Hotels in Launceston, Australia

A little about Launceston...

Launceston is a city in the north of the state of Tasmania, Australia, population approximately 71,000 (Greater urban and statistical sub division 99,675), located at the juncture of the North Esk, South Esk, and Tamar rivers. It is the second largest city in Tasmania after the state capital Hobart.

Established in 1805, Launceston is one of Australia's oldest cities and has many historical buildings and sights. Like many Australian places, it was named after a town in the United Kingdom — in this case, Launceston, Cornwall.

Transport: Launceston has a public bus service operated by the Tasmanian government owned company Metro Tasmania. Buses operate on an irregular time table and take commuters between city suburbs. Services run from some stops per hour, Monday to Friday and with only a few services on weekends.

Like many of the larger cities in Australia, Launceston operated a tramway system between 1911 and 1952, which consisted of 29 trams and was first planned in 1909 after observations of efficiently working systems in Melbourne and Adelaide. For a decade before the tram system was abandoned, Launceston had begun converting to trolleybuses, especially for the hilly routes and operated one of the most extensive trolleybus networks in Australia.

Geography and landmarks:
Launceston serves as the commercial hub for the north of the state and, like many parts of Tasmania, is a major tourist centre. Some points of attraction are:

The Cataract Gorge, a natural wonder of Tasmania and only five minutes walk from the city. Home to the longest single span chairlift in the world.
The City Park, which includes an enclosure for Japanese Macaque monkeys, a gift from the sister-city of Ikeda, Japan.
The Tamar River and tributaries.
The Tamar Valley, which is home to some of Australia's best vineyards.
The Boag's Brewery, which produces one of Australia's premium beers.
Launceston Lakes Wildlife Park in Riverside.
Aurora Stadium - The State's only venue for Australian Football League matches.
Launceston's GPO dates back to the 1880s, when Launceston was proclaimed a city the post office got redecorated with a clock, the clock chimes every quarter hour as well as every hour.
The University of Tasmania has a large campus close to the city, at Newnham. The Australian Maritime College is located on the grounds.
The Silverdome is an indoor sporting and entertainment venue.
The Country Club Resort is a hotel, casino and golf course complex.
The Launceston General Hospital is one of 3 major public hospitals in the state. The Launceston Remand Centre serves as the area's detention facility.
The city is home to a large collection of magnificently preserved Victorian architecture.

Launceston has a diverse collection of impressive art-deco architecture that includes the dominant art-deco landmark, Holyman House. There are also several landmark houses in Launceston built in the art-deco style.

Launceston is the hub for the state's medical retrieval service. The Royal Flying Doctor Service is serviced by the state's ambulance service, and doctors from the Launceston General Hospital.