The bridge across the Meander River

Deloraine
Charming and important historic town on the Meander River
Deloraine is a charming, historically interesting and attractive town located on the banks of the Meander River 228 km north of Hobart, 48 km west of Launceston and 253 m above sea level. While not attracting tourists in the same numbers as Ross or Richmond it has been classified by the National Trust as a town of historical significance.

It is likely that the town, which lies near the Great Western Tiers, was named after Sir William Deloraine, a character in Sir Walter Scott's long poem The Lay of the Last Minstrel (1805). It was a kinsman of Sir Walter Scott, Thomas Scott, who first surveyed the district in the 1824. The area was first explored by Europeans in 1823 when Captain Rolland travelled through the area searching for new agricultural lands.

In 1825 a Land Commissioner was appointed by Governor Sorell. It was as a result of this appointment that the country around Deloraine became some of the first land in Van Diemen's Land where leases could be purchased.

Settlement in the area was slow until, in the 1850s, the government started selling land outright for £1 an acre. This resulted in a dramatic increase in population which led to the town becoming a municipality in 1863 and, in 1872, a railway line between Deloraine and Launceston was constructed.The early settlers raised cattle and grew wheat but the climate was against them and they did not prosper.

Things to see:  

Exploring the Town
Many of the shops in town have copies of the excellent brochures Let's talk about Deloraine and the Guide to Historical Deloraine both of which provide extensive lists of large numbers of historically interesting houses and buildings in the town as well as listing a number of attractions in the surrounding area including the Liffey Falls, Train World at Mole Creek, the Wildlife Park and Koala Village between Chudleigh and Mole Creek, and the Meander Falls area which lies 25 km southwest of the town.

Bonney's Inn
Of the historic buildings, those of particular interest include Bonney's Inn, which was established in 1831 (although some sources claim it was built in 1828) and is situated at 17 West Parade next to the Deloraine Hotel. One of the most famous early wayside inns it was built as a coaching inn by John Bonney, the son of a convict. The bricks, but not the actual building, were constructed by convicts. Bonney designed the building along the lines of the coaching inns in England. It has walls which are nearly 50 cm thick, cedar mantelpieces and panelled walls. It has changed hands a number of times being, at various points in its history, a Temperance Hotel, a coffee palace, flats, and historic accommodation. It currently offers four star bed and breakfast accommodation. In 1853, as a result of the success of Bonney's Inn, John Bonney built the Deloraine Hotel.

Baptist Tabernacle
Down river from Bonney's Inn are the Baptist Tabernacle, a single storey Victorian chapel built in 1880 with money raised after William Gibson, a grazier from Perth, who gave the local congregation a prize ram which they sold for 1000 guineas. Further along West Parade (on the corner of West Parade and Westbury Place) is Harvey's Mill, now a private dwelling, a handsome two-storey bluestone and brick building.

The Bridge
The bridge across the Meander River is now only a memory of the original structure which was built by convicts in 1831. It was washed away in 1844 and a 'new' bridge was, in turn, replaced in 1877. The present structure has some remnants of the 1877 bridge. It affords excellent views along the beautiful Meander River.

Alveston's Historic Buildings
To the south of the river is the original village of Alveston which was in existence before the larger settlement of Deloraine began to develop on the northern bank of the river. Nearly all of the buildings in Alveston are of some historic interest. There is the old Bush Inn which, while hardly being impressive, dates back to the 1850s and on the other side of the road there's a group of brick and timber Georgian shops and cottages (10-24 Bass Highway) which are still a handsome and historic streetscape.

St. Marks Anglican Church

St Mark's Church of England
Just up the rise from the Bush Inn is St Mark's Church of England which looks over the Meander River. The first Anglican church in the town was a wooden building completed in 1847. The present building was designed by Henry Clayton and opened in 1859. It was originally no more than a small chancel, the impressive tower, the nave and spire. The year after completion an organ, which is still in use, was imported from London; in 1878 the chancel and transept were consecrated; and in 1909, to celebrate the church's Golden Jubilee, a stained glass window was added. In front of St Mark's is a huge Californian redwood.

Other Historic Buildings
The old buildings near the railway station still have faded signs advertising Sunlight soap and Bushells tea.

Beyond these specific buildings the town of Deloraine has a wealth of interesting old shops and houses. It is profitable to just drive off the Bass Highway and explore the town. The architectural surprises reward such idle curiosity.

The old shops in Deloraine

In West Barrack Street, for example, the former Oddfellows Hotel (No:21) has been converted into a shop, No:27, a two-storey Georgian brick house, was the birthplace of Admiral Sir John Collins (Collins' fame rests on his tactical victory over the Italian warship Bartolomeo Colleoni in 1941 while he was captain of the HMAS Sydney), and No: 33, now a shop, was once the town hospital.

