NOVEMBER 29 - DECEMBER 2
LAUNCESTON, TASMANIA
NOVEMBER 29 - DECEMBER 2
LAUNCESTON, TASMANIA
Everything you need to know to make the most of your time in Launceston. Check out our guidance for travelling to Launceston, local transport and essential travel advice.
Situated about 15 minutes walk from the city centre, the Cataract Gorge is a beautiful place to unwind and relax outdoors. It features a multitude of walking tracks, catering for tourists and seasoned bushwalkers. Additionally, there are two restaurants on either side of the basin, with a chairlift that allows quick access between both sides. There is also a public swimming pool and for the more adventurous - an inactive volcano turned lake that you can swim in.
The City Park is located in the heart of Launceston. This beautiful parkland features mature trees and shrubs, a display of annual flowers, a Japanese Macaque monkey enclosure, the John Hart Conservatory, a duck pond, senses garden, monuments, chess board, historic Albert Hall, barbeque area and a children's playground.
The opening hours for the monkey enclosure are from 8.00am - 4.30pm every day of the week.
Established in 1858, this park is known for its symmetrical planning and the bronze gilded Val d'Osne Fountain. The park is bound on all four sides by Elizabeth Street, St John Street, Frederick Street and Charles Street.
This park was originally the site of a military barracks and was developed as parkland in the late 1800s and officially named Royal Park in 1912. It contains Launceston's Cenotaph and is a very popular social and tourist destination. Royal Park and Kings Park are traditional parks with a river edge boardwalk connecting the Cataract Gorge Reserve to the Inveresk Precinct, taking in Ritchie's Mill, Home Point and Seaport. The area features the Tamar River, mature trees, multi-use trails, skate park and boat ramp. It also provides access to the Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery's Royal Park site and to river cruises.
Established in 1891, the Queen Victoria museum has a strong reputation for its excellent collection, which includes fine exhibitions of colonial art, contemporary craft and design, Tasmanian history and natural sciences, specifically a zoology collection. There is also a special exhibition of a full Chinese temple that was used by 19th-century Chinese tin miners, a planetarium, and displays related to Launceston's industrial environment and railway workshops. The Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery is located on two sites, one at Royal Park and the other at Inveresk, the site of the old Launceston Railway Workshops. Both sites have different collections to see.
This museum hosts an extensive collection of cars and motorcycles that displays the exciting history and development of the international automotive industry. Spanning a hundred years of style and technical achievement, this impressive collection of traditional and contemporary marques is a must see for all who appreciate history, design, engineering and style. Wander through the rows of opulent and elegant Rolls-Royce, Bentleys, Mercedes-Benz and Jaguars. See the strange and unusual, the practical and the exotic, the sedate and the speedy.
Although not within walking distance, should you feel adventurous, you can travel to Beauty Point to visit Seahorse World & Platypus House. It takes 40 minutes by car to get there, but is well worth the drive to get up close and personal to live platypus, echidna, and seahorses.
Home of the famous lavender bear and true french lavender. It is a 40 minute drive from Launceston. The farm runs over 260 acres and is the world’s largest privately-owned lavender farm. With an estimated 650,000 plants, the lavender rows stretch for about 200 kilometres in total. Bridestowe grows true French lavender, Lavandula angustifolia, the only lavender variety suitable for use in perfume and cooking.
The village of Grindelwald was established in the 1980s as a unique residential development. All houses in Grindelwald have been built in Swiss style, with wide eaves, flowerboxes, window shutters and balconies. The settlement is fringed with glassy lakes and views of the Tamar Valley. The Swiss-themed Tamar Valley Resort at Grindelwald features a hotel, shopping arcade, general store, craft and gift shops, clothing store, hairdresser, day spa, mini-golf, chocolatier, and a cafe and bakery.
Launceston and Tasmania in general is usually a bit cooler than other states. December is the first month of Summer in Launceston, with the average temperature at that time ranging between 13˚C/55˚F (minimum) to 24˚C/75˚F (maximum). For further information on climate visit:
Direct flights from Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane are frequently available everyday through Virgin Australia, Qantas and Jetstar.
For international passengers, we suggest that you try to allow yourself at least a day in which to adjust to the time difference and relax after your flight before your first day at the conference. Travellers flying westward across the Pacific Ocean are reminded that they will lose a day by crossing the International Date Line. The ‘lost day’ will be returned on the return journey.
Please ensure that along with your passport and visa, you also pack your registration confirmation within your carry on luggage. You may be asked to produce this when going through customs at your arrival airport. In addition to this, please be sure to fill out your Incoming Passenger Card with all details and answer each question honestly.
Australia is free from many plant and animal diseases prevalent in other countries. Very strict quarantine rules apply to the importation of animals and plant products and many cannot be brought into the country without prior application. To have a smooth transition through quarantine and to enjoy your visit in Australia, it is important that you understand Australia’s quarantine regulations. See here for more information.
Also note that Tasmania has stricter quarantine laws than other states. To read more about what you can and cannot bring into this state, please read the Tasmania quarantine information.
There are 3 options to get to the city from the airport. You can either rent a car (Europcar, Budget, or Avis), take a taxi, or catch the airport shuttle bus, which stops by all the city hotels. See here for more details of the shuttle service.
Electrical current is 240/250V, AC 50Hz. The Australian flat three-pin power outlet is different from that in many countries, so you will need an adaptor. If your appliances are 110V, check if there is a 110/240V switch. If not, you will need a voltage converter. Universal outlets for 240V or 110V shavers are usually found in leading hotels.
Vaccinations are not required unless you have come from a yellow fever- infected country zone within six days prior to your arrival. You do not need any other health certificate to enter Australia. Australia has a high standard of hygiene and doctors and dentists are highly trained and hospitals are well equipped. In the event of illness, hotel staff can arrange a doctor for you.
Australia applies a tax to the purchase of both goods and services called the Goods and Services Tax (GST). The rate of tax that applies to taxable products and services is 10%. Tax is already included in the advertised prices. Non-Australian members may be eligible for a refund of GST via the Tourist Refund Scheme.
Tipping is not as widespread or regulated in Australia as it is in other parts of the world. Tipping is your prerogative, a reward for service. A gratuity of about 10% is usual in restaurants if good service is received but not mandatory.