Stanley, Tasmania

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Stanley is a town on on the north-west coast of Tasmania, Australia. Travelling west, Stanley is the second last major township on the north-west coast of Tasmania, Smithton being the larger township in the Circular Head municipality. It is located 127 kilometres from Devonport and 231 kilometres from Launceston.

The most distinctive landmark in Stanley is The Nut, an old volcanic plug discovered by the explorers Bass and Flinders in 1798, who officially named it Circular Head. It has steep sides and rises to 143 metres with a flat top. It is possible to walk to the top of The Nut via a steep track, but most visitors choose to ride the chairlift.

Stanley is the main fishing port on the north west coast of Tasmania. It was named after Lord Stanley, a British Secretary of State for the Colonies in the 1840s.

In 1825 the Van Diemen's Land Company was granted land in north western Van Diemen's Land, including the Stanley area. Employees of the company from England settled in the area in October 1826.

A port opened in 1827 and the first school opened in 1841. In 1880 the first coach service between Stanley and Burnie was established.

Today Stanley is a popular tourist destination.

[edit] Notable people born or raised here

• Joseph Lyons - The tenth Prime Minister of Australia.
• Jim Willis - Australian botanist.
• Bill Mollison - Founder of the Permaculture movement.