Launceston: Wet Day Activities
Launceston Tramway Musuem
Launceston Tramway Musuem preserves the heritage of the Launceston Municipal Tramways, which was responsible for operating the city s tram fleet between 1911 and 1952. The museum features a workshop and a large, modern display gallery.
Inside the gallery you can experience a whimsical ramble on the big screen - Launceston's oldest surviving film footage, which observes how the city has changed since Victorian times. The museum is nesxt door to the Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery at Inveresk. Open every day 10am to 4pm in Summer. Tram rides on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturdays and Sundays. At other times of the year it is open on weekends only.
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National Automobile Museum of Tasmania
Australians have always had a soft spot for their automobiles, a fact that is reflected in the high standard of its car museums; this one is no exception. The museum features a vast array of cars and motorcycles owned by local collectors, as well as plenty of motoring memorabilia. The vehicles on display are rotated regularly, so it is a place you can come back to time and time again and still see something new and interesting. The museum is located at Cnr Willis and Cimitiere Streets in the centre of Launceston, and is open every day (except Christmas day) 9 am - 5 pm, Winter 10 am - 4 pm. Tel: +61 03 6334 8888.
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Harley-Davidson Museum and Cafe
Richardsons Harley-Davidson Museum and Cafe showcases motorcycle memorabilia dating back to 1940. The museum contains interesting treasure including a 1900s pedal bike with a plate that reads 'A.G. Flannery-Harley-Gallion Co,' an extremely rare piece. Wander through the museum and enjoy stepping back in time with a 1940 ex Army Indian Scout and two J-model Harley-Davidsons. The pre-owned parts section is built from Harley-Davidson bike crates, the flooring from telegraph poles and structural beams from wharf pylons. Admission is a gold coin donation, with all proceeds going to the Tasmanian Devil Fund.
Location: 468 Westbury Road, Prospect. Ph (03) 6344 4524.
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Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery
Australia's largest regional museum, the Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery (QVMAG) has two key sites, the Museum at Inveresk and the Art Gallery at Royal Park. The Museum is where you'll find the QVMAG Tasmanian history and natural science collections and the Art Gallery is where you can experience ten galleries, the Guan Di Temple and the ArtSparks! Family Art Space.
Established in 1891, the Queen Victoria at Royal Park has a strong reputation for its excellent collection, which includes fine exhibitions of colonial art, contemporary craft and design, Tasmanian history and natural sciences, specifically a zoology collection. There is also a special exhibition of a full Chinese temple that was used by 19th-century Chinese tin miners, a working planetarium, and displays related to Launceston's industrial environment and railway workshops.
The Inveresk premises, built in recent years on the site of the old Launceston Railway Workshops, is where you'll find the Phenomena Factory, a free-entry interactive science centre providing hands-on education for kids of all ages. You will also find the Jaffa Machine donated by Hydro Tasmania which turns human mechanical energy into kinetic energy. Crank the handle and sustain the energy output long enough and you'll be rewarded with a jaffa.
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Launceston Planetarium
See the stars at the Launceston Planetarium in the Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery, Tasmania. The Planetarium presents a variety of astronomy shows by projecting images of the southern night sky onto a domed ceiling, accompanied by additional effects and narration. The Planetarium projector, the heart of the system, reproduces all of the stars visible to the unaided eye from the southern hemisphere, and simulates the apparent motion of the stars as the earth rotates.
Location: Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery, 2 Invermay Road, Inveresk, Launceston
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Old Umbrella Shop
The Old Umbrella Shop is one of the last surviving, largely intact early twentieth century shops in Tasmania. It offers an experience far from that of contemporary retail practice. Operated by three generations of the Shott family the shop now houses displays about the family, umbrellas and the wood souvenirs, many of which were made on the premises. The Shop is also well known for the large range of umbrellas stocked for sale as well as a variety of National Trust and Tasmanian products.
Location: 60 George Street, Launceston. Ph (03) 6331 9248
Kid's Paradise
Kids Paradise, situated in Riverside, Launceston, is Tasmania's largest indoor family and children's playground. Children can enjoy the pirate playground with slides and ball pits. There are interactive rooms that capture the imagination of younger children: Paris' Deli, Rachelle's Parlour and Lachie's Travels. There is a huge outdoor slide connecting the top floor with the bottom floor. The bottom floor is geared more towards the older children with inflatable play and sports activities being played on a regular basis. Ph (03) 6334 0055.
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