Sassafras, Tasmania


Sassafras is a locality and small rural community in the local government areas of Latrobe and Meander Valley, in the Launceston and North-west and west regions of Tasmania. It is located about inland from the town of Devonport. The Mersey River forms part of its western boundary, and the Bass Highway passes through from south to north-west. The 2016 census determined a population of 347 for the state suburb of Sassafras.

History

European settlement came to the Sassafras district in the 1850s. The land was covered by almost impervious scrub, and it had to be cleared before farming could begin. A chapel was opened in 1865 and a State School five years later.

Road infrastructure

Four shielded minor roads terminate at the Bass Highway in Sassafras. The C153 route runs south from the north-western end to. The C704 route runs north and east from the northern extremity to, and from there provides access to many localities, including. The C706 route runs east within Sassafras and then north to Harford, while the C713 route runs north from the centre to Harford.

Notable people