View from Woolmers across towards the Western Tiers

Longford
Fascinating small historic town south west of Launceston
Located 24 km south west of Launceston and 175 m above sea level, Longford (a classified historic town) was named after a county in Ireland by the colonial surveyor, Roderic O'Connor.

Essentially a small service town for the surrounding agriculture area (the district is noted for its wool, dairy produce and stock breeding) Longford was first explored by Europeans when Jacob Mountgarrett and Ensign Hugh Piper passed through in 1806. The following year Lieutenant Laycock, journeying from north to south, camped near the present townsite.

The first settlers arrived in 1807 when a large number of free land holding farmers were moved to Van Diemen's Land from Norfolk Island. At this time the district became known as Norfolk Plains and the early settlement was known as Latour until it was changed to Longford in 1833.

The fountain in front of the Woolmers Historic Home near Longford

The development of the town and surrounding area coincided with land grants in the mid-1820s. Prominent among the first settlers was Thomas Archer who, with his three brothers, built such notable local houses as 'Woolmers', 'Panshanger', 'Brickendon' and 'Northbury'.

The town itself grew up around the Longford Hotel built in 1827. Through the 1830s-1850s the town acquired a large number of notable and historically significant buildings.

Things to see:  

Christ Church

Christ Church
The major historic attraction in Longford in Christ Church, a sandstone building which dates from 1839. The church clock and bell were both gifts from George IV, its stained glass window is impressive, and the church's graveyard includes such prominent Tasmanian families as the Archers and the Reibeys (see Hadspen).

Old Racecourse Hotel

Historic Buildings
Other buildings of note include the Queen's Arms (a stuccoed Georgian hotel dating from 1835) at 69 Wellington Street, the Blenheim Hotel (1846) in Marlborough Street and the former Tattersall's Hotel (1860) now the Longford Library. This apparent excess of hotels and inns (many of which have been turned into private dwellings) reveals the importance of Longford in the mid-nineteenth century.

Of particular interest is the Racecourse Hotel in Wellington Street which was originally built to become Longford's railway station. At various times it has been a private hospital and a pub. The pub achieved considerable notoriety when a woman, having stolen and swallowed two gold sovereigns from some local farmhands, was murdered

Historic Homes
As well the town has other important buildings such as Longford House (1839) in Catherine Street, 'Old Norley' (1838) built by Charles Arthur at 4 Lyttleton Street, 'Brickendon' (1831) built by William Archer in Wellington Street (it is a large and gracious Georgian dwelling) and 'Northbury' (1862) built by Edward Archer.

This is a small sample of over forty buildings in the district which have been included on the National Estate. A detailed history, and description, of many of the buildings is provided in Let's Talk About Longford.

An attractive historic residential home in Longford

Woodstock Lagoon Wildlife Sanctuary
9 km from Longford is the Woodstock Lagoon Wildlife Sanctuary, a 150 ha area reserved as a nesting and breeding sanctuary for large numbers of waterfowl.

	Tourist Information
	Heritage Centre 1b Marlborough St Longford TAS 7301 Telephone: (03) 6391 1181
	Hotels
	Blenheim Inn Hotel 16 Marlborough Rd Longford TAS 7301 Telephone: (03) 6391 1194
	Country Club Hotel 19 Wellington Rd Longford TAS 7301 Telephone: (03) 6391 1155
	Queens Arms Hotel 69 Wellington Rd Longford TAS 7301 Telephone: (03) 6391 1130
	Bed & Breakfast/Guesthouses
	Ringley Cottage Bed & Breakfast 18 Union St Longford TAS 7301 Telephone: (03) 6391 2305 Rating: ****
	The Old Chapel Bed & Breakfast 107 Wellington St Longford TAS 7301 Telephone: (03) 6391 1319 Rating: ****
	The Racecourse Inn Bed & Breakfast 114 Marlborough St Longford TAS 7301 Telephone: (03) 6391 2352 Facsimile: (03) 6391 2430 Rating: ****
	Apartments
	Kingsley House Olde World Accommodation Wellington St Longford TAS 7301 Telephone: (03) 6391 2318 Rating: ***
	Panshanger Apt 366 Panshange Rd Longford TAS 7301 Telephone: (03) 6397 6500 or 1800 815 610 Facsimile: (03) 6397 6502 Rating: ****
	Holiday Homes & Units
	Salem Chapel Colonial Accommodation "Piermont" 589 Pateena Rd Longford TAS 7301 Telephone: (03) 6391 2212 Rating: ****
	Cottages & Cabins
	Brickendon Historic Cottages Woolmers Lane via Wellington St Longford TAS 7301 Telephone: (03) 6391 1251or 0418 127 767 Facsimile: (03) 6391 2073 Rating: ****
	The Old Rosary Cottage Longford Hall Longford TAS 7301 Telephone: (03) 6391 1662 Rating: ****
	Woolmers Cottages Woolmers Lane Longford TAS 7301 Telephone: (03) 6391 2230 Facsimile: (03) 6391 2270 Rating: ****
	Caravan Parks
	Riverside Caravan Park Archer St Longford TAS 7301 Telephone: (03) 6391 1470 Rating: ***
	Restaurants
	Queens Arms Hotel 69 Wellington Rd Longford TAS 7301 Telephone: (03) 6391 1130
	Servants Kitchen Woolmers Estate Longford TAS 7301 Telephone: (03) 6391 2230