Population Characteristics
The population of the Southern Midlands is 5,671 (2004).
The historic town of Oatlands, with a population of approximately 500 people, is located on the shore of Lake Dulverton, an hour away from Hobart and an hour and a half from Launceston. It is the largest town in the Southern Midlands area and is surrounded by rich agricultural land.
Oatlands is one of Tasmania's oldest settlements and was named by Governor Macquarie after an English town in the county of Surrey in 1821. It was developed as a military base for the control and management of convicts because of its distance from Hobart and Launceston. Convicts were assigned to nearby farms and properties, and also worked on public buildings, roads and bridges. Oatlands is considered to have among the largest number of colonial sandstone buildings in any town in Australia, and many of them were built by convict labour.
 Midlands Highway Much of the Black War took place in the surrounding districts, and Oatlands was also the home of the ex-convict Solomon Blay, Tasmania's most feared hangman. Hangings were carried out at Richmond, Launceston, Hobart and Oatlands, and Solomon was forced to walk when his services were required as no stage coach would pick him up. Apparently his wages were so low that he could not afford a horse!
There are a number of unique landmarks in Oatlands, including the Callington Mill and St Pauls' Church. The mill was built in 1837 and is slowly being reconstructed, and the church was designed by Augustus Welby Pugin, the father of Gothic Revival architecture.
Regional Health Indicators
Southern Midlands
High admission ratios for infectious and parasitic diseases and cancer
For more information on Oatlands visit the websites below:
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