Northern Midlands

About the area

Key Statistics

Location

The Northern Midlands Council area is located in northern Tasmania, between 10 and 100 kilometres south of the Launceston CBD. The Northern Midlands Council area is bounded by the City of Launceston in the north, the Break O’Day Council area and the Glamorgan Spring Bay Council area in the east, the Southern Midlands Council area and the Central Highlands Council area in the south, and the Meander Valley Council area in the west.

Included Areas

The Northern Midlands Council area includes the localities of Avoca (part), Ben Lomond, Bishopsbourne, Blackwood Creek, Blessington (part), Bracknell (part), Breadalbane, Campbell Town, Cleveland, Conara, Cressy, Deddington, Devon Hills, Douglas-Apsley (part), Epping Forest, Evandale, Interlaken (part), Lake Leake (part), Lake Sorell (part), Lemont (part), Liffey (part), Longford, Millers Bluff (part), Nile, Perth, Poatina, Powranna, Relbia (part), Ross, Rossarden (part), Royal George (part), Toiberry, Tooms Lake (part), Turnbridge (part), Western Junction and White Hills (part).

Land Use

The Northern Midlands Council area encompasses rural and rural-residential areas, with urban areas in numerous townships and villages. The majority of the population lives in the northern part of the municipality, in the major towns of Evandale, Longford and Perth. Smaller townships are located in the north-west at Cressy, the east at Avoca, and the south at Campbell Town and Ross. Rural land is used largely for beef, lamb and wool production, and crop growing (particularly cereals, peas, poppies and potatoes), with some timber production. The Council area encompasses a total land area of 5,130 square kilometres.

Indigenous Meaning

The original inhabitants of the Northern Midlands area were the Panniher Aboriginal people.

Settlement

European settlement dates from the early 1800s, with the first township established in 1814 at Longford. Land was used mainly for sheep grazing and crop growing, with some mining. Population was minimal until the 1820s when the townships of Avoca, Campbell Town, Evandale, Perth and Ross were established. Growth took place from the 1830s into the late 1800s, aided by the opening of railway lines. The population of the Council area gradually increased from the early 1980s, rising from about 10,000 in 1981 to 11,000 in 1991, and then to about 12,500 in 2016. Recent development has been mainly in and around the towns of Evandale, Longford and Perth.

Major Features

Major features of the Council area include Ben Lomond National Park, Ben Lomond Ski Field, Lake Leake, Tooms Lake, Tooms Lake Forest Reserve, Avoca Museum, Heritage Highway Museum, Norfolk Plains Heritage Centre, Ross Female Factory Historic Site, Tasmanian Wool Centre, numerous historic townships and buildings, several wineries, the South Esk River and various state forests.

Transport

The Northern Midlands Council area is served by the Esk Highway, the Midland Highway and Launceston Airport.

Northern Midlands Council

economic profile