The Shrine of Remembrance

Ulverstone
Substantial and important tourist destination on the North Coast.
Located 19 km west of Devonport and 125 km north west of Launceston, Ulverstone is a major tourist destination on the mouth of the Leven River. The area was largely overlooked by early Tasmanian settlers. It wasn't until 1840 that James Fenton settled in the area. His early attempts to farm the marshy land to the west of the Forth River (to the east of modern day Ulverstone) were fraught with problems. The soil was saline and substandard. He eventually moved to higher ground and was moderately successful remaining in the area until 1879 when he retired to Launceston.

By 1848 the area had been settled by timber workers whose business providing palings to Melbourne boomed with the discovery of gold. There were soon a number of sawmills in the area. Such was the demand for timber that the forests were quickly cleared. This exposed the rich chocolate-coloured volcanic soils and resulted in the emergence of potato cropping and successful beef and dairy cattle breeding.

In the early days the town was known as The Leven until it changed to Ulverstone which was derived from Ulverston in Lancashire, England. The town grew slowly throughout the 19th century. There were only 15 inhabitants in 1861 and 25 in 1870. The arrival of the railway in 1890 gave the town the boost it required. It is now recognised as a major tourist and service centre.

Ulverstone has two minor claims to fame. In 1874 it held Australia's first axeman competition and in 1897 the woman who would become Dame Edith Lyons, first woman in the Australian House of Representatives and first woman Cabinet Minister, was born in the town.

Things to see:  

Ulverstone Local History Museum
Located at 50 Main Street and open at different times from Tuesday to Sunday it has a fascinating collection of business facades including a blacksmith and wheelwright (Levi Titmus), a photographer (GP Taylor), a bootmaker (A. Wood) and a number of other businesses. Contact (03) 6425 3835 for opening times or visit the museum on the Net at http://www.tassie.net.au/~leven/ULHM.htm

James Fenton's First House
All that is left of Fenton's first house is a modern cairn which marks the site. It is located about 100 metres on the Ulverstone side of the Forth River bridge. It records the location of the first European settlement of the area. Upon his retirement Fenton wrote a History of Tasmania.

Braddons Lookout
Located on the Upper Forth Road (enter from the Bass Highway on the eastern side of the Forth River Bridge) offers excellent views over both the coast and the hinterland. It is said that on a clear day it is possible to see Cradle Mountain to the south.

The Gables and Turners Beach
To the east of Ulverstone turn north towards Turners Beach. Follow the road to Turners Beach and keep driving until you reach The Gables Park. Next to it is the Gables House which is on the river (very obviously a private residence). It was built around 1850 and was originally known as The Sailors Return Inn. Although the building only operated as a hotel for a decade (it was delicensed in 1860) it had a short and colourful history. In 1853 it was robbed by the bushrangers Dalton and Kelly (not Ned) who stole the landlord's whale boat and sailed across the Bass Strait to Victoria. They were subsequently caught, brought back to Tasmania and executed in Launceston.

The Shrine of Remembrance
The Shrine of Remembrance is a strange clocktower. It was designed and built by immigrants from Europe in 1953. It is a memorial for returned service personnel with each of the columns representing the three military services - Army, Navy and Air Force.

Furners Hotel

Interesting Buildings
There is a very unusual Italiane ANZ Bank in Reiby Street. It forms a vital part of the town's main street and is characterised by roundhead windows on the first floor and squarehead windows on the second floor. Furners Hotel (1903) at 42 Reibey Street is a particularly attractive and dominant Federation hotel.

Riverside Anzac Park
There is a pleasant park beside the Leven River with an excellent and unusual fountain which has been programmed to offer a wide range of variations when it is turned on. The park also has an excellent 'Spaceage' childrens playground (with huge rockets and space ships) and good picnic facilities. A few years ago a seed was taken from Lone Pine ridge at Gallipoli and planted in the park. It is now a substantial pine tree.

The Ocean View Guesthouse

Westella and Lonah
On the eastern side of town just a little way out from the town centre is Westella - a beautiful old gabled house. It was built in 1885 and is characterised steep gables. Westella is a fine example of the kind of house which was built in Northern Tasmania in the 1880s due to the availability of fine timber. There are so many beautiful old timber houses in the area which date from 1880-1920. Another is Lonah which overlooks Three Sisters Islands on the road between Ulverstone and Penguin. It was built by a retired English soldier, Major-General Lodder, around 1875.

Another fascinating old building is the Ocean View Guest House on 1 Victoria Street. It was built in 1903, was used as a boarding house for most of its life until, in 1986, it was converted to a guest house. It was designed in such a way that there are views of the ocean from most of the rooms.

Gunns Plains Caves
Located 23 km from Ulverstone the caves are well illuminated and there are regular hourly tours between 10.00 a.m. and 4.00 p.m. The caves were discovered when a possum fell down the hole which was the cave entrance. The caves maintain a regular 11°C all year round. The trip to the caves passes through some particularly beautiful scenery. There are good picnic facilities nearby. For more information contact either (03) 6425 2839 or (03) 6425 4496.

