Westbury The Village Westbury is located in the Meander Valley 30 minutes drive west of Launceston, 40 minutes drive south from Devonport and a kilometre off the Bass Highway. It is a village with a population of 1500 and is renowned for its English Country character, unique village green and hawthorn hedgerows. It was first conceived in 1828 and was laid out by Lt Governor Arthur who believed Westbury would develop into the main gateway to Tasmania s North West. Initially occupied with soldiers and convicts, Westbury grew unhurriedly around the shady, peaceful Village Green with its plentiful oaks and elms, stone churches and elegant residences. Westbury flourished during the glorious coaching era but never reached its planned potential. Many of the early colonial houses, stately inns and churches are still immaculately conserved today. Westbury has a range of restaurants and take away food outlets as well as a small but well stocked supermarket which is open 7 days, a butcher, baker and a few other retail outlets and gift shops. The brochure Find yourself in Westbury provides a good self guided historic walk providing information on significant buildings The town features a number of attractions including The White House built in 1841 as a general store The Village Green as close to old England as you can get. The green is overlooked by the archetype of an Anglican church, there are oaks and elms and once a year a maypole is erected. The Town Common formerly used by locals for grazing and also at one time contained a brickworks, now a community park area with walking tracks and a picnic area. Westbury Maze and tea rooms featuring traditional box hedges. Westbury Historical Society Rooms check at neighbouring Council Building for opening times
Westbury Attractions contd Westbury Community Quilt Council Building John temple Gallery leading Tasmanian Landscape photographer Pearn s Steamworld two huge sheds housing the world s largest collection of antique steam engines Vintage Tractor Shed Museum a private collection of 80 vintage and classic tractors and over 300 model versions Culzean Gardens A 3 acre lake surrounded by thousands of water irises and water fowl in season and water lilies in summer, is the centre piece of this garden. It includes features of mature exotic trees, hundreds of conifers, hectares of spring bulbs, rhododendrons and azaleas and hundreds of roses. Open by appointment only. Farmers & Community Market Anglican Church, Village Green. 3rd Sunday of each month Location of Restaurants and take away food facilities in Westbury include Hobnobs Restaurant - William St. 03 63932007 Fitzpatrick s Inn Meander Valley Rd 03 6393 1153 Westbury Hotel Meander Valley Rd Andy s Bakery and takeaway, Meander Valley Rd. Westbury Pizza and Takeaway, Meander Valley Rd Dunkie s News & Food, Meander Valley Rd RSL Club Lyle St Westbury Maze Tearoom - Meander Valley Rd Lisa s Boutique & Coffee Shop William St IGA - William St
Map showing Location of Westbury Westbury distances to other towns/villages or attractions Town/Village/ Attraction Distance from Westbury Town/Village/ Attraction Distance from Westbury Beauty Point 47km Liffey 20 km Ben Lomond National Park 70km Longford 29 km Bicheno 173 km Low Head 75 km Burnie 112 km Mole Creek 40 km Chudleigh 38 km Moltema 33km Cradle Mountain 111 km Nabowla 70km Deloraine 16 km Nietta 80km Devonport 67 km Penguin 96 km Elizabeth Town 30 km Port Arthur 262 km Eugenana 70km Ridgley 115km Evandale 40km Ringarooma 98km Exeter 34 km Ross 95km Flowerdale 140km Sheffield 54 km Freycinet Peninsula 187 km Smithton 196 km Great Lake (Miena) 63 km St Marys 142 km Gunns Plains 88km Stanley 190 km Hadspen 23km Strahan 235 km Hobart 211 km The Walls of Jerusalem 70km Latrobe 58 km Ulverstone 84 km Launceston 34 km Wynyard 135km
Day Trips from Westbury Things to do and see The area around Westbury abounds with historic houses and gardens open to the public, national parks and natural features with both short and long walks, attractions featuring natural produce, animals, flower farms. Towns and villages with feature attractions and scenic rivers and coastlines. For the active there is bushwalking, fishing and skiing in season. Westbury is ideally located to access a range of activities, attractions, and sightseeing options within a day s drive. Also refer to the table of distances from Westbury. Tasmanian Tourism publishes brochures with up to date information on places and events and the website www.discovertasmania.com has a wealth of information. Especially useful for the area is the Northern Tasmania Touring Guide and Tasmania s North West regional guide. In addition checkout www.about-australia.com/travel-guides/tasmania/launceston-tamar-valley/attractions/ and www.greatwesterntiers.net.au Opening times for attractions vary during the year. You are advised to check the opening times of places you are planning to visit. Natural Attractions and Bushwalking Mole Creek Caves Cradle Mountain Highland Lakes (Great Lake) Liffey Falls The Walls of Jerusalem Cataract Gorge (Launceston) Cruise on the Tamar (Launceston) Wildlife Trowunna Wildlife Park 2km west of Chudleigh Launceston Lakes and Wildlife Park Seahorse World (Beauty Point) The Platypus House (Beauty Point) Wings Wildlife Park (Gunns Plains) Little Penguins (Lillico Beach, Ulverstone) (Nov to April) Little Penguins (Penguin) penguin tours Fishing Popular trout fishing spots within easy reach of Westbury Meander River 5mins drive Brushy Lagoon 20mins drive Four Springs lake 20mins drive Macquarie River (Cressy) 30mins drive Brumby s Creek (Cressy) 30mins drive Great Lake 60mins drive Note Fishing licences are required, available from Tas Services and most tackle supplier shops. The inland water season runs from August to April with some specific variations which are specified on the Tasmanian Inland fishing code, available on the internet, and is issued when a licence is purchased. Skiing Ben Lomond National Park has an alpine village and ski facilities from early July to late September. There are six ski lifts (3 pomas, 3 Tbars) and boots, skis and poles may be rented in the Alpine Village.
