The original G. W. Coles shop in Wilmot

Wilmot
Home of the original G. W. Coles shop
Located 141 km from Launceston via Devonport and 45 km from Devonport, Wilmot is now a tiny township servicing the surrounding rural area and the occasional tourist who stops off on their way to Cradle Mountain.

The town's main claim to fame is that the first G.W. Coles shop (which subsequently became an important chain throughout Australia) was established in Wilmot. A brochure on the history of the shop explains: 'Coles - A link with Tasmania. The personal link which the Coles family has long enjoyed with Tasmania began in the early years of the century when Mr George Coles, father and founder of G. J. Coles Ltd, left Victoria to buy and operate a general store in the small country town of Wilmot. It was at Wilmot that the one-time chairman and managing director of the company, Norman C. Coles, received his primary education at the time when his older brother A. W. , later Sir Arthur, was assisting his father. The retailing chain which was destined to become Australia's biggest actually had its modest beginnings in the Melbourne suburb of Collingwood when Mr G. J. Coles, Sir George, and his brother Jim, opened their tiny 3d, 6d and 1/- store in 1914.

'The Coles store at Wilmot was purchased by the original George Coles because of its bankruptcy. Needless to say Coles had trouble raising funds to purchase what appeared to be an unsuccessful business. Once he did his sons came back from World War I with its cheap goods. Afterwards he moved to Melbourne where he set up a chain based on the ideas of Woolworths. In its heyday Coles store in Wilmot actually had about 15 employees and three trucks were used to take supplies to the surrounding areas.'

Things to see:  

	Motels
	Old Wilmot Bakehouse Cradle Mountain Rd Wilmot TAS 7310 Telephone: (03) 6492 1117
	Bed & Breakfast/Guesthouses
	Robin's Nest Bed & Breakfast 406 Back Rd Wilmot TAS 7310 Telephone: (03) 6492 1591 Email: rhodar@bigpond.com.au Web site: http://www.robinsnest.com.au
	Apartments
	Cradle Manor Main Rd Wilmot TAS 7310 Telephone: (03) 6492 1156 or 018 145 131
	Restaurants
	Old Wilmot Bakehouse Cradle Mountain Rd Wilmot TAS 7310 Telephone: (03) 6492 1117