Glenorchy Travel Guide
Glenorchy accommodation, Glenorchy activities and attractions, Glenorchy maps, transportation to and around Glenorchy - the ALL NEW Jasons Glenorchy Destination Travel Guide is your complete visitor guide for Glenorchy.
Glenorchy, just north of
Hobart city on the west bank of the Derwent River, is
Tasmania's fourth largest city. Glenorchy was originally called New Cumberland by English explorer John Hayes in 1873, and is believed to have been renamed by Governor Lachlan Macquarie after a Scottish village on the Orchy River. The prefix 'Glen' is derived from the Gaelic
gleann, meaning 'valley'.
City status was granted to Glenorchy in 1964, exactly 100 years after it was proclaimed a municipality.
From its beginnings as the centre of an agricultural and horticultural district, Glenorchy has since derived strong economic growth from a wide range of industries, including metal refining and fabrication, textiles, footwear, glassware and confectionery. It is also Tasmania's base for high technology enterprise, and is well known for its sports and entertainment facilities.
Population
44,000
Climate
Cool temperate
Summer
12 – 21°C
Winter
5 – 12°C
Rainfall
624mm/year