- September 18, 2026
A self-guided stroll through Australia's largest collection of Georgian sandstone buildings, including the working Callington Mill and the old Oatlands…
The Midland Highway corridor through Oatlands, Parattah, Tunbridge and Campbell Town isn’t bushwalking country in the usual Tasmanian sense — there’s no rainforest, no dolerite peaks, no coastline. What it does have is some of the best-preserved convict-era history in the state, strung along flat, easy walking tracks that link historic townships to their lakes, rivers and rail lines. If you’re driving the Midlands between Hobart and Launceston and want to stretch your legs somewhere more interesting than a highway rest stop, this is where to do it.
The signature walk of the region, and the one that actually connects two of the towns on this list. A flat, well-formed gravel track follows the old Oatlands–Parattah railway line along the south-eastern shore of Lake Dulverton, a 233-hectare Ramsar-listed bird sanctuary that’s home to as many as 77 recorded species, including Tasmania’s only known breeding site for the Great Crested Grebe. Along the way you’ll pass restored railway culverts, old sandstone quarries that supplied stone for Oatlands’ buildings, and interpretive markers covering the area’s convict and settler history. If you don’t want to walk the full distance to Parattah, a shorter loop around the Lake Dulverton foreshore near town covers many of the same historic sites in a fraction of the time.
Distance: Approx. 8km one-way to Parattah (16km return), or a 3–4km foreshore loop near Oatlands • Time: About 3.5 hours return for the full track, 1–1.5 hours for the shorter loop • Difficulty: Easy (flat to mildly undulating) • Dogs: Check local signage — Lake Dulverton is a designated conservation area and bird sanctuary, so keep dogs leashed and away from nesting areas
Nearest campground: Free camp Lake Dulverton, Oatlands (right at the start of the track; Parattah itself has no campground, just a free BBQ and toilet at the old railway station)
A short, easy stroll through the town itself rather than the lake foreshore — Oatlands has the largest collection of colonial sandstone buildings in any town in Australia, with 87 of them lining the main street, many built by convict labour. Highlights include the 1837 Callington Mill (the country’s third-oldest windmill and recently restored to working order), the 1829 courthouse, and the old gaol. Pick up a heritage walk map locally or just wander — it’s a compact town and hard to get lost in.
Distance: Approx. 4.3km • Time: 1–1.5 hours • Difficulty: Easy • Dogs: Generally permitted on leash on town footpaths
Nearest campground: Free camp at Lake Dulverton, Oatlands
A gentle riverside walk along the Elizabeth River at Campbell Town, centred on the Red Bridge — built in 1838 from over a million and a half convict-made bricks, and the oldest surviving brick arch bridge in Australia. The adjoining Convict Brick Trail follows High Street through town, with markers telling the story of the convicts who built it. There’s a garden and picnic setting either side of the bridge, and Blackburn Park just across the water has a playground, BBQs and wooden sculptures — a good spot to break up a longer highway drive.
Distance: Approx. 2km return • Time: 30–45 minutes • Difficulty: Easy • Dogs: Permitted on leash
Nearest campground: Blackburn Park, Campbell Town (self-contained vehicles only, no tent camping)
Tunbridge is the quietest stop on this list — bypassed by the modern highway, it’s kept its run of Georgian coaching-inn architecture largely intact, including the old Victoria Inn and Tunbridge Wells Inn. A short walk along the main road takes you to the northern end of town and the 1848 convict-built sandstone bridge over the Blackman River, the oldest single-span bridge in Australia and the traditional boundary marker between northern and southern Tasmania. There’s no formal track here, just a pleasant, flat amble through a town that time has mostly passed by.
Distance: Approx. 1.5–2km return • Time: 30 minutes • Difficulty: Easy • Dogs: Generally permitted on leash
Nearest campground: No campground at Tunbridge itself — nearest options are the free camp at Oatlands (~24km south) or Blackburn Park, Campbell Town (~28km north)
None of these walks require a Parks Pass — they’re all on council reserve, conservation area or town land rather than in a national park, so entry is free throughout. The free camps at Oatlands and Campbell Town are roadside stops aimed at self-contained caravans and motorhomes rather than tents, with maximum stays of a few nights, so check current signage and don’t expect showers or power (Oatlands has a coin-operated shower at the local pool). This is open, flat farming country with little shade, so the main hazard here is sun and wind rather than anything alpine — carry water and a hat even on an easy stroll. Lake Dulverton in particular is a sensitive conservation area and bird sanctuary, so keep dogs leashed and on the formed track, and avoid disturbing nesting birds during spring. Because these towns sit right on the Midland Highway, they also make an easy, low-commitment stop if you’re travelling between Hobart and Launceston and just want to break up the drive with something more interesting than a servo.
A self-guided stroll through Australia's largest collection of Georgian sandstone buildings, including the working Callington Mill and the old Oatlands…
A short heritage walk past Australia"s oldest surviving brick arch bridge and along a trail of convict-history bricks through the…
A short, quiet walk through one of the Midlands smallest and best-preserved convict-era hamlets, on the historic coach road between…
An easy foreshore loop around a wildlife-rich conservation lake in the historic town of Oatlands, home to more than 70…