Woolmers Estate, near the village of Longford and overlooking the Macquarie River, is acknowledged as one of the most outstanding examples of 19th century rural settlements in Australia.��Accurate and authentic in the minutest detail, it is not difficult to see why the estate has received a World Heritage listing.

Woolmers Estate was settled in circa 1817 by Thomas Archer the 1st. It has existed through six generations of Archers, until the death of Thomas William the 6th in 1994.��The array of extant buildings on Woolmers including family houses, workers��� cottages, former chapel, blacksmith���s shop, stables, bakehouse, pump house, gardener���s cottage etc. provides a rare insight into the social structure of a colonial pastoral estate. At an estate of this size, a virtual small village was formed where up to 100 people might be living and working at one time. The village remains intact.

In addition to the architectural the site contains a wide range of collections acquired by the Archer family over 180 years, providing a rare insight into six generations of one family. The combination of the historical collections, the buildings and the site itself represents a significant cultural resource and an important visitor attraction.

Guided tours of the homestead introduce visitors to the home���s former occupants and the personal collections and furnishings they each acquired and ultimately left behind. ��The duration of each tour is approximately 45 minutes.��Tours of the extensive grounds, outbuildings, rose garden and the walled-in gardens are self guided.
Location: Woolmers Lane, Longford. Tasmania

View Larger Map

Woolmers National Rose Garden

Located on the banks of the Macquarie River outside Longford, the outstanding Woolmers National Rose Garden displays all of the recognized rose families. Its 5,000 roses represent one of the finest collections of historic roses in the southern hemisphere, ranging from the earliest European and China roses through to the roses of the twenty first century. The plan of the National Rose Garden is formal and symmetrical and acknowledges the 19th Century context in which it sits. Some of the rose beds are planted in such a way that the visitor can enjoy an educational experience, with each variety identified by a nameplate.