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: Thursday, February 20th (cont'd) - [...]

Finally, after a long road trip with much to see along the way, we head into Launceston, the second largest city in Tasmania.

: Located in the north of Tasmania, at the junction of the North Esk and South Esk rivers where they become the Tamar River (kanamaluka), Launceston is the second most populous city in Tasmania after the state capital, Hobart, and the twelfth-largest non-capital city in Australia.

: Settled by Europeans in March 1806, Launceston is one of Australia's oldest cities and it has many historic buildings. Like many places in Australia, it was named after a town in the United Kingdom—in this case, Launceston, in Cornwall . In fact, the settlement was initially named Patersonia, until renamed in honour of the New South Wales Governor Captain Philip Gidley King , who was born in Launceston, in Cornwall .

: Launceston has had many firsts in its history: the first use of anaesthetic in the Southern Hemisphere , the first Australian city to have underground sewers , and the first Australian city to be lit by hydroelectricity .

Launceston has an oceanic , temperate climate , with four distinct seasons.

: Many of the buildings in the City's central business district (CBD) were constructed in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, and Launceston is a major location of Federation style housing. Launceston's many well preserved Victorian and Georgian buildings (including the Launceston synagogue , a rare example of architecture in Egyptian Revival style) together with its diverse collection of art-deco architecture (such as Holyman House and Lucks Corner in the CBD, the former Star Theatre in Invermay and the former Launceston General Hospital) give the city an unusual period ambience. 20th Century examples of architecture that are part of the city include the Government offices of Henty House in Charles Street, the Police Station Building and the ANZ Building on the corner of Brisbane & George Street.

Of course, this at least in part a matter of deliberate policy: concerns that high rise development might compromise the essential character of the city centre have led to strictly enforced building regulations that restrict the height of new structures in the city, so that most buildings in the CBD have fewer than five storeys.

As far as parks and culture are concerned....

Launceston's Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery was established in 1891. Now the largest museum located outside a capital city in Australia, the Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery is located at two sites across the city: the original purpose built building at Royal Park and another at the Inveresk Cultural Precinct , on the grounds of the former railway station and rail yards in buildings largely converted from the former Railway Workshops.

The precinct also includes the Launceston Tramway Museum, which houses the No. 29 tram, the 'Mary St' shelter shed and a host of other memorabilia. The state's largest preservation railway, the Don River Railway , also has a carriage rebuilding workshop on the site.

Australia's oldest bookshop, A.W. Birchall & Sons (Birchalls) dating from November 1844, is still located at its original site in Brisbane Street (now the Brisbane Street Mall).

: Located in the Southern Launceston suburb of Prospect , the Country Club Casino is a hotel, casino and golf course complex. It was the second casino to be built in Tasmania and one of the first in Australia. Launceston Aquatic , a $26.3 million regional aquatic centre was completed in July 2009. The site, just outside the central business district spans about 6,450 square metres (69,400 sq ft).

From 1999 to 2003, Launceston was the site of three of the four Gone South music festivals. From 2006 to 2011, it hosted the MS Fest , a music festival held at the Inveresk Show grounds each summer to raise funds for multiple sclerosis research. This has since been replaced with the Breath of Life Festival from 2012 to 2014, a similar event held at the Inveresk show grounds to raise funds for lung cancer research.

Launceston is also the host of the Junction Arts Festival. The Junction Arts Festival was first held in 2010, and spans five days in the Launceston CBD each year. The Festival program changes each year, and includes various art forms, including music, dance, visual and interactive art, short films and live performances, from local, national and international artists.

: And as always, don't forget the shopping!

: And sport, of course: represented by cycling, Australian rules football and cricket! Of course, Launceston is not represented by an NRL Football Club or an AFL Football Club, though both sports have clubs playing at a local level. And rugby league football is played in the region at junior level and senior level—the Launceston Warriors play in the Tasmanian Rugby League and were minor premiers in the 2012-13 season.

: Of course, before actually entering the main city (or while still within its suburbs), we chanced to check out one very historical place located to the west of Launceston proper.

Entally House is a heritage-listed site in Hadspen, Tasmania . It was the family home of Thomas Reibey who was the Premier of Tasmania from 1876 to 1877. The Entally Estate [link] |[link] was established in 1819 by Thomas Haydock Reibey (senior). Reiby worked in the East India company, and named the house after the suburb of Entally in Calcutta , India.

In 1978, the house and its outbuildings were registered on the now-defunct Register of the National Estate .

Well, now that we're reached Launceston, it's time to explore, have a bite to eat come evening and accomodate ourselves for the night.

Another long trip tomorrow....!

[...]

A what-if postcard and journal entry from 3¾th-year university students Jonesy and Nikki and the rest of the gang, exploring the Land Down Under.

6TEEN © FreshTV Inc & NELVANA Ltd.
6TEEN created by Jennifer Pertsch & Tom McGillis (FreshTV Inc).

