Things to see

• Gaol
• Watch house
• Supreme Court House
• Callington Mill
• Main Street Oatlands
• Lake Dulverton

Oatlands would have to be one of my favourite places in Tasmania. It is rich with history that lines the Main Street. This place is unique and seamlessly blends well with the past and present. The town offers tourist the opportunity to connect with the heritage of this small town whilst enjoying the benefits of contemporary township services. Oatlands is located in the centre of Tasmania and is a small drive to the two main cities of Launceston or Hobart.

This place has the largest collection of intact sandstone Georgian buildings in a village setting in Australia. They line the Main Street in their original form and have stories within the sandstone that offer a rare glimpse into the events where people helped to shape history of this town. The story of Oatlands ranges from gentry farmers to notorious bushrangers to the military and convict system to colonial entrepreneurs looking to make their fortune.

The town offers self tours . You can obtain a key which is a fob from selected businesses . The key will give you access to Oatlands Supreme Court, Gaolers Residence, Commissariat.

Callington Mill is at the heart of the town and can be seen from a far . The mill has been lovingly restored along with the other buildings that make up the mill precinct. The windmill was built in 1837 by entrepreneur John Vincent. He saw an opportunity in the developing Oatlands community so he established a milll. The mill produced flour for the community and on the side he established a distillery which was illegal at the time. Today there are self guided tours very informative around the windmill and there is a whiskey distillery with a restaurant on site. Paul had a tasting of 6 different types of whiskey and we had the most magnificent lunch. I had the best pork belly i have ever tasted and paul had the Callington steak dish. This distillery is well worth a visit as it represents cutting edge whisky making for this century.

Lake Dulverton is adjacent to the town of Oatlands and is a shallow lake or sandstone lagoon. This lake back in the 1800’s was the main water supply for the town . In 1993 the lake dried up for a few years until heavy rains in 2010 filled the lake to full supply.

This small historic town is well worth a visit. We camped next to Callington Mill precinct so we were right in the heart of history. The camp is $10 per night and offers showers and toilets down the road if you are not fully self contained.