It is known for its diving off the Low Head Pilots Station. The town has a lighthouse, a beach and a penguin colony. At the 2006 census, Low Head had a population of 474.The small town, which could be regarded as part of George Town is popular during the summer time.
The Chance Bros. ‘Type G’ diaphone foghorn at the Low Head Lightouse is the only operable horn of its type and is popular with tourists. It is sounded at midday each Sunday.
Batman Bridge
- Batman Bridge
The main span is 206 metres (676 ft) long, suspended from a 91 metres (299 ft) high sloped A-frame tower. The deck is 10.3 metres (34 ft) wide. The tower is constructed on the west bank of the Tamar river, on a solid dolerite rock base which carries 78% of the weight of the main span. The east bank is soft clay not capable of supporting a bridge. A causeway carries the highway across this softer base, supported by three piers built on piles driven up to 18 metres (59 ft) in to the clay. The bridge deck is constructed of steel which is lighter than concrete, but necessary much more welding on site during construction.
The Batman Bridge is a modern bridge crossing the Tamar River in northern Tasmania. It was built from 1966 to 1968 and was the first Cable-stayed bridge in Australia. The bridge is on the Batman Highway connecting the West Tamar Highway to the East Tamar Highway.
The bridge overlooks the Deviot Sailing Club and is named after John Batman, Launceston businessman and co-founder of Melbourne.
Tamar River
- Tamar River
Named for the River Tamar in Great Britain, the Tamar River in northern Tasmania is formed by the merging of the North Esk River and South Esk Rivers in Launceston. The River Tamar passes through Launceston, similar to its British namesake, the River Tamar which forms part of the border between Devon and Cornwall, and passes close to Launceston, Cornwall.
The Tamar flows north for approximately 70 km in to Bass Strait at Low Head. Despite its name, the river is not technically a river but is estuarine. It is saline and tidal over its entire length.
Although there’s several bridge crossings in Launceston, these are across the Esk rivers; there’s none across the Tamar in the city itself. The only Tamar bridge crossing is the Batman Bridge, a spectacular bridge in the relatively remote area of Sidmouth, around half way up the river.
George Town Visitor Centre
Tasmanian Visitor Information Centres are staffed with skilled and knowledgeable locals who can provide expert travel information, itineraries and tour suggestions, as well where to go, what to see and where to eat.
Tasmanian Visitor Information Centres can also making bookings for you.
Tasmanian Visitor Information Centres are located around the Island and are open seven days a week.
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