Longford is 20 kilometres (12 miles) south of Launceston and centre for the local farming district. Longford's original architecture remains largely intact. A short drive out of the township, you'll find two of Tasmania's finest country estates, both of which are World Heritage Listed Convict sites: Brickendon, a fascinating farm village with colonial homestead, farm animals and heritage gardens; and Woolmers Estate, acknowledged as one of the most outstanding examples of nineteenth century rural settlements in Australia.
Woolmers is also the home of the acclaimed National Rose Garden. This two hectare garden with over 5,000 rose bushes is one of the finest collections of historic roses in the Southern Hemisphere. From 1953 to 1968 the streets of Longford made for the fastest motor racing circuit in the Southern Hemisphere at the time. The Longford circuit of the Australian Grand Prix attracted some of the great drivers and riders of the era, including Sir Jack Brabham, Bob Jane and Jackie Stewart.
Local Highlights:
• Take a self-guided walking tour of the town. Pick up a map at the local Visitor Centre in the bakery, or at the council office in Smith Street.
• Solve a crime! While in Longford, why not try your hand at Skulduggery 'Where There's Smoke...', a detective game, and see if you can solve a real mystery that occurred in these parts in 1831.*
• Longford Tasmania: Voices from the Graves is a self-guided walk through the Christ Church graveyard at Longford revealing rich, moving and significant themes of the colonial history of this area. Listen to two of the characters tell their story in their own words, to a backdrop of stunning music played on leather instruments.*
• The New Year's Day Picnic Races is a fun and colourful start to the year, at the oldest horse racing track in the state still in use.
• The Blessing of the Harvest Festival on the Village Green is held every March - a fun day for the whole family.
• Picnic down by the bridge, overlooking the water.
* Purchase from the council office in Smith Street.