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Bass and Flinders were sent to explore the possibility that there existed a strait between the great continent and Van Diemen's
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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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Launceston, then called Patersonia (in honour Lt Col Paterson) was founded
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Lt Col Paterson changed the name of Patersonia to Launceston in honour of Governor Phillip King who was born in Launceston
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The first early colonial and Victorian buildings were built and many still exist today
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The convicts's superintendent house on the corner of George and William Streets was built. Prisnors slept there at night and were taken out in work in gangs during the day
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aterson Barracks was built, and discribed at the 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 telegraph office
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The first telegraph message direct from England was received-it took 24 hours to transmit
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Custom house was built in the mining boom, when ore fro the rich tin at Mt bischoff was processed in the town and Launceston also supplied in the mine fields on the west coast. Trade flourished and the customs duties contributed to a booming Tasmania econmy