Smithton - Tasmania - Focus on Tasmania

SMITHTON ( pop. 3 313 )

( West North West )

In Brief | Distances | What to See & Do | Services
Where to Stay | Where to Eat

IN BRIEF Smithton, situated on the banks of the Duck River, is the largest town in the Circular Head district.
A settlement was established in 1826 and the region named the Duck River Valley by the first settler in the area, Thomas Ollington of the Van Diemens Land Company.
Timber and potatoes were the major industries of the Smithton area and a port was developed for their exportation. There was little development in the area until the 1890Ás when a sawmill was built by Joseph Samuel Lee.
Today's industries include forestry, sawmiling, vegetable growing and freezing, bacon curing, casein production and butter making.
Farmers draining and cultivating the swamps found the fossil bones of creatures which roamed the land 37,000 years ago. These finds proved that Tasmania was once joined to mainland Australia.
The name 'Smithton' came into popular use at the beginning of the 20th century. Smithton was either named for James "Philosopher" Smith, prospector, or Peter Smith, an early settler.
The Aboriginal name for the Stanley-Smithton district is Martula.

DISTANCES Arthur River ... 66 km, 55 mins
Burnie ... 86 km
Devonport ... 135 km
Launceston ... 246 km
Rocky Cape ... 39 km
Stanley ... 22 km, 17 mins

WHAT TO SEE & DO

SERVICES

WHERE TO STAY

WHERE TO EAT

IN BRIEF	Smithton, situated on the banks of the Duck River, is the largest town in the Circular Head district. A settlement was established in 1826 and the region named the Duck River Valley by the first settler in the area, Thomas Ollington of the Van Diemens Land Company. Timber and potatoes were the major industries of the Smithton area and a port was developed for their exportation. There was little development in the area until the 1890Ás when a sawmill was built by Joseph Samuel Lee. Today's industries include forestry, sawmiling, vegetable growing and freezing, bacon curing, casein production and butter making. Farmers draining and cultivating the swamps found the fossil bones of creatures which roamed the land 37,000 years ago. These finds proved that Tasmania was once joined to mainland Australia. The name 'Smithton' came into popular use at the beginning of the 20th century. Smithton was either named for James "Philosopher" Smith, prospector, or Peter Smith, an early settler. The Aboriginal name for the Stanley-Smithton district is Martula.
DISTANCES	Arthur River ... 66 km, 55 mins Burnie ... 86 km Devonport ... 135 km Launceston ... 246 km Rocky Cape ... 39 km Stanley ... 22 km, 17 mins
WHAT TO SEE & DO
SERVICES