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A BRIEF HISTORY OF STANLEY

Situated on an isthmus approximately seven kilometers long and bounded by the East and West inlets, the tiny historic fishing village of Stanley, in Tasmania’s remote and often overlooked North-West, shelters under the base of the landmark geographical feature of Circular Head, the Nut, the core of an extinct volcano. There are spectacular panoramic views from the Nut summit, which can be reached by chairlift, or on foot.

Stanley came into being when the Van Diemens Land Company was given a grant to cultivate 250,000 acres, in North-Western Tasmania, in 1825. The VDL Company built its headquarters at Highfield, on the Green Hills. Highfield House has been restored and is open to the public. The complex is made up of many outbuildings (chapel, stables, school, barns, barracks) as well as the house itself.

As the first place of permanent European settlement west of the Mersey River (now Devonport), Stanley has a wealth of well preserved historic buildings, and was declared a registered historic village in 1976. Stanley is also the birthplace of Tasmania’s only Prime Minister to date, the Hon. Sir Joseph Lyons, and the cottage where he was born is now a museum open to the public.

Stanley is still a busy fishing village. But in recent years, there has been a growth in the tourism industry, and many of its historic buildings are now run as tourist accommodation. This gives visitors the chance to experience history first hand. Visitors to Stanley can also enjoy the beautiful pristine beaches, historic sights, local arts and crafts, and fresh local Tasmanian produce, making it the perfect base from which to explore the North-West, including the wilderness areas of the Tarkine.

In 2005 Stanley was named by “Australian Traveller” magazine as the 6th most beautiful town in Australia.

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