At the northern end of town, along Emu Bay Road, is the town's excellent Folk Museum (No: 98) which is located in the old Family and Commercial Inn which dates from 1864 and Berry's Antique Shop (No: 118) a two-storey brick building which was built around 1850. The town also claims to have the oldest continuously used racecourse in Australia - it dates from 1853 - and Bowerbank Mill, 2 km east of Deloraine on the Bass Highway, was built in 1853 by William Archer, Van Diemen's Land's first native-born architect.

The Tasmania Pottery

Tasmania Pottery
The Tasmania Pottery, on the road to Chudleigh, is no longer operating as a tourist attraction but it is still possible to see its outstanding external feature - the largest coffee pot in Australia.

Exton
Just a few kilometres east of Deloraine is the tiny township of Exton which is full of antique shops and rather beautiful old cottages.

	Tourist Information
	Great Western Tiers Tourist Centre 98 Emu Bay Rd Deloraine TAS 7304 Telephone: (03) 6362 3471
	Motels
	Mountain View Country Inn 144 Emu Bay Rd Deloraine TAS 7304 Telephone: (03) 6362 2633 Rating: ***
	Hotels
	British Hotel Emu Bay Rd Deloraine TAS 7304 Telephone: (03) 6362 2016
	Bush Inn 7 Bass Hwy Deloraine TAS 7304 Telephone: (03) 6362 2365 Rating: *
	Deloraine Hotel Emu Bay Rd Deloraine TAS 7304 Telephone: (03) 6362 2022 Rating: *
	Empire Hotel Emu Bay Rd Deloraine TAS 7304 Telephone: (03) 6362 2075
	Bed & Breakfast/Guesthouses
	Arcoona Bed & Breakfast East Barrack St Deloraine TAS 7304 Telephone: (03) 6362 3443 Facsimile: (03) 6362 3228 Rating: ****
	Bonney's Farm Bed & Breakfast & Apts Weetah Rd Deloraine TAS 7304 Telephone: (03) 6362 2122 Rating: ***
	Bonney's Inn Bed & Breakfast 17 West Pde Deloraine TAS 7304 Telephone: (03) 6362 2974 Facsimile: (03) 6362 4087 Email: boninn@tassie.net.au Rating: ****
	Bowerbank Mill Cottages Bed & Breakfast Bass Hwy Deloraine TAS 7304 Telephone: (03) 6362 2628 Facsimile: (03) 6362 3586 Rating: ***
	Granada Bed & Breakfast Mole Creek Rd Deloraine TAS 7304 Telephone: (03) 6362 2621 Rating: ****
	Apartments
	Bonneys Holiday Apt 17 West Pde Deloraine TAS 7304 Telephone: (03) 6362 2974 Rating: ***
	Cottages & Cabins
	Blackwood Park Cottages 445 Mersey Hill Rd Mole Creek Deloraine TAS 7304 Telephone: (03) 6363 1208 Facsimile: (03) 6363 1208 Rating: ***
	Tier View Twin Cottages 125 Emu Bay Rd Deloraine TAS 7304 Telephone: (03) 6362 2377 Rating: ***
	Lodges & Chalets
	Highview Lodge 8 Blake St Deloraine TAS 7304 Telephone: (03) 6362 2996
	Caravan Parks
	Apex Caravan Park 51 Est Pde Deloraine TAS 7304 Telephone: (03) 6362 2345 Facsimile: (03) 6362 2673 Rating: **1/2
	Apex Caravan Park 51 West Pde Deloraine TAS 7304 Telephone: (03) 6362 2345 Rating: ***
	Restaurants
	Amble Inn 23 Emu Bay Rd Deloraine TAS 7304 Telephone: (03) 6362 2142
	Arcoona Bed & Breakfast East Barrack St Deloraine TAS 7304 Telephone: (03) 6362 3443
	Bush Inn 7 Bass Hwy Deloraine TAS 7304 Telephone: (03) 6362 2365
	Deloraine Hotel Emu Bay Rd Deloraine TAS 7304 Telephone: (03) 6362 2022
	Emu Bay Brasserie 21 Emu Bay Rd Deloraine TAS 7304 Telephone: (03) 6362 2067
	Mountain View Country Inn 144 Emu Bay Rd Deloraine TAS 7304 Telephone: (03) 6362 2633
	Stephanies of Deloraine 144 Emu Bay Rd Deloraine TAS 7304 Telephone: (03) 6362 2633
	Sullivan's Restaurant & Take-Away 17 West Pde Deloraine TAS 7304 Telephone: (03) 6362 3264