Launceston
Tasmania's Northern City and Tamar Valley Gateway
On the lands of the Letteremairrener people.
schedule 1 min read / Updated Apr 2026
Tasmania's second-largest city, on the Tamar River in the north of the state. Launceston is famous for Cataract Gorge (a wild river canyon a 15 minute walk from the CBD) and the Tamar Valley wine region just upstream.
Launceston was founded in 1806, making it Australia's third-oldest city after Sydney and Hobart. It sits at the confluence of the North Esk and South Esk rivers, where they form the Tamar Estuary that flows north for 70 kilometres to the Bass Strait.
Cataract Gorge, a wild river canyon carved by the South Esk River, sits within walking distance of the city centre. The 15 minute walk from town to the First Basin lookout is one of the great urban approaches in Australia. The basin has a chairlift across it (the longest single-span chairlift in the southern hemisphere) and a Victorian-era swimming pool. The gorge walking track continues upstream into wilder country.
The Tamar Valley north of the city is one of Tasmania's three main wine regions, known particularly for Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and sparkling wines made by traditional method. The 170 kilometre Tamar Valley Wine Route loops through the cellar doors and the historic town of George Town at the river mouth.
The Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery is the largest regional museum in Australia.
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2 bookable experiences at or near Launceston.
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- Launceston-Tasmania-Australia05.JPG · Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 3.0
- Hotel Grand Chancellor, Launceston.jpg · Jeanie Mackinder · CC BY 2.0
- Hotel Grand Chancellor, Launceston 20190424-001.jpg · Gary Houston · CC0
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