Jericho, Tasmania

Jericho is an important historical village in the centre of Tasmania, Australia, located between Hobart and Launceston off the Midland Highway. Founded in 1816, it is one of the oldest townships in Australia.

Like it's more famous neighbour, Oatlands, the main road of Jericho contains many fine examples of early colonial sandstone architecture, and constructions including wonderful examples of convict cut culverts, bridges and walls, many of which date from the 1830's. The main Anglican church, St James (b.1888) contains the grave of Trooper John Hutton Bisdee, who was the first Australian to be awarded the Victoria Cross.

The most famous buildings in Jericho are probably the Commandant's Cottage (b.1842) and the Probation Station (b.1840), which was constructed to house the 200 convicts who were used to construct the road linking Hobart and Launceston. The land adjacent to the station was originally known as ‘Fourteen Tree Plain’ and was the site of the first horse race in the colony of Van Diemens Land, held in April 1826.

The town flourished for a time in the nineteenth century as a stage coach resting post, but declined in the twentieth century. Now by-passed by the Midland Highway, the state's main north-south highway, it is a sleepy village that retains it's colonial charm and is part of Tasmania's Heritage Highway.

[edit] References

^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). Oatlands (L) (Urban Centre/Locality). 2006 Census QuickStats. Retrieved on 2007-11-11.
^ Bureau of Meteorology. - Retrieved on 2007-11-11.

[edit] External links

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Coordinates: 42°18′S, 147°22′E