Sprawling along the North Esk River, Launceston’s CBD is the main commercial, political and social hub of Northern Tasmania. It clusters around the intersection of Brisbane Street and St John Street, with City Park and Albert Hall to the east and Royal Park along the river banks to the west.
Brisbane Street Mall carves through the heart of Launceston’s CBD, lined with the big-name department and chain stores, together with cafes, banks and other services. Quadrant Mall curves around to connect Brisbane Street with St John Street where the Launceston Visitor’s Centre is situated. Many of the buildings within the district are heritage-listed, built during the nineteenth century and exhibiting a distinct Federation style. The Bank of NSW is one such example, lying at the intersection of Brisbane and St John Streets, while Holyman House and Lucks Corner both illustrate the Art-Deco style that was popular in the early 20th century. Unlike many cities, Launceston has strictly enforced building regulations to maintain the CBD’s character, resulting in most buildings having less than five storeys. Prince’s Square lies just to the south, established in 1858 on a disused brickfield and renowned for its bronze gilded Val d'Osne Fountain, with the oldest church in the city, St. John’s, overlooking the square. Royal Park to the north-west was laid-out in the late 19th century on the site of a military barracks and is now home to Launceston’s Cenotaph, with the Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery occupying a beautiful Victorian building alongside. Launceston’s most famous green space, however, is City Park which lies on the northeastern edge of the CBD, home to the magnificent Albert Hall, an enclosure for Japanese macaque monkeys and numerous leafy walking trails to explore.
Launceston’s CBD is easily accessed by public bus services from the surrounding suburbs and other regional hubs across Northern Tasmania. It’s connected to Hobart in the south along the Midland Highway, while there are flights across Australia from Launceston’s airport, located around 15 kilometres to the south.
Launceston is one of Australia’s oldest cities, settled by Europeans as early as 1806 and emerging as an important export centre for the colony’s pastoral industry. It is noted as being the first city in the country to be fitted with underground sewers, as well as the first to be lit by hydroelectricity.