Glenorchy, Tasmania facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Glenorchy Hobart, Tasmania
Glenorchy, Elwick Racecourse viewed from kunanyi/Mount Wellington
Glenorchy Location in Hobart
Postcode(s)	7010
Area	10.5 km2 (4.1 sq mi)
LGA(s)	City of Glenorchy
State electorate(s)	Clark
Federal Division(s)	Clark
Suburbs around Glenorchy: Montrose Elwick Goodwood Glenorchy Derwent Park Merton West Moonah Moonah

Glenorchy is a lively suburb located in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. It sits next to the River Derwent on one side and Mount Wellington on the other. Glenorchy is part of a larger area also called the City of Glenorchy, which is a local government area. This means it has its own council that helps run things.

The name Glenorchy comes from a place in Glen Orchy, Scotland. It means "Glen of tumbling waters," which sounds quite peaceful!

Exploring Glenorchy

A Look at Glenorchy's Past

People first started living in Glenorchy in 1804. For many years, especially from the 1820s, it was mostly farmland. Farmers grew lots of fruit in orchards.

Glenorchy became a municipality in 1864, which is like a local town area with its own rules. Then, in 1964, it officially became a city! After WWII (World War II), many soldiers came home and settled here. This made Glenorchy grow very quickly. Today, it is a busy suburban area.

Fun Things to Do in Glenorchy

Glenorchy has many places for fun and entertainment. You can go for a swim at the Glenorchy Pool. There's also a Village Cinemas where you can watch movies. If you like sports, KGV Oval is home to the Glenorchy Football Club. There's also a bowls club for a different kind of sport.

For those interested in history, the Tasmanian Transport Museum is in Glenorchy. You can also visit the Glenorchy Art and Sculpture Park to see cool artworks outdoors.

Schools in the Area

Glenorchy has several schools for students of different ages. These include Glenorchy Primary School, Cosgrove High School, Guilford Young College, and Dominic College.

Getting Around Glenorchy

The main road through Greater Hobart, called the Main Road, passes through Glenorchy. The Brooker Highway is another important road. It connects Glenorchy to nearby areas. When the Brooker Highway was built in 1952, some streets in Glenorchy were made wider. This helped with the increasing traffic.

Special Spots in Glenorchy

Glenorchy has a few unique areas:

• Elwick is east of the Brooker Highway. It's famous for the Elwick Racecourse, where the Hobart Cup horse race happens. The Hobart Showground is also here, which hosts events for all of Southern Tasmania.
• Merton refers to the Barossa Road area. It includes the bushlands between Glenorchy and Lenah Valley.
• O'Brien's Bridge is a historic spot. It's where the first settlers arrived in 1809.

At the 2016 Australian census, about 10,828 people lived in the Glenorchy suburb. The whole City of Glenorchy, which includes other suburbs, had a population of 46,397 people.

Shopping and More!

Big W Glenorchy

Glenorchy has a busy shopping area, often called the CBD. It has three big indoor shopping centres: Northgate Shopping Centre, Glenorchy Central, and Glenorchy Plaza.

You can find many popular stores here, like Best & Less, Coles, Woolworths, Big W, and Target. There's also a Bunnings store near the Hobart showgrounds.

Glenorchy has the second-largest shopping area in Tasmania. Only the Hobart central business district is bigger. The Glenorchy CBD is one of three main shopping areas in the City of Glenorchy. The others are in Moonah and Claremont.