Campbell Town

Description:

Campbell Town was one of the early coaching stops on the main route between Launceston and Hobart and is still a popular place to stop today with good eateries for snacks or lunches, plus antique and specialty shops of all sorts and lovely picnic spots by the river. The town on the banks of the tranquil Elizabeth River and was named by Governor Lachlan Macquarie after his wife's family name during a visit in 1821. He also named the river and lots of other things after her on his trip. (The name Elizabeth pops up repeatedly across southern and central Tasmania.) Campbell Town has an impressive collection of colonial buildings including The Grange - designed by convict architect James Blackburn in the late 1840s, the Foxhunters Return - a lovely example of a 19th century inn built in 1834, and the convict-built Red Bridge built in 1836. Campbell Town is a 45-min drive (70 km) from Launceston.