Description

SERIES: <PREV | NEXT >

: Thursday, February 20th (cont'd) - [...]

Finally, after a long road trip with much to see along the way, we head into Launceston, the second largest city in Tasmania.

: Located in the north of Tasmania, at the junction of the North Esk and South Esk rivers where they become the Tamar River (kanamaluka), Launceston is the second most populous city in Tasmania after the state capital, Hobart, and the twelfth-largest non-capital city in Australia.

: Settled by Europeans in March 1806, Launceston is one of Australia's oldest cities and it has many historic buildings. Like many places in Australia, it was named after a town in the United Kingdom—in this case, Launceston, in Cornwall . In fact, the settlement was initially named Patersonia, until renamed in honour of the New South Wales Governor Captain Philip Gidley King , who was born in Launceston, in Cornwall .

: Launceston has had many firsts in its history: the first use of anaesthetic in the Southern Hemisphere , the first Australian city to have underground sewers , and the first Australian city to be lit by hydroelectricity .

Launceston has an oceanic , temperate climate , with four distinct seasons.

: Many of the buildings in the City's central business district (CBD) were constructed in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, and Launceston is a major location of Federation style housing. Launceston's many well preserved Victorian and Georgian buildings (including the Launceston synagogue , a rare example of architecture in Egyptian Revival style) together with its diverse collection of art-deco architecture (such as Holyman House and Lucks Corner in the CBD, the former Star Theatre in Invermay and the former Launceston General Hospital) give the city an unusual period ambience. 20th Century examples of architecture that are part of the city include the Government offices of Henty House in Charles Street, the Police Station Building and the ANZ Building on the corner of Brisbane & George Street.

Of course, this at least in part a matter of deliberate policy: concerns that high rise development might compromise the essential character of the city centre have led to strictly enforced building regulations that restrict the height of new structures in the city, so that most buildings in the CBD have fewer than five storeys.

As far as parks and culture are concerned....

Launceston's Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery was established in 1891. Now the largest museum located outside a capital city in Australia, the Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery is located at two sites across the city: the original purpose built building at Royal Park and another at the Inveresk Cultural Precinct , on the grounds of the former railway station and rail yards in buildings largely converted from the former Railway Workshops.

The precinct also includes the Launceston Tramway Museum, which houses the No. 29 tram, the 'Mary St' shelter shed and a host of other memorabilia. The state's largest preservation railway, the Don River Railway , also has a carriage rebuilding workshop on the site.

Australia's oldest bookshop, A.W. Birchall & Sons (Birchalls) dating from November 1844, is still located at its original site in Brisbane Street (now the Brisbane Street Mall).

: Located in the Southern Launceston suburb of Prospect , the Country Club Casino is a hotel, casino and golf course complex. It was the second casino to be built in Tasmania and one of the first in Australia. Launceston Aquatic , a $26.3 million regional aquatic centre was completed in July 2009. The site, just outside the central business district spans about 6,450 square metres (69,400 sq ft).

From 1999 to 2003, Launceston was the site of three of the four Gone South music festivals. From 2006 to 2011, it hosted the MS Fest , a music festival held at the Inveresk Show grounds each summer to raise funds for multiple sclerosis research. This has since been replaced with the Breath of Life Festival from 2012 to 2014, a similar event held at the Inveresk show grounds to raise funds for lung cancer research.

Launceston is also the host of the Junction Arts Festival. The Junction Arts Festival was first held in 2010, and spans five days in the Launceston CBD each year. The Festival program changes each year, and includes various art forms, including music, dance, visual and interactive art, short films and live performances, from local, national and international artists.

: And as always, don't forget the shopping!

: And sport, of course: represented by cycling, Australian rules football and cricket! Of course, Launceston is not represented by an NRL Football Club or an AFL Football Club, though both sports have clubs playing at a local level. And rugby league football is played in the region at junior level and senior level—the Launceston Warriors play in the Tasmanian Rugby League and were minor premiers in the 2012-13 season.

: Of course, before actually entering the main city (or while still within its suburbs), we chanced to check out one very historical place located to the west of Launceston proper.

Entally House is a heritage-listed site in Hadspen, Tasmania . It was the family home of Thomas Reibey who was the Premier of Tasmania from 1876 to 1877. The Entally Estate [link] |[link] was established in 1819 by Thomas Haydock Reibey (senior). Reiby worked in the East India company, and named the house after the suburb of Entally in Calcutta , India.

In 1978, the house and its outbuildings were registered on the now-defunct Register of the National Estate .

Well, now that we're reached Launceston, it's time to explore, have a bite to eat come evening and accomodate ourselves for the night.

Another long trip tomorrow....!

[...]

A what-if postcard and journal entry from 3¾th-year university students Jonesy and Nikki and the rest of the gang, exploring the Land Down Under.

6TEEN © FreshTV Inc & NELVANA Ltd.
6TEEN created by Jennifer Pertsch & Tom McGillis (FreshTV Inc).