Stroll along one of the most evocative streetscapes in Tasmania and absorb the history of this pretty colonial town.

Artists know the historic town of Evandale as the heart of Glover country – colonial painter John Glover is described as the father of Australian landscape painting. Others flock to admire the town’s well-preserved late-Georgian and early Victorian architecture. Its High Street is one of the most impressive streetscapes in the state.

It’s no surprise, then, that Evandale is the perfect backdrop for the annual National Penny Farthing Championship each February. Wander the streets to browse the antique stores and see noteworthy buildings such as the two St Andrews churches – one Anglican, one Uniting – the Clarendon Arms Hotel and the red-brick water tower that resembles a rook on a chess board.

Eight kilometres south of town is Clarendon, a National Trust-listed three-storey mansion considered Australia’s grandest rural colonial estate.

Alongside John Glover, Evandale’s history includes a couple of other noteworthy characters. John Kelly, father of the notorious bushranger Ned Kelly, was part of a convict road gang working near the town, and John Batman lived at Evandale before founding the city of Melbourne.

Evandale is a 20-min drive (20 km) from Launceston and just 5 km from Launceston airport.