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Voykit pocket guide · Australia
Longford
Base in Launceston and give Longford one half-day for the two convict estates, or sleep one night here if you want the estates at opening.
Longford is a small Northern Midlands town of about 3,900 people, 20 minutes south of Launceston on the Midland Highway. Its reason to exist on a Tasmania itinerary is Brickendon and Woolmers, two convict-built farming estates listed as part of the Australian Convict Sites World Heritage property. The town itself is a pub, a bakery and a main street; the estates are the trip.
- Country
- Australia
- Best months
- Nov–Apr
- Avoid
- Jun–Aug (cold, wet, short days)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- AUD
- Money
- Currency is the Australian dollar (AUD, A$). Contactless cards and phones are accepted almost everywhere, including public transport in the big cities; some small cafes are card-only.
- Daily spend
- Budget A$90–140 excl. bed · Mid A$150–230 excl. bed · High A$250+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Telstra has the widest outback coverage; Optus and Vodafone (TPG) are cheaper and fine in cities and along highways.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 000 · From a mobile 112 · Health advice line (24 h, nurse) 1800 022 222
- Plugs
- Types I · 230 V · 50 Hz · Angled two- or three-pin Type I, shared with NZ, Fiji and China; sockets have their own switch — turn it on.
- Tipping
- Cafés and casual meals: Nothing; a tip jar is optional.; Restaurants: Not expected; 10% for very good service in a nice restaurant if you wish.; Taxi / rideshare: Round up or nothing.; Tours and guides: Optional; A$10–20 for a great day guide.; Surcharges: Weekend and public-holiday surcharges of 10–15% are legal if shown on the menu.
- Water
- Tap water is safe in cities and towns; in remote places use signed drinking taps. Carry plenty on any outback drive or walk.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets in parks, beaches, shopping centres and petrol stations (servos); the National Public Toilet Map app lists them.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | A$4–6 |
| Bakery pie or sandwich | A$6–12 |
| Pub counter meal | A$22–35 |
| Pizza, one | A$18–28 |
| Estate entry, per person | A$15–35 |
| Fuel, per litre, unleaded | A$1.70–2.10 |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | A$15–35 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- LST · Launceston Airport
- About 30–35 min by road via the Midland Highway and the B52; taxi or hire car, no useful public transport to Longford
- HBA · Hobart Airport
- About 2 h 15 min by road north; only worth it if you are already driving up from Hobart
Typical fares
- Launceston → Longford, by car
- about 25 km (16 mi), 20–25 minabout 16 mi (25 km), 20–25 min
- Launceston Airport → Longford, by car
- about 35 km (22 mi), 30–35 minabout 22 mi (35 km), 30–35 min
- Taxi, Longford town to Brickendon
- short hop, book ahead; no rank
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
A car is the honest answer. Longford has no useful local bus to the estates, and Brickendon and Woolmers sit 2–3 km (1.2–1.9 mi) apart on either side of the Macquarie River. Drive from Launceston: Midland Highway south about 15 min, then the B52 (Illawarra Rd) exit near Perth, first roundabout into town; for the estates turn onto the C520. Taxis exist but are thin; book ahead if you are not driving.A car is the honest answer. Longford has no useful local bus to the estates, and Brickendon and Woolmers sit 1.2–1.9 mi (2–3 km) apart on either side of the Macquarie River. Drive from Launceston: Midland Highway south about 15 min, then the B52 (Illawarra Rd) exit near Perth, first roundabout into town; for the estates turn onto the C520. Taxis exist but are thin; book ahead if you are not driving.
See and do
Known for
- Brickendon Estate
- Woolmers Estate
- Australian Convict Sites World Heritage listing
- Northern Midlands farmland
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Launceston | Drive north on the Midland Highway, about 20 min | About 25 min |
| Perth, Tasmania | Drive east on the B52, about 10 min | About 15 min |
| Ross, Tasmania | Midland Highway south, about 50 min | About 1 h |
| Bicheno | Drive via the Midland and Tasman highways, about 2 h | About 2 h 15 min |
| Coles Bay and Freycinet | Drive via Campbell Town and the Lake Leake road, about 2 h 15 min | About 2.5 h |
| St Helens | Drive via the Midland and Tasman highways, about 2 h 45 min | About 3 h |
Sleep
- Longford town centre
- Marlborough and Wellington streets; walkable to the bakery, pub and pizza house, 5–10 min drive to the estates.
- Wellington Street (estate side)
- B&Bs and farm stays toward Brickendon; quiet, car needed for everything.
- Launceston
- 20 min north; far more beds, restaurants and evening options. The practical base for most trips.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Thank you | Thank you |
| Where is the estate entrance? | Where is the estate entrance? |
| Is it open today? | Is it open today? |
| One coffee, please | One coffee, please |
| Can I pay by card? | Can I pay by card? |
| Where is the toilet? | Where is the toilet? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake or 'G'day' / 'How are you going?'; first names from the start; avoid: Formal titles; long answers to 'how are you'
- Rounds: Buy your round ('shout') when drinking in a group; avoid: Leaving before your shout
- Queues: Queue patiently; sitting in the front seat of a taxi when alone is common; avoid: Pushing in — it is noticed
- Country: Listen to Welcomes and Acknowledgements; use local place names when offered; avoid: Touching artefacts or photographing ceremonies without permission
- Beach: Swim between the flags; respect lifesavers' instructions; avoid: Swimming at unpatrolled beaches alone
- Humour: Expect teasing and understatement; laugh along; avoid: Taking dry sarcasm literally or boasting
- Walking and driving: Keep left on footpaths and escalators; wave thanks to drivers who let you in; avoid: Stopping on the road to photograph kangaroos
Scams and watch-outs
- Estate opening days are limited and can change with seasons and events: check Brickendon and Woolmers directly before you drive out.
- House and convict tours at Woolmers run at set times, not all day: arrive for a tour slot or you may see only the grounds.
- Kangaroos and wallabies on the C520 and Midland Highway at dawn and dusk.
- Phone signal is fine in town but patchy on back roads; download an offline map.
- Fuel and food are limited after about 20:00; Launceston is the fallback.
Longford is a quiet country town and violent crime is rare. The real risks are rural driving (wildlife at dawn and dusk, unsealed verges), cold wet weather any month, and long gaps between fuel and food.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Longford yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Brickendon Estate
- Woolmers Estate
- Australian Convict Sites World Heritage listing
- Northern Midlands farmland
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Brickendon Estate: www.brickendon.com.au/
- Woolmers Estate: www.woolmers.com.au/
- Tourism Tasmania: www.discovertasmania.com.au/
- Wikivoyage: Longford (Tasmania), revision 4665390 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4665390
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Longford
To this address, please
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire, ambulance000
- From a mobile112
- Health advice line (24 h, nurse)1800 022 222
No embassies in Longford. Consulates and embassies are in Hobart and Canberra; the US, UK, Canada and New Zealand have missions in Canberra.
Rural Tasmania: carry water, a warm layer and cash for small businesses.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/longford-tasmania). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.