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Bass and Flinders Bass and Flinders were sent to explore the possibility that there existed a straight between the great continent and Van Diemens Land
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Settlement of the area began when Lt Col William Paterson and his party set up camp where George Town now stands
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Lt Col Paterson changed the name of Patersonia to Launceston in honour of Governor Philip King who was born in Launceston in England
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Launceston, then called Patersonia (in honour Lt Col Paterson) was founded
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The first early Colonial and Victorian buildings were built and many still exist today
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The convict's superintendant house on the corner of George and William Streets was built. Prisoners slept there at night and were taken out in work gangs during the day
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Paterson Barracks was built, and was described at the time as the very best brick building in Van Diemen's Land
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The public buildings in St John Street were built and contained the post office and the telegraph office
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The first telegraph message direct from england was recieved - it took 24 hours to transmit
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Custom House was built in the mining boom, when ore fro the rich tin mine at Mt Bischoff was processed in the town and Launceston also supplied the mine fields fields on the west coast. Trade flourished and the customs duties contributed to a booming Tasmanian economy
