Railton

Walk Railton’s quiet country streets and you’ll see why this community calls itself the Town of Topiary.

Grab a free walking guide, widely available in local shops or by downloading, and stroll past more than 100 imaginative examples of the art of topiary, ranging from a large elephant to soldiers standing to attention at the cenotaph.

First surveyed in 1853 and once home to a booming timber trade, the town's wide main street is a legacy of the space needed for laden bullock-and-dray teams. 

Mountain bike riders can hit the 16km loop that comprises Stage 2 of the Wild Mersey Mountain Bike Trails above Railton’s Goliath Park, where there’s also a pump track. 

Stop by the cellar door of Seven Sheds, a brewery, meadery and hop garden tucked along a laneway, and sample some innovative brews. Head to the 1853 Railton Hotel for counter meals and accommodation.

Where

Railton is a 1hr drive (81km) west of Launceston.

Insider tips

• The first topiary, Horse and Farmer, was planted by Neil Hurley, a resident who started the topiary scene here in 1999. It’s on the corner of Foster and Crocker streets.
• Go birdwatching along the walking tracks of Sykes Sanctuary, a 16-hectare  bushland parcel gifted to the community by Norman Sykes, a conservationist who gave up city life to live close to nature at Railton.