Stage coach, Kempton northern end
From 1847 onwards, there was extremely fierce competition between the three coaching services operation on the Hobart to Launceston route.
Prices plummeted and drivers often raced each other in a bid to be first at their destination, creating much discomfort and concern for passengers.
By the end of each stage the coach horses would be sweating profusely and quite exhausted. (The horses were changed every hour).
A rub down, rug in a warm stable, together with an occasional quart of hot beer, soon relieved their distress.
Lasting 44 years, it was possibly the most important time in the developing colony. This period saw the establishment of towns along the way, which built up around coach stops.
Coaching lead to the opening of some of Tasmania’s finest grazing and cropping areas, settled by families whose names are still a part of the Midlands heritage today.
