Traditional Owners

The original inhabitants of the Glenorchy area were the Mouheeneener Aboriginal people.

Settlement history

European settlement dates from 1804 when the first land grant was made. By the 1820s, Glenorchy was characterised by farming and rural living. The 1840s and 1850s were periods of steady growth, with the area proclaimed a municipality in 1864. A coach road ran to Hobart and a ferry across the Derwent River went to Risdon. The railway was connected to Glenorchy in the 1870s. Orcharding became a significant industry, with the first coolstore built in the 1880s. In 1911 the population was nearly 3,400. Glenorchy remained a predominantly rural settlement until after World War I, with the establishment of the Electrolytic Zinc Company (now Nyrstar) at Lutana, and the Cadbury confectionery factory at Claremont. Industrial development began to take over from farming and orcharding from the 1920s, although the area continued to remain a grain, fruit and hop growing district until the 1940s. Significant industrial and residential development occurred in the post-war years, including several public housing estates. By 1947 the population had grown to more than 14,000. Development was facilitated by the construction of the Brooker Highway in 1952. By 1961 the population had grown to more than 35,000, with Glenorchy declared a City in 1964. The last orchards were subdivided in 1972. Between the 1970s and the late 1990s the City's population was relatively stable at over 40,000 people. The population then increased marginally, rising from about 42,000 in 2001 to about 44,000 in 2011.

Land use

Glenorchy City features both urban and semi-rural areas, with mostly undulating hills rising steeply in the west to a line of hills. Glenorchy is characterised by a diverse mix of industrial, commercial and residential development. Industries in the City include ship building, metal fabrication, zinc processing, food processing, furniture production and more recently, high technology industry. The City encompasses a total land area of about 120 square kilometres.

Transport

Glenorchy City is served by the Brooker Highway.

Major features

• Major features of the City include the Derwent River,
• The Cadbury Factory,
• Moorilla Winery,
• Museum of Old and New Art (MONA),
• The Glenorchy CBD,
• Tasmanian Transport Museum,
• Royal Hobart Showgrounds,
• Derwent Entertainment Centre,
• Moonah Arts Centre,
• Claremont Golf Club,
• Elwick Racecourse,
• King George V Park,
• Glenorchy Art and Sculpture Park,
• Tolosa Park,
• Tasmanian Polytechnic (Bender Drive Campus) and Nyrstar Hobart Smelter.

Included areas