Ross

Ross grew as a garrison and coaching stop on the road between Hobart and Launceston, and its centre is a crossroads of sandstone buildings from the 1830s and 1840s: the Man O'Ross Hotel, the Scotch Thistle Inn, the barracks and the town hall. The Ross Bridge, completed in 1836, is the third-oldest bridge still in use in Australia and its arches are carved with 186 individual panels of Celtic symbols, animals and faces, cut by convict stonemason Daniel Herbert, who received a pardon for the work. The Ross Female Factory site nearby held convict women. The Tasmanian Wool Centre in the village covers the midlands merino industry.

History

The village lies in the lands of the Tyrernotepanner, or Stony Creek, nation, who called the place Makala, and the surveyor Charles Grimes was the first European to explore the district. Governor Lachlan Macquarie camped here on an expedition in 1821 and named it after Ross Priory, the seat of his friend H. M. Buchanan on Loch Lomond, a timber bridge was built over the Macquarie River that year, and Ross became an important stop on the road between Launceston and Hobart, with government cattle run on the crown land around it (Wikipedia, Ross, Tasmania).

What's there

• The Ross Bridge - the 1836 span carved with 186 decorative panels.
• The sandstone crossroads - hotels, barracks and town hall from the 1830s.
• The Female Factory site - the archaeological remains of the convict institution.
• The Wool Centre - the midlands merino story and local craft.

When to go

October to April for mild weather; the midlands are cold and frosty in winter. The village is a common stop on the Hobart to Launceston drive, busiest at lunchtime. Museums keep short hours in winter.

Before you go

The village is small and a visit takes an hour or two. The Female Factory site is largely foundations and interpretation. Services are limited to a few cafés and a bakery, and much closes early.

Nearby

Oatlands lies south; Campbell Town and Launceston are north.

Key facts