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Launceston ( LON-sess-tən) is a city in the north of the Australian state of Tasmania, at the confluence of the North Esk and South Esk rivers, where they become the River Tamar (kanamaluka). As of the 2021 census, the Launceston urban area has a population of 90,953.
Launceston is the second most populous city in Tasmania after the state capital, Hobart. As of 2020, Launceston is the 18th largest city in Australia. Launceston is the fifth-largest inland city and the ninth-largest non-capital city in Australia. Launceston is regarded as the most livable regional city, and was one of the most popular regional cities to move to in Australia from 2020 to 2021. Launceston was named Australian Town of the Year in 2022.
Settled by Europeans in March 1806, Launceston is one of Australia's oldest cities and it has many historic buildings. Like many places in Australia, it was named after a town in the United Kingdom – in this case, Launceston, Cornwall. Launceston also had the first use of anaesthetic in the Southern Hemisphere, it was the first Australian city to have underground sewers, and it was the first Australian city to be lit by hydroelectricity. The city has a maritime climate with four distinct seasons and is appreciably warmer than the south of the island during summer. Local government is split between the City of Launceston, Meander Valley and West Tamar Councils.
Background information about Launceston adapted from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Next 7 days at Launceston
Live forecast from Open-Meteo. Updated each time the page loads.
Loading forecast…
Best time to visit Launceston
Based on 30 years of weather data. Sweet spot: Sep, Oct, Nov — mild temperatures, low rainfall and plenty of sun. Avoid Jun, Jul if you can — typically the wettest or hottest stretch of the year.
Jan
39°
4° low
53mm
Feb
34°
4° low
39mm
Mar
34°
1° low
63mm
Apr
27°
-1° low
64mm
May
22°
-2° low
74mm
Jun
17°
-3° low
89mm
Jul
15°
-2° low
90mm
Aug
16°
-3° low
107mm
Sep
19°
-2° low
87mm
Oct
24°
-1° low
66mm
Nov
29°
0° low
65mm
Dec
33°
2° low
63mm
Daytime high (large) · overnight low (small) · monthly rainfall (blue bar). Climate normals: 1991–2020 from Open-Meteo's ERA5 reanalysis.
What else is around Launceston
Points of interest within 25 km, pulled from OpenStreetMap. Distances are straight-line; check road access before heading out.
🎡 Attractions (22)
- 0.4 km
- 0.5 km
- 0.5 km
- 0.5 km
- 0.5 km
- 0.5 km
🏖️ Beaches (1)
- 4.5 km
🔭 Lookouts & viewpoints (23)
- 0.9 km
- 1.1 km
- 1.2 km
- 1.2 km
- 1.5 km
- 1.7 km
⛰️ Peaks & summits (30)
- 10.0 km
- 11.1 km
- 12.9 km
- 13.0 km
- 13.7 km
- 17.1 km
🏰 Historic sites (21)
- 0.2 km
- 0.3 km
- 0.3 km
- 0.3 km
- 0.5 km
- 0.5 km
🏛️ Museums & galleries (6)
- 0.2 km
- 0.8 km
- 0.9 km
- 1.1 km
- 1.3 km
- 20.8 km
🎭 Theatres, cinemas & markets (2)
- 0.7 km
- 17.7 km
Source: OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Drive times to and from Launceston
Real road distance and driving time to other destinations in the state. Click through for fuel estimates, suggested overnight stops, and tours along the way.
Frequently asked about Launceston
- Where is Launceston?
- Launceston is in Launceston Region, Tasmania, Australia.
- When is the best time to visit Launceston?
- Based on 30 years of weather data, the most pleasant months at Launceston are typically October, November, September — mild temperatures and lower rainfall. School holiday periods can also fit if you don't mind the crowds.
- What's the weather like in Launceston?
- Summer daytime highs average around 39°C and winter overnight lows can drop to about -3°C. See the climate panel above for the month-by-month breakdown.
