 Launceston is Tasmania's second largest city and sits at the junction of the North and South Esk Rivers. From here, the broad Tamar River valley opens north to Bass Strait 50 kilometres (31 miles) away.
The city is compact and its pretty, colourful Victorian and Edwardian homes line the hillsides along the river banks. With a population of 68,000 the city has a strong sense of identity, and has one of the best regional galleries in Australia – the Queen Victoria Museum at Inveresk, along with art and craft galleries and quality restaurants.
Like most Tasmanian towns it's easy to explore and nature is right nearby - Launceston Gorge, with its Victorian parklands, complete with peacocks, has steep, rugged cliffs and wild areas that attract climbers. It is within easy walking distance of the city centre.
Launceston is a good base for exploring the vineyards of the Tamar Valley, and you can visit boutique cool-climate wineries that line both river banks. From Launceston you can also explore national parks such as Narawntapu (known for wildlife spotting) and Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair, or the historic colonial villages of Evandale and Longford with their grand old farms and mansions – Woolmers, Brickendon and Clarendon.
The city was established in 1806, after the collapse of Port Dalrymple (now George Town) at the mouth of the Tamar. It was the State's northern military base and a trading centre for wheat and wool farmers, and over time as their wealth grew the city developed its grand vision.
Launceston's weather is temperate like most of Tasmania – averaging 24 degrees Celcius (75 degrees Fahrenheit) during the summer and 6 degrees Celcius (42 degrees Fahrenheit) on winter days.
It is a major gateway to Tasmania and is 198 kilometres (123 miles) or 2.5 hours' drive north of Hobart.
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