Pontville, TAS

Pontville is on the Jordan River, 30 km north of Hobart, and is one of Tasmania’s oldest settlements. The site was established as a garrison town in 1821 and by the mid-1840s had become a thriving settlement and an important staging point for travellers on route between Hobart and Launceston.

Today, Pontville offers a glimpse into Tasmania’s colonial past with magnificent sandstone buildings, many headstones, a cosy inn, historic accommodation and accessible heritage. Take a private tour of the Shene Estate Historic Site and explore a 19th century country estate with its Georgian farmhouse, gothic stables, convict-built barn and outbuildings. Also of interest is St. Mark’s Church, a highly unusual example of the Romanesque style and another example of the work of noted convict architect, James Blackburn.

Lythgo’s Row, known as The Barracks, is another local landmark near the bridge over the Jordan River. The building was built in 1824 as accommodation for soldiers and is a combination of five cottages – three with roof dormers and two larger cottages with three bays.

Pontville is a 30-min drive (28 km) north of Hobart.