Tasmania is a place filled with rich rural industry, not to mention a stunning country landscape. To celebrate this, local organisation Rural Youth Tasmania hosts an annual field day which regularly attracts thousands of visitors.
If there were ever an event near Launceston to visit, it is Agfest.
This multi award-winning festival will take place this year on May 7, 8 and 9. Some of its accolades include winning the Tasmanian Tourism Awards' 'Major Events and Festivals' category each year from 1997-99, as well as 2002 and 2003. It also took home the 'Building Communities Award' in the 2008 Launceston Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Awards.
The event was originally started in 1983, held in the township of Perth (Perth, Tasmania, that is). The two-day event attracted an impressive 9,000 visitors and 111 exhibitors. Thanks to its immediate popularity, it has been a three-day event ever since.
You will find this year's edition in Carrick, approximately 20 minutes southwest of the Launceston CBD. So what can you look forwards to this year?
If you love fishing, you need to check out the giant fish tank from the Australian Travelling Fishing Show. This Perspex-sided mobile tank is about 15 metres long, and contains a variety of fish species so spectators can see what they get up to underwater. Fishing professionals Michael Cooke and Brett Thompson will also be there, giving lessons on the different lures some of our country's top anglers are using, as well as various techniques you can employ to catch more fish!
The famous Stihl Timbersports championship will be heading to Carrick for the second round of qualifiers this Agfest. Athletes will be flocking to the area to compete, hoping to earn their place in the 2015 Australian Championship, and possibly even the international competition as well.
For spectators, you'll get to see a range of Tasmania's best loggers showing off their strength, accuracy and endurance with both axe and chainsaw. This is an exciting event for the whole family to watch, and is one of the must-visits of Agfest.
"Tasmania has a rich agricultural industry, which is celebrated each year with the annual Agfest. Here's why you should visit."
Of course, there's also a wide range of other field day events you can take part in throughout the festival. These include:
Make sure you wander around the Agfest area to get the full experience. You never know what surprises you might find!
Thanks to a partnership with Sainty's Coaches, there will be a free bus service to and from Agfest this year. To check out the full timetable, and to see where the pickup locations are, make sure you visit the website.
The great thing about booking holiday accommodation in Launceston is you're surrounded by the charm of a historic city, filled with numerous art deco buildings. One such is Mantra Charles Hotel, which can be conveniently found near the CBD. This venue is where classic stylings meet contemporary facilities, and as such you have a range of room options to choose from here, from smart hotel rooms right up to family apartments.
To get to the free bus service, you need only travel eight minutes north to York Park (known also as Aurora Stadium). Between your visits to Carrick, Mantra Charles situates you perfectly among Launceston's tourist attractions, with the Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery, and Cataract Gorge Reserve mere minutes away.
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