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Launceston is seeped in a history that dates back a couple of centuries,
making it the third oldest city in Australia. The city owes its origin to the
European settlement in the eighteenth century, when a group of European settlers
chose the coast of the Tamar River, and the city was established in 1805. The
city had served as a seat of the colony's administration till the proclamation
of Van Diemen's Land in 1823, and now stands as a major centre of Tasmania's commerce.
Launceston had been established by Lieutenant Colonel Paterson, and
was initially called Patersonia after its founder's name. The name was however,
later changed to the present one as Paterson sought to name the city after the
birthplace of the erstwhile Governor King. Launceston had been home to John
Batman as he planned the city of Melbourne from here. The city had also been
a witness to the exile of Irish nationalist leader Terence MacManus who was
transported to the city in 1848.
Though Launceston was established in 1805, its history can actually
be traced back to 1798 when a group of explorers headed by Bass and Flinders
discovered the land and named it Port Dalrymple. The area had originally been
home to the aboriginal communities until the European settlers started flocking
in from 1804. The first settlers chose the mouth of the Tamar River and the
settlement was then moved to the site where the city presently stands.
The remnants of its historic past are scattered across the city to speak of
the bygone years. The European settlers had constructed the city's dwellings
in a typical Victorian style, and the majestic Victorian structures still line
the streets of Launceston. Preserving the bits and pieces of the old colonial
life, the city exists as a 'living heritage' of Tasmania.
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