Geeveston
Geeveston is a small town in the south of Tasmania in Australia near the Huon River, 62 km (39 mi) south west of Hobart, making it Australia's most southerly administrative centre. The town takes its name from William Geeves, an English settler who was given a land grant by Lady Jane Franklin in the area then known as Lightwood Bottom (after a type of timber prevalent in the area). The settlement Geeves set up was renamed Geeves Town in 1861, and the name eventually became Geeveston. Geeveston is for local government purposes included in the area of the Huon Valley Council and is part of the division of Franklin for both Australian House of Representatives and Tasmanian House of Assembly electoral purposes.
| Geeveston Tasmania | |
|---|---|
Old Mill Geeveston Bakery with wood carvings | |
Geeveston | |
| Coordinates | 43°10′S 146°56′E |
| Population | 616 (2016 census) |
| • Density | 23.7/km2 (61/sq mi) |
| Established | 1842 |
| Postcode(s) | 7116 |
| Elevation | 115 m (377 ft) |
| Area | 60.2 km2 (23.2 sq mi) |
| Location | |
| LGA(s) | Huon Valley Council |
| State electorate(s) | Franklin |
| Federal division(s) | Franklin |
Geeveston is on the Huon Highway, and is the gateway to the Hartz Mountains National Park. It is the centre of Tasmania's apple and fruit-growing industry, and has also been highly reliant on the timber industry since the late 19th century. A pulp mill was opened in the town in 1962, and was Geeveston's largest employer until the plant closed in 1982, devastating the area economically. The Geeveston Town Hall Visitor Centre is a tourist and information centre which details the local area and tourist destinations in southern Tasmania, is located in Geeveston. From 2016-2021, the town hosted the filming of the comedy series Rosehaven.