Leven Canyon
Located 42 km from Ulverstone Leven Canyon has become a popular tourist destination offering interesting and pleasant bushwalks, good picnic and barbeque facilities and views down the 250 metre Leven Canyon. It takes ten hours to walk through the gorge.

	Tourist Information
	Ulverstone Visitor Information Centre Car Park Lane Ulverstone TAS 7315 Telephone: (03) 6425 2839
	Motels
	Bass & Flinders Motor Inn Suites 49 Eastlands Dve Ulverstone TAS 7315 Telephone: (03) 6425 3011 Rating: ***
	Beachway Motel Heathcote St Ulverstone TAS 7315 Telephone: (03) 6425 2342 Rating: ***
	Ulverstone Motor Lodge 2 Tasma Pde Ulverstone TAS 7315 Telephone: (03) 6425 1599, 1800 818 187 Facsimile: (03) 6425 5973 Rating: ***
	Bass & Flinders Motor Inn 51 Eastland Dr Ulverstone TAS 7315 Telephone: (03) 6425 3011 Facsimile: (03) 6425 4936 Rating: ***
	Hotels
	Furners Hotel 42 Reibey St Ulverstone TAS 7315 Telephone: (03) 6425 1488 Rating: **
	River Arms Hotel 1 Crescent St Ulverstone TAS 7315 Telephone: (03) 6425 1160
	The Lighthouse Hotel 33 Victoria St Ulverstone TAS 7315 Telephone: (03) 6425 1197 Facsimile: (03) 6425 1219 Rating: ****
	Bed & Breakfast/Guesthouses
	Boscobel of Ulverstone Bed & Breakfast 27 South Rd Ulverstone TAS 7315 Telephone: (03) 6425 1727 Rating: ****
	Krijngaard Bed & Breakfast Isandula Rd Gawler Ulverstone TAS 7315 Telephone: (03) 6425 2033 Rating: ****
	Ocean View Bed & Breakfast 1-3 Victoria St Ulverstone TAS 7315 Telephone: (03) 6425 5401 Rating: **
	Westella Bed & Breakfast "Westella House" Westella Dve Ulverstone TAS 7315 Telephone: (03) 6425 6222 Rating: ****
	Winterbrook Bed & Breakfast 28 Eastland Dve Ulverstone TAS 7315 Telephone: (03) 6425 6324 Facsimile: (03) 6425 6324 Rating: ****
	Apartments
	Brigadoon Holiday Apts 4 Moore St West Ulverstone Ulverstone TAS 7315 Telephone: (03) 6425 1697 Rating: ***
	Willaway Apartments 2 Tucker St Ulverstone TAS 7315 Telephone: (03) 6425 2018 Rating: ***
	Caravan Parks
	Apex Caravan Park Queen St West Ulverstone Ulverstone TAS 7315 Telephone: (03) 6425 2935 Rating: ***
	Buttons Creek Camping Ground Beach Rd Ulverstone TAS 7315 Telephone: (03) 6425 2624
	Big4 Ulverstone Caravan Park 57 Water St Ulverstone TAS 7315 Telephone: 1800 008 028 Rating: ***
	Restaurants
	Bass & Flinders Restaurant 49 Eastland Dve Ulverstone TAS 7315 Telephone: (03) 6425 6199
	Blue Wren Tea Gardens Penguin Rd Ulverstone West Ulverstone TAS 7315 Telephone: (03) 6452 4463
	Chu O Restaurant 35 Reibey St Ulverstone TAS 7315 Telephone: (03) 6425 6535
	Diamond Dynasty Chinese Restaurant 48-52 King Edward St Ulverstone TAS 7315 Telephone: (03) 6425 4045 or 0419 383 256
	Drumstick Coffee Lounge Ellis Court Ulverstone TAS 7315 Telephone: (03) 6425 4455
	Furners Bistro Reibey St Ulverstone TAS 7315 Telephone: (03) 6425 1488
	Furners Hotel 42 Reibey St Ulverstone TAS 7315 Telephone: (03) 6425 1488
	Jade Willow Chinese Restaurant 35-37 Reibey St Ulverstone TAS 7315 Telephone: (03) 6425 6535
	Mrs Simpsons Restaurant 31 King Edward St Ulverstone TAS 7315 Telephone: (03) 6425 4646 or (03) 6431 9271 or 018 140 088
	Oliver's Restaurant Tasma Pde Ulverstone TAS 7315 Telephone: (03) 6425 1599
	Oz Rock Inn Restaurant Beach Rd Ulverstone TAS 7315 Telephone: (03) 6425 1120
	Pedro's "The Restaurant" Ulverstone Wharf Ulverstone TAS 7315 Telephone: (03) 6425 6663
	Red Grasshopper Pizza Ellis Court Reibey St Ulverstone TAS 7315 Telephone: (03) 6425 3353
	Smileys Coffee Lounge 43 Reibey St Ulverstone TAS 7315 Telephone: (03) 6425 7222
	The Lighthouse Hotel 33 Victoria St Ulverstone TAS 7315 Telephone: (03) 6425 1197
	Cafés
	Aroma's Bakehouse & Cafe 23 Reibey St Ulverstone TAS 7315 Telephone: (03) 6435 2051