Deloraine is a town on the Meander River, in the central north of Tasmania, Australia. It is 50 km west of Launceston and 52 km south of Devonport along the Bass Highway. It is part of the Meander Valley Council. As of 2011, the town of Deloraine had a population of 2,745 Deloraine, like most Tasmanian towns, has a temperate and wet climate.
History
The region was explored in 1821 by Captain Roland, who was searching for farm land. The land was granted to new settlers, and the town is now a major agricultural centre, with a large number of farms of all types in the area. Deloraine is named after a character from the poem The Lay of the Last Minstrel, written by Sir Walter Scott. Deloraine Post Office opened on 29 October 1836. The town won the State Tidy Towns award in 1992, 1993 and 1995, and the Australian Community of the Year award in 1997.
Economy
While Deloraine is a predominantly rural farming town, it is also aimed at pleasing tourists, who visit because of its culture and location also serving as a base to explore areas such as Cradle Mountain, the Great Western Tiers, Mole Creek and the Central Highlands. Farms in the area produce poppies, herbs, onions and potatoes; as is typical produce for the Tasmanian climate. Deloraine is also home to the 41° South salmon and ginseng aqua farm. The town currently operates two sawmills previously owned by Gunns as well as facilities that manufacture fertiliser, farm equipment, water tanks and street signs. The nearby opium processing factory, Tasmanian Alkaloids, located in Westbury offers some employment for the town. Deloraine is in the Launceston licence area for television and radio and is served by ABC Television, SBS Television, Tasmanian Digital Television, Southern Cross Tasmania, WIN Television, 91.7 ABC Northern Tasmania and other ABC radio networks, commercial stations 89.3 LAFM and 90.1 Chilli FM and community station 96.9 Meander Valley FM The annual Tasmanian Craft Fair takes place in Deloraine, it attracts around 34,000 people annually. During the craft fair, there are 13 venues and over 200 stalls operating around the town. Because of this, as well as the large population of artists, the town is considered a cultural centre.
Infrastructure
Because of its location between the two cities of Launceston and Devonport, Deloraine is a transport hub for trade and tourists between the two cities. Most local infrastructure and commercial buildings such as supermarkets, shops, schools, bus routes are also used by the nearby town of Westbury, and the hamlets of Exton, Mole Creek and Meander. The town has a telephone exchange, which is owned and operated by Telstra. Deloraine was one of the first trial towns in Australia to be connected to the fibre optic National Broadband Network. As of 2013, Deloraine has a 40.8% fibre optic connection rate. As of May 23, 2014, Deloraine, along with George Town, Triabunna and Sorell, are the first all-fibre optic towns in Australia.
Transport
The Emu Bay/Meander Valley Road passes through the town. One of the earliest railway lines in Tasmania was built between Launceston and Deloraine in 1871 to ship agricultural products into the city. It was constructed and operated by the private company, Launceston and Western Railway. The railway went bankrupt in 1872 after a mere year of operation and all assets were bought by the Tasmanian Government, as TasRail, in 1873. Access to Deloraine is provided by the Bass Highway, part of Australia's National Highway, or by the older Meander Valley Road. Both the Meander River and a railway track that runs through the town from north Devonport through Deloraine and into Launceston and Central Tasmania. The train line is predominately used for cargo with rare tourist train use. The town was bypassed by the new Bass Highway in the early 1990s.
Health and Education
Deloraine is the educational and health centre for the Meander Valley region, location of a library, online access centre, local museum and public and private primary school and a high school. As well as being host to several art galleries. Deloraine is home to both a hospital/dental clinic and a doctor's practice, which are used by both the locals and neighbouring towns and villages.
