George Town is one of the larger towns in north-east Tasmania, on the eastern bank of the mouth of the Tamar River. The town has a population of 4,123 although this declined by 8.7% in the five years to 2001 and further over fifteen years. It is the regional centre of the George Town Council Local Government Area.

George Town is the third oldest settlement in Australia after Sydney and Hobart . It was the initial northern Tasmanian settlement in 1804, before the main site was moved to Launceston.

George Town was well known as the Tasmanian port for the now-defunct SeaCat fast passenger ferry. Basslink, the 400 kV high-voltage direct current submarine cable connecting Tasmania to the National Electricity Market, terminates in George Town.The municipal area had a population of 6,728 (2001 census).

Geography and landmarks

• Mount George
• Low Head
• Batman Bridge - Joining the George Town Municipality to the West Tamar
• Tamar River

Proposed Developments

Bell Bay Pulp Mill

Gunns Limited have recently proposed a pulp mill to be built in the George Town area, the largest industrial complex of its kind in Australia. The Tasmanian community is divided on its merits, due to environmental concerns and the proponent getting the development 'fast-tracked' through parliament, sidestepping Tasmania's established planning and environmental regulations. It was approved recently by a parliamentary vote.

The mill is expected to create 280 permanent jobs, and 1,000 during the construction phase, boosting the population of the George Town area.

Windmill Point Hotel

A four-level hotel was proposed by a Queensland company; it would have also included a 20-storey look-out. The project designs showed a lighthouse-style tower, that would glow in the dark, and its developers claimed it would be "Tasmania's Sydney Opera House". The George Town Council at first supported the project, but many in the community disagreed with the proposal, which led to council scrapping the idea and not allowing the necessary subdivision to occur. On 20 April 2007 the plans were officially abandoned. The project was expected to cost around $20 million.

Gas power station

Alinta propose to build a 200 MW gas-fired power station in the vicinity of George Town. It would create 200 direct and 100 indirect jobs during construction, proposed to begin in 2007 and to be generating electricity from 2009.

Tourism

George Town is a popular tourist destination in the summer because of its history and fishing locations.

George Town has clubs or associations in many different sports, most notably the George Town Football Club, and the George Town Cricket Club.

Media

George Town has its own radio station, Tamar FM which is a community radio station generally playing music and advertising local businesses. George Town also had its own fortnightly newspaper, The George Town Journal, which operated in 2007

Events

Some main events that happen annually in George Town include:

• George Town on Show
• Targa Tasmania Prologue

References

External links

• George Town Council