6 Under-The-Radar Spots To Visit In Launceston, According To A Local
Travel
Waverley Mills is Australia’s last fully vertical woollen mill.
Waverley Mills product and ecommerce manager Lindzi Mann has been with the business since 2022.
The factory remains at the same site in Launceston where the brand began more than 150 years ago.
Every element of the manufacturing process — spinning, weaving and finishing — is done in-house.
‘Usually I try to walk through the factory to see what’s coming through and say hello to the rest of the team,’ Lindzi says.
The brand is known for its premium scarves, throws, picnic blankets, and woollen accessories.
The finished product takes weeks to craft.
The textile mill has played a big role in Launceston’s history.
With more than 150 years of history, craftsmanship, and local ingenuity woven into the fabric of its business, Waverley Mills in Launceston is a surviving symbol of another time.
It all started with the vision of a Scottish migrant, Peter Bulman, who launched the fully vertical woollen mill and started selling the first woollen goods made entirely on Tasmanian soil.
So much has changed since then — including the rise of fast fashion and offshore manufacturing, to name a few — but throughout it all, Waverly Mills still operates on the same site where it began back in 1874.
Today, it’s the only mill in Australia that manufactures wool textiles that are spun, woven and finished on site, from start to finish. And the weight of this legacy is not lost on its dedicated team. Just ask product and ecommerce manager Lindzi Mann.
‘We collaborate with Australian designers, or design in-house, creating a 100% Australian-made textile that provides local employment and stewards skills and craftsmanship that would otherwise be lost today,’ Lindzi says.
The factory is known as the last operating remnant of the Launceston textile industry, with many of the employees and expert weavers having worked for decades.
It takes about four weeks for wool to be transformed into a finished blanket, and now, Waverley Mills is giving visitors a rare peek behind the curtain of this painstaking process with guided mill tours, which include a limited-edition winter pack for those visiting during the Off Season.
‘The guided tour will take you through the whole process of producing a textile,’ Lindzi says.
‘As a society, we’re no longer connected to just how intensive textiles are to produce, and the tour gives people the opportunity to see just how involved and hands-on the process still is today.’
While Lindzi herself has only called Launceston home for the last six years (previously living in Melbourne and Adelaide), there’s a clear parallel between the riverside city’s unhurried lifestyle and Waverley Mills’ dedication to traditional techniques.
‘I love Launceston’s slower pace of life, and the way the seasonal shifts are so distinct,’ she adds.
‘My partner and I had only visited once before we decided to move here, and we haven’t regretted it. There’s so much to be inspired by, and no shortage of cafes to sit in on a rainy day.’
Below, find out some of Lindzi’s favourite restaurants, nature walks, and the gallery that everyone should visit on a trip to Launceston! Discover Lindzi’s picks, in her own words.
Inside Design Tasmania.
The design centre, gallery, and store is located in Launceston’s iconic City Park.
Artistic director Michelle Boyde inside the space.
The store showcases homewares, furniture, and design pieces made by local Tasmanian creatives.
Exhibitions change throughout the year so there’s always something new to see.
Design Tasmania
Tasmania is home to some incredible local talent, and Design Tasmania is the perfect place to showcase it. Founded in 1976, the not-for-profit design centre has its own store and collections, selling everything from ceramics to an evolving collection of contemporary Tasmanian wood design. Entry to the gallery is free, and thoughtfully produced exhibitions always leave me inspired.
See the waterfalls at Lilydale Falls.
There’s a reason this is one of Lindzi’s favourite walks in the area!
Lilydale Falls
Just a short drive from Launceston, Lilydale Falls is a lovely, easy walk through lush rainforest. You can walk the trail in about 30 minutes and stop to enjoy the view of two waterfalls along the way. It’s perfect if you just want to get a little bit of nature and don’t want to get your shoes too muddy.
The delicious mussels at Felix Espresso and Wine.
The perfect place for a cosy dinner.
Here you’ll find good wine, plus cocktails, spritzes and coffee.
Felix Espresso & Wine
Felix is my current dinner fixation. The atmosphere of the space on a wintry evening is cosy and relaxed, and the food is excellent. The small plates are delicious, but the real star of the show is their fresh pasta, which is all handmade daily.
Grab a coffee at Frankie’s Coffee House.
The charming interiors have a rustic, cosy vibe that’s great on a rainy day.
Frankie’s Coffee House
Frankie’s is my brunch go-to, it feels like a thread between my life here in Launceston and my past life in Melbourne. They always have a fun drink on the menu to try, and I love the vibes of the space, particularly on a rainy day.
Stillwater Seven is a boutique hotel with its own fine-dining restaurant.
It overlooks Kanamaluka / River Tamar.
Stillwater sources its ingredients fresh from local producers like Tas Oyster Co., Lenah Game Meats, Misty Meadows and Cape Grim Beef.
The dishes change with the seasons, as do the moody views from the restaurant window.
The venue is inside a converted flour mill downriver from the Cataract Gorge.
One of the suites.
Stillwater Seven
Tucked away against the South Esk River, Stillwater Seven is a great accommodation located inside a former 1830s flour mill. It’s within walking distance of Cataract Gorge, and since there’s an award-winning restaurant downstairs, it’s perfect for dinner too. There are seven beautiful rooms to choose from, and I’ve never experienced anything less than the loveliest service.
Find out more about Stillwater Seven and an exclusive ‘wild wild rest’ Off Season package here.
Got a taste for Launceston? There’s more to dig into. Discover Tasmania has the experiences, restaurants, events and local tips you didn’t know you needed. If you’re craving a regular dose of trip-planning intel, subscribe to their newsletter.