Day 63 - Launceston

Another beautiful day in Launceston, maximum 18 degrees and sunny, saw us exploring Launceston's town centre.

We managed to fill in a couple of hours there, including lunch.  It is like any other city with a business and retail centre and plenty of eating places.  There was the obligatory Town Mall comprising one city block and the usual Australian retail outlets.  Myer was the major retailer.

We parked at Royal Park and were impressed by the casual air that pervaded there.  It was sunny so a lot of the students from the nearby Launceston College were congregating in the park.

010515 Royal Park opposite Launceston College hence the students

010515 Some colour in Royal Park 

We could not leave Launceston without seeing the famous Boag's/Esk Brewery.  In 1881, the Esk Brewery was established on the banks of the North Esk River in Launceston by Charles Stammers Button.  In 1883, James Boag the first and his son took over the Esk Brewery. J. Boag & Son was officially formed in 1883, as the partnership between James Boag I and his son, to operate the brewery. The company's initial output was seven hogsheads of beer weekly. The name 'Esk Brewery' was retained, although 'Boag's Brewery' became a frequent reference.

In 1887, James Boag II began management of the company on the retirement of his father. A new malthouse was built and weekly production had increased to more than 500 hogsheads, with the brewery employing 30 members of staff. A major expansion in capacity was made in 2004 by the then owner San Miguel.

In 2007 the brewery was sold to Lion Nathan.  Today the brewery produces in excess of 76,000,000 litres of beer annually. 

010515 The famous Boag's Brewery.  The old and the new alongside each other

010515 Now Boag's Brewery

This interlude completed our visit to Launceston.  Tomorrow we move on to Devonport, our port of embarkation for our return to the mainland.  Our Tassie experience is all but over.