Day Trips from Westbury (contd) - Historic Houses and Gardens Brickendon Historic Farm & Gardens (Longford) A convict farm, with gothic chapel and quaint cottage garden. Extensive main gardens offering a wonderful array of old roses, shrubs & 180year old trees. Bridestowe Estates Lavender Farm (Nabowla) Forty eight hectares of lavender fields Clarendon Homestead (Evandale) One of the great country houses of Australia surrounded by 3.6ha of beautiful parkland in the English tradition. Avenues of elms, clipped hedges and walled gardens. Entally Estate (Hadspen) magnificent gardens and 1819 homestead Franklin House (Launceston) A historic garden around a National Trust House. Woolmers Estate (Longford) National Rose garden displaying one of the finest collection of roses in the southern hemisphere, five thousand roses representing families from the earliest Chinese and European roses through to the 21 st century. North Eastern Tasmania Garden Lovers Trail a collection of gardens from Bridport to Branxholm. Ross Homestead Gardens (Ross) Old English style gardens with large trees, cottage garden, orchard, veggie garden and roses. Wychwood Garden & Nursery (Mole Creek) Inspiring one hectare garden, unusual perennials, grasses, shrubs, small orchard, trout filled creek, roses, espaliered apples & more. Somercotes Historic Estate (Ross) c1823 property, National Estate buildings set amongst gardens with picturesque lake. Newly established cherry orchard. Highview Garden & Nursery (Ringarooma) Extensive and inspirational gardens Launceston Heritage Walk a stroll into the past to discover the City s rich history. Self guided walk leaflets available at Launceston Travel and Information Centre. Villaret Gardens (Moltema) 4 hectares of modern formal gardens The Tasmanian Arboretum (Eugenana) features trees from ancient times, limestone outcrops, a bubbling stream and an ornamental lake Kaydale Lodge Gardens (Nietta) 3 hectare landscaped gardens, large rockery, Zen Garden, formal vegetable garden, maples and rare bulbs Emu Valley Rhododendron Garden (Burnie) 13 hectare natural amphitheatre offers colour most of the year, with peak flowering mid Sept to early Nov. Annsleigh Gardens and Café (Ridgley) filled with a profusion of colourful trees, shrubs, perennials and bulbs Table Cape Tulip Farm (Wynyard) spring flowering end Sept/beginning Oct farm shop open weekdays all year. Museums/Art Galleries In addition to the historic houses many local towns have museums and art galleries. These include Launceston (several), Devonport Maritime Museum, Ulverstone History Museum, Burnie Pioneer Village Museum
Day Trips from Westbury(cont) - Produce, beverages, attractions Christmas Hills Raspberry Farm, Elizabeth Town The Ashgrove Cheese farm, Elizabeth Town House of Anvers Chocolate factory Latrobe Honey Farm Chudleigh Boag s Centre for Beer Lovers - Launceston Tamar Valley wine route a circuit from Launceston, an easy days drive Creative Paper Burnie a hand-made paper mill Hellyers Road Distillery Burnie Flowerdale Lobster Haven Flowerdale The Cheese tasting Centre - Burnie Markets Evandale every Sunday morning Penguin Sunday Burnie Farmers markets first and third Saturday morning of each month Westbury Farmers and Community Market Anglican Church, Village Green. Third Sunday of each month Launceston Esk and Farmers Markets (Foster St) Sunday mornings 9am 2pm Devonport Framers Market (Showgrounds) First and third Saturdays of each month Forth Village Market (craft and produce) First Sunday of the month 10am 3:30pm Sheffield The Claude Road Market (craft and produce) Every 3 months on the third Saturday Latrobe Street Market every Sunday Penguin Market (covered) every Sunday Ulverstone Market (Catholic Church) every Saturday 9am-1pm Northdown Market Port Sorrell second Saturday of each month from 9:30am