Ross (Tasmania)
Ross is a small historic town in the centre of the Australian state of Tasmania, 120 km north of Hobart and 80 km south of Launceston. Ross was first settled in 1821 as a garrison town for soldiers, as a coaching stop on the Midlands Highway and as a market town. It's especially popular with Japanese travellers, as the bakery was the template for a Japanese comic series ("Kiki's bakery").
Get in
By car
Ross is 120 km north of Hobart, and 78 km south of Launceston.
Get around
See
The town contains numerous historic Georgian buildings, made from local sandstone.
- Church -- Made of sandstone and built by convicts.
- Ross female factory -- Female convicts camp. Visit this to see how the prisoners in Tasmania endured their lives.
- Sheep museum
- Ross Bridge -- Built in 1836 by convict labor. This is one of the oldest bridges in Australia and is made from sandstone.
Do
A pleasant barbeque and resting place can be found at the bridge. It is an excellent spot for lunch on a sunny day. Also plan a day touring the many convict sites or do a spot of shopping in the great selection of antique and giftshops which Ross has to offer.
Buy
Muffins or other sweets from the bakery.
Great selection of Antiques Giftware Souvenirs and Old English Lollies
- Tasmanian Wool Centre, 48 Church Street, ☏ +61 3 6381 5466, info@taswoolcentre.com.au. Sizeable range of men's and women's woollen garments, yarn, etc.
Eat
- Bakery 31, 31 Church Street, ☏ +61 3 6381 5422. A great place to sample a Tasmanian specialty, the scallop pie.
Sleep
Next to the bakery there is a hotel. Kiki's room is available for rent. If you just want to take a picture, just ask politely at the reception.
- Colonial cottages of Ross, ☏ +61 363815354. lovely sandstone cottages around the village and a bed and breakfast cottage as well