Launceston’s City Park Is the Perfect Nature Lover’s Escape

Back in the 1820s, Northern Tasmania’s most active horticultural society built a City Park Launceston locals have rested their identity on for centuries. And while they conjured the most effortless name possible, their creation has endeared as one of Australia’s most important and distinctive green spaces, a 15-hectare wonderland of beautiful lawns, flower beds, historic architecture and - most uniquely - cheeky red-faced monkeys.

And yes, while the famous Launceston City Park monkeys may be the headline act for this wonderful part of town, several important features have built the city’s soul into a natural amusement park. Except here, the high-speed thrills are replaced by contemplative views, peaceful pockets, and architectural gems. Let the monkeys tire themselves out, you’re here to stop, slow down and take in the serenity.

If you’re in town, an escape to City Park is amongst the best things to do in Launceston, a city that blends nature, architecture, and gastronomy like nowhere else in Australia. Here’s how you can make the most of a visit.

Launceston is actually a sibling to four other cities around the world: Taiyuan and Putian in China, Napa in the USA, and Ikeda in Japan. It’s the latter relationship that was first formalised in 1965, with the Japanese city gifting its Tasmanian sister a small army of native macaque monkeys in 1981.

Since inception, Launceston has made it a point to keep exotic and wild animals in City Park, shifting through species from kangaroos and emus to a collection of 46 Tasmanian Tigers. Landing on monkeys was clearly the next logical step. And so you’ll find 25 of these playful primates swinging around a dedicated glass-walled monkey park near the dolphin fountain, just inside the park’s main entrance off Tamar Street.

Given people travel the world to see Japanese macaques bathing in an onsen buried deep in the snowy slopes of Nagano, seeing these fascinating creatures in the heart of Northern Tasmania echoes City Park’s uniqueness.

Local Tip: Note that the monkeys are only viewable to the public from 8:30am to 4:30pm, so don’t expect to find them staring at you when you’re taking a night stroll through the park.

There’s plenty of things to do in Launceston’s City Park, but sleeping isn’t one of them. Instead, check in for modern creature comforts at Mercure Launceston. The boutique hotel has only 79 rooms and affords significant living space to each, with many looking out to the park’s tall treeline.

There isn’t much free parking around City Park so having this taken care of by the hotel is as much of a bonus as having access to the excellent Titanium Bar & Bistro. The hotel’s signature restaurant reflects the pride Tasmanians have for their produce, pulling on a network of local producers, farm gates and local wineries to offer a dining experience that more than rises to meet Launceston’s unforgiving standards. 

Local tip: If your visit falls on a Saturday, head to the other side of City Park in the morning and browse through the stalls of Harvest Market. The popular weekend market is an ideal spot to sample just why Launceston’s food scene is globally recognised, plus you’ll find more than enough to help you put together the ultimate picnic.

Easily mistaken for Thomas the Tank Engine, the signature City Park train and its cartoonish yellow face snakes around City Park every Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday between 10am and 3pm. You’ll spot it wriggling its way through large English Elm trees and even taller Sequoias, passing meticulously maintained lawns and tooting through flower beds. 

Amongst the many family friendly things to do in Launceston, it’s this simple painted caboose that’s most effective at connecting kids both big and small to nature. Climb onboard when you see Thomas’ Tassie cousin and you’ll patiently zip through City Park’s greatest hits. Which include the romantic John Hart Conservatory, whimsical Caretaker’s Cottage, which has some of Australia’s oldest wisteria vines coiling around the entryway, and the postcard-perfect Albert Hall with its show-stopping High Victorian facade, European gardens and a gold-standard cafe. 

Local tip: Launceston’s City Park train is only $4 per ride or you can commit to 11 rides for $35.

Scale a gentle slope on the eastern side of City Park and set up a picnic blanket near the stubby Sebastopol cannon. A trophy from the Crimean War, the rusted munition marks one of the best views of the park, a stone’s throw from a kid’s playground and just metres from the Japanese macaque Monkey Island. 

This is one of several ideal picnic spots in City Park, best preceded by a waltz around town to stock up on fine Tasmanian produce. Launceston’s unwavering dedication to Tassie’s paddock-to-plate ethos earned the city recognition as a UNESCO City of Gastronomy in late 2021, thrusting it into a network of only 57 cities around the world celebrated for their distinctive food culture. Notably absent from that list: every other city in Australia. 

Sampling the best of the city while surrounding poppies bounce in the breeze is the type of heavenly scene that makes Launceston such a pleasant part of the world. 

There are many other equally worth picnic spots dotted around City Park. The circular duck pond in the very heart of the park sits near a great big lawn that has plenty of open space, perfect for families. If you’re dining for two, seek the shade of an English Elm before you roll down the picnic blanket. Or stick close to the giant chess board so you can pair your cheese and crackers with a game of the old classic. 

Local tip: If you’re really looking to impress, set up a picnic near the Senses Garden, which has been designed to gauge multiple senses with plants and flowers picked specifically for their unique aromas.

City Park’s symbolic Children’s Jubilee Drinking Fountain is one of the city’s most recognisable landmarks, standing in the heart of Launceston for over 130 years, weather-worn with its elegant cast iron frame. A photographic must if there ever was one, it’s a shining example of how City Park aches with character through its many architectural treasures.

The fountain was originally positioned outside City Park’s main entrance after it was purchased in 1887, funded primarily by pennies from the city’s financially promising children to encourage a sense of ownership and a pride of place. It was moved inside the park in 1908 with great effort, shifting the heavy structure with its distinctive canopy, ornamented with griffins and other mythical creatures. 

Snap a selfie in front of the heritage-listed John Hart Conservatory, a modest example of an interwar classical building where inside opens you up to a multi-coloured display of native plants and water features. 

Close by, Albert Hall serves as Launceston's most prestigious convention centre and events space, having been erected in 1891 by designer John Duncan and architect J.T. Farmilo. The two-level building of stucco and brick most notably plays host to a historic water-powered organ that dates back to around 1859. It’s a visually stunning place to just sit and think, moving away from City Park’s natural serenity.

Local tip: City Park mightn’t be large, but a lot of these architectural oddities are spread apart. Use the Launceston City Park train to save some precious time walking between points of interest.