The Romaine Reserve is 12.69ha of park lands that runs down the eastern side of the suburb, along Romaine Creek. The Reserve forms part of a walkway and boardwalk that circumnavigates Burnie and can also be used for cycling or relaxing. It features a fitness track that winds around a dam on Romaine Creek containing domestic and wild fowl. Beyond the dam is a walking trail which passes through a wooded wildlife corridor. The Reserve and corridor contains both remnant and exotic vegetation, with large mountain ashes, white gums, sub-storey blackwoods and man ferns. The walking tracks link up with Brooklyn Reserve. Romaine Creek is home to Engaeus yabbimunna a freshwater crayfish.
Romaine Reserve has full picnic facilities including toilets, shade areas, barbecues, picnic tables, a drinking water fountain, rubbish bins and a play area. Dogs are not permitted in the area of the Reserve between the dam wall and the southern end of the pond, but are allowed to be walked through the Reserve along the formed walking track if they are on a lead. Location: 11 Amanda Court, Romaine.
The name of the reserve recalls William Romaine, one of the original settlers of the Van Diemens Land Company, brought out to Tasmania (then Van Diemens Land) in 1839. At that time the Company began leasing bush blocks to tenant farmers, but there were few takers. It started selling its land in and around the settlement, renamed Burnie after a Company director in November 1842. Sales were slow and Burnie stagnated. In 1880 its population was only 300.
Romaine appears on a list of men, women and children to be shipped from London as tenant farmers to Circular Head on the Thomas Laurie. Others on the list were H. D’Arch, John L. Archer, John Chambers, Samuel Dyer, Henry Emmett (Adelaide), Rev. Thomas N. Grigg, Henty & Co. (Launceston), John Jacobs, N. Kentish, Hugh Mackay, William Mill, J.H. Munce, Robert Power, Thomas H. Power (Melbourne), George Rouse and J.D. Willshire.
James Inglis, James Bischoff, Brice Pearse and Edward Curr were the senior executives of the campany at that time, who established the company in London, England, on 11 May 1825.
Round Hill, on the Penguin side of the city, is the highest point overlooking the city and the sea. It offers panoramic views in all directions - the view inland is towards farms, hills and escarpments, the coastal scenery includes views to Penguin in one direction and Table Cape in the other, as well as the majestic sweep of Emu bay. The Round Hill Lookout has two viewing platforms and one viewing tower. Views west back over Burnie, as far as Table Cape. East over Stowport and Blythe River Conservation area, as well as the coastline along the Bass Highway. The locality has pisnic facilities. Location: at the end of Letteene Road, Burnie.
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Emu River enters the sea on Emu Bay, Burnie, close to the city centre. The river valley contains a strip of tranquil virgin rainforest featuring tree ferns. Early in the morning or at dusk, the duck-billed platypus may be seen walking along logs on the bank or swimming upstream. Other animals seen here include quolls, poteroos (a small wallaby) and wombats. Facilities at the reserve include parking, a river vieing platform, walking tracks, toilets, picnic tables and barbecues.
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Just about every town and city has a park where one can go to relax and enjoy a little 'quiet time', but few are as pretty and enjoyable as Burnie Park, just west of the city centre on the highway.
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Oakleigh Park, close to Burnie's business centre is regarded as the birthplace of Burnie and cradle of the north west coast because the Van Diemen's Land Company's chief surveyor, Henry Hellyer camped there in 1827. With the company chief agent, Edward Curr's later agreement, Hellyer decided that Burnie's Emu Bay, which Oakleigh Park overlooks, should be the port servicing the company's tracts of land at Hampshire and Surrey Hills fifty kilometres inland around St Valentine's Peak. Hence, part of Oakleigh Park's cultural significance is historical.
This event is symbolised by a slender column of pink granite, and a plaque unveiled in the sesquicentenary year 1977. The park is a 0.5km walk from the City centre and features picnic seating and tables, playground equipment, a fountain and sundial. The park was named after a house known as 'Oakleigh' built for the Van Diemen's Land Company's Emu Bay overseer. It stood near the area from the early 1840s until it was demolished in 1962.
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