Portal:Tasmania/Selected article/9

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Launceston is a city in the north of the state of Tasmania, Australia, population approximately 71,000, located at the juncture of the North Esk, South Esk, and Tamar rivers. It is the second largest city in Tasmania after the state capital Hobart. Established in 1805, Launceston is one of Australia's oldest cities and has many historical buildings and sights. Like many Australian places, it was named after a town in the United Kingdom—in this case, Launceston, Cornwall.

Europeans originally settled at the mouth of the Tamar River (historically called Port Dalrymple) at George Town in 1804 but moved to the present site of Launceston in 1805. From 1803 until the proclamation of Van Diemen's Land in 1823, Launceston was the administrative capital of one the dependencies of New South Wales on the island. Launceston was once the home of John Batman (see History of Melbourne). From Launceston, Batman planned and designed the city of Melbourne, and in 1834 he sailed with John Pascoe Fawkner across Bass Strait to settle at Port Phillip, Victoria.