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Ross

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Ross, on the banks of the Macquarie River in Tasmania's midlands and first settled in 1812, is one of Australia’s most appealing convict-built stone villages. Many of the original sandstone buildings in this attractive town have been proudly restored and preserved for future generations.

As you wander the tree-lined streets you will be transported to a time long gone but not forgotten. The bridge at Ross, possibly the most beautiful of its kind left in the world, was built by convict stonemasons. Completed in 1836, it was designed to carry wagons and coaches, yet it bears today’s traffic with ease.

The main crossroads of the village are said to represent Temptation (Man O’Ross Hotel), Recreation (Town Hall), Salvation (Catholic Church) and Damnation (Gaol, now a private residence). What is known as the Ross Female Convict Station Historic Site was occupied as a convict station between 1833 and 1855. Inmates included male work gangs and chain gangs, and it also served at this time as a road station, hiring depot and probation station. It operated as a probation station for female convicts and their babies between 1847 and 1854, which is why it is known as the Ross Female Factory Site.

The Tasmanian Wool Centre was built in 1988 as a bicentennial project and features a Heritage Museum and Wool Exhibition and an extensive range of Tasmanian woollen products. Churches of historical significance include St John’s Anglican Church (1869), the Roman Catholic Church (converted from a store in 1920) and the Uniting Church (1885). When you’ve done the rounds and finished your shopping for antiques, bric-a-brac, woollen products, arts and crafts, head to one of the town's numerous delightful eating places for lunch, or a tea or coffee and a plate of local fare.

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