Kempton was settled in the 1820s and originally called Green Ponds. The streetscape, with its inn, church and shops, is very much as it was in the 19th century, and Dysart House, now privately owned, at the southern end of town, is an exceedingly handsome mansion. The highway now bypasses the town but it is worth stopping by to explore.

The first land grant went to Anthony Fenn Kemp, after whom the town was eventually named. You can see the entrance to his property – Mount Vernon – just south of Kempton. (You can find out more about the rather notorious Anthony Fenn Kemp in the wonderful novel, In Tasmania, by the British novelist, Nicholas Shakespeare, who spends part of each year here.)

Kempton is located 49 kilometers north of Hobart.