Tunbridge is a rural locality in the local government areas (LGA) of Northern Midlands and Southern Midlands in the Central LGA region of Tasmania. The locality is about 24 km north of the town of Oatlands. The has a population of 145 for the state suburb of Tunbridge.

History

Tunbridge was originally a coaching stop on the Hobart to Launceston road, now known as the Midland Highway. It was named after one of its three original coaching inns, the Tunbridge Wells, which in turn was named after Tunbridge Wells in Kent, England. In its coaching heyday it had three coaching inns, the Tunbridge Wells Inn, the Victoria Inn and the York Inn. Each inn was associated with a different coaching company. The Tunbridge Wells serviced J. E. Cox Coaches, the Victoria Inn serviced Samuel Page Coaches and the York Inn serviced Alfred Burbury Coaches. Tunbridge Post Office opened in 1856. Tunbridge was gazetted as a locality in 1974.

Geography

The Blackman River flows through, via the Blackman Dam, from south-west to north-east.

Road infrastructure

National Route 1 (Midland Highway) passes through from south to north-east. Route C526 (Tunbridge Tier Road) starts at an intersection with NR1 and runs west until it exits.

Notes and references