Sub topics

• Lifestyle
• Main Population Centres
• Infrastructure
• Agriculture
• Education
• Health Services

Main Population Centres

There are four major population centres - Hobart (the capital), Launceston, Burnie and Devonport.

Hobart - Population 126,000

Hobart was built between Mt Wellington and the waterfront in the early 1800s and these remains the focus of the business and recreational actives of the city. Hobart offers all the benefits of city living without the traffic jams, pollution, crime and overcrowding of Australia's other capital cities. It takes less than 20 minutes to drive from the city centre to the rainforest trails of Mt Wellington. Hobart has Australia's oldest theatre, a world-class recreation centre in the Domain, cinemas, galleries and the Royal Botanical Gardens. The University of Tasmania has its main campus in Hobart.

Launceston - Population 68,000

Launceston is the state's second largest city, and the main centre in the north of the state. The Cataract Gorge Nature Reserve as well as numerous parks and tree-lined streets complements the city's rural focus. It typically has Victorian architecture and is located on the Tamar River. It is the gateway to Tasmania's premier wine growing region - the Tamar Valley. Launceston has a university campus and is home to the Australian Maritime College. It is also the major centre for private education in the North of the State.

There are many interesting places around Launceston including Lilydale Falls, Ben Lomond national park which is popular for skiing, and Evandale, which has historic buildings and a popular market.

Burnie - Population 18,000

Burnie, in the state's north west is located on Emu Bay and is one of the states major deepwater ports. Burnie supports a range of industries including premium dairy processors, mining equipment manufacturers, and paper and pulp industries.

Burnie has undergone a major resurgence in the last five years and has become a very attractive place in which to live and work. The scenery around Burnie is spectacular including the Dial Range, waterfalls like those on the Guide River, the Rhododendron gardens, Lactos Cheese Factory and Art Gallery and cinemas.

Devonport - Population 22,000

Devonport is situated on the mouth of the Mersey River in the centre of the north coast. It is the gateway to Tasmania for tourists arriving by ship from Melbourne and Sydney. It lies about 50 km east of Burnie. Devonport has several museums and galleries as well as Tiagara, an Aboriginal cultural and art centre.

The Don River Railway is very popular with tourists, as is the arboretum. With similar scenery and topography to Burnie outdoor activities such as bush walking, mountain biking and fishing is popular in the area.