New Norfolk

This article is about the town in Australia. For the former US county, see New Norfolk County, Virginia.
Not to be confused with Norfolk.

New Norfolk
Tasmania
New Norfolk's Blair Street Bridge and River Derwent in autumn, 2012
New Norfolk is located in Tasmania
New Norfolk
New Norfolk
Coordinates42°46′58″S 147°03′34″E / 42.78278°S 147.05944°E / -42.78278; 147.05944
Population6,153 (2021 census)[1]
Established1807
Postcode(s)7140
Location
LGA(s)Derwent Valley Council
State electorate(s)Lyons
Federal division(s)Lyons
Mean max temp[2] Mean min temp[2] Annual rainfall[2]
17.3 °C
63 °F		 6.6 °C
44 °F		 551.1 mm
21.7 in

New Norfolk (Leenowwenne/palawa kani: wulawali)[3] is a riverside town located on the River Derwent in southeastern Tasmania, Australia. Established in 1807, it is Tasmania’s fourth-oldest European settlement and ranks as the twelfth oldest in Australia. Initially founded by evacuees from Norfolk Island,[4][5] New Norfolk has a population of 6,153 as of 2021 and serves as the main township of the Derwent Valley region.[1] It lies 32 kilometres (20 mi) northwest of Hobart, along the Lyell Highway, and is encompassed within the Greater Hobart statistical area.[6]

Historically, New Norfolk’s economy has been shaped by agriculture, especially hop farming, and the timber industry. The Boyer Mill, a major paper producer, is now the sole manufacturer of newsprint, magazine, and book paper in Australia.[7] Recent years have seen significant development in the area, including the $500 million residential and community project, The Mills.[8][9][10]

Tourism has also grown as a key industry, with visitors attracted to the town's natural beauty and colonial heritage. Notable landmarks include St. Matthews Anglican Church, Tasmania’s oldest,[11] and The Bush Inn, one of Australia’s oldest continuously operating hotels.[12] Nearby attractions include the Salmon Ponds, established in 1861, which is the oldest trout hatchery in the southern hemisphere.[13][14]

In August 2024, shipbuilder Incat announced plans to expand to a new site in Boyer to build battery-electric ferries, including the world’s largest electric ferry. This project is expected to create up to 1,000 jobs over the next decade, with construction beginning in 2026.[15]

  1. ^ a b "2021 New Norfolk, Census All persons QuickStats | Australian Bureau of Statistics". www.abs.gov.au. Retrieved 8 January 2023.
  2. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference BoM was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ "Willow Court Precinct Heritage Interpretation Plan" (PDF). Derwent Valley Council. p. 3. Retrieved 2 January 2024.
  4. ^ "New Norfolk". Sydney Morning Herald. 8 February 2004. Archived from the original on 30 December 2023. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
  5. ^ "Old New Norfolk". The Mercury. Vol. XCIV, no. 12, 608. Tasmania, Australia. 20 August 1910. p. 10. Retrieved 30 December 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. ^ "2021 Greater Hobart, Census All persons QuickStats". Australian Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
  7. ^ "Federal funds delivered for Boyer upgrades". New Norfolk and Derwent Valley News. 2 November 2023. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
  8. ^ Page, Hannah (27 June 2021). "$500m The Mills start spinning". Australian Property Journal. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
  9. ^ Barnett, Guy (28 July 2022). "$500 million project a major boost for State's housing stock". Premier of Tasmania. Archived from the original on 16 March 2023. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
  10. ^ Andrewartha, John (27 February 2023). "The Mills delayed but not deterred". New Norfolk and Derwent Valley News. Archived from the original on 30 September 2023. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
  11. ^ Australian Broadcasting Commission (1939), "v. : ill. ; 29cm.", Century-old St. Matthew's Church, New Norfolk, Sydney: ABC Weekly, p. 37, nla.obj-1317028368, retrieved 2 January 2024 – via Trove
  12. ^ "Bush Inn holds title of Australia's oldest pub". Retrieved 15 October 2011.
  13. ^ "Introduction of Salmon". Launceston Examiner. Vol. XX, no. 2260 and 67. Tasmania, Australia. 5 June 1860. p. 3 (Afternoon). Retrieved 30 December 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  14. ^ "History". Salmon Ponds. Archived from the original on 25 March 2023. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
  15. ^ Williams, Abby (29 August 2024). "Incat acquires site for new shipbuilding facility". Daily Cargo News. Retrieved 7 September 2024.