Hamilton, Tasmania facts for kids
Quick facts for kids HamiltonTasmania |
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 Hamilton
Location in Tasmania
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| Population | 241 (2021 census) | ||||||||||||||
| Postcode(s) | 7140 | ||||||||||||||
| Location |
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| LGA(s) | Central Highlands Council | ||||||||||||||
| Region | Central | ||||||||||||||
| State electorate(s) | Lyons | ||||||||||||||
| Federal Division(s) | Lyons | ||||||||||||||
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Hamilton is a small country town in Tasmania, Australia. It is located in the Central Highlands area. The town is about 73 kilometers (45 miles) north-west of Hobart, the capital city. In 2021, about 241 people lived in Hamilton.
Contents
Discovering Hamilton's Past
Hamilton became an official locality in 1959.
The area was first named "Sorell Plains" by Governor Lachlan Macquarie. Locals also called it "Macquarie" or "Lower Clyde."
In 1826, Governor George Arthur officially named the town Hamilton. It was named after William Henry Hamilton. He was a rich settler who came to Van Diemen's Land (which is now Tasmania) in 1824.
The Hamilton Post Office opened its doors on June 1, 1832.
Hamilton was once a very busy frontier town. It had many inns (like hotels) and several working breweries.
Today, Hamilton has a few small shops and buildings. Many of these buildings, like the old court house, date back to the time when convicts lived there.
Exploring Hamilton's Geography
The River Derwent, also known as Meadowbank Lake, forms the south-western border of Hamilton. The Clyde River flows through the town from north to south. It also forms a small part of the northern boundary.
Hamilton's Weather and Climate
Hamilton has an oceanic climate, which means it has mild weather. Summers are warm and fairly dry. Winters are cool and rainy.
The average highest temperatures are around 25.6°C (78°F) in January. In July, the average highest temperature is about 11.7°C (53°F). The average lowest temperatures are around 10.4°C (51°F) in January. In July, they can drop to about 1.2°C (34°F).
Because Hamilton is inland and downwind from the Central Highlands, it can even have frost in midsummer! Sometimes, strong, dry winds called foehn winds blow, mostly in summer.
Hamilton does not get a lot of rain. The average yearly rainfall is about 511.1 millimeters (20.1 inches). This rain falls over about 148 days each year, mostly in winter.
The coldest temperature ever recorded was -7.8°C (18°F) on June 24, 2013. The hottest was 40.7°C (105°F) on January 11, 2010. This weather information comes from Ouse, a town about 20 kilometers (12 miles) south-east of Hamilton.
| Climate data for Hamilton (42º28'48"S, 146º42'36"E, 90 m AMSL) (1998-2024 normals and extremes) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 40.7 (105.3) |
39.0 (102.2) |
37.9 (100.2) |
31.4 (88.5) |
26.0 (78.8) |
19.3 (66.7) |
19.6 (67.3) |
22.5 (72.5) |
27.1 (80.8) |
32.0 (89.6) |
35.0 (95.0) |
40.0 (104.0) |
40.7 (105.3) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 25.6 (78.1) |
24.9 (76.8) |
22.3 (72.1) |
18.4 (65.1) |
14.8 (58.6) |
11.9 (53.4) |
11.7 (53.1) |
13.5 (56.3) |
15.8 (60.4) |
18.0 (64.4) |
21.0 (69.8) |
23.1 (73.6) |
18.4 (65.1) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 10.4 (50.7) |
9.8 (49.6) |
8.1 (46.6) |
5.3 (41.5) |
3.6 (38.5) |
1.5 (34.7) |
1.2 (34.2) |
2.0 (35.6) |
3.9 (39.0) |
5.3 (41.5) |
7.3 (45.1) |
8.8 (47.8) |
5.6 (42.1) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −0.4 (31.3) |
0.2 (32.4) |
−3.2 (26.2) |
−5.6 (21.9) |
−6.3 (20.7) |
−7.8 (18.0) |
−6.8 (19.8) |
−6.7 (19.9) |
−4.8 (23.4) |
−3.6 (25.5) |
−2.7 (27.1) |
−0.4 (31.3) |
−7.8 (18.0) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 29.6 (1.17) |
27.7 (1.09) |
31.3 (1.23) |
31.5 (1.24) |
38.5 (1.52) |
43.4 (1.71) |
51.6 (2.03) |
61.2 (2.41) |
63.4 (2.50) |
55.3 (2.18) |
38.8 (1.53) |
36.2 (1.43) |
511.1 (20.12) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.2 mm) | 7.7 | 7.6 | 9.0 | 9.9 | 13.0 | 14.5 | 16.7 | 17.0 | 15.6 | 14.7 | 11.9 | 10.8 | 148.4 |
| Average afternoon relative humidity (%) | 39 | 41 | 47 | 55 | 63 | 71 | 68 | 61 | 57 | 54 | 49 | 43 | 54 |
| Average dew point °C (°F) | 7.5 (45.5) |
8.4 (47.1) |
8.3 (46.9) |
7.2 (45.0) |
6.3 (43.3) |
5.3 (41.5) |
4.8 (40.6) |
4.7 (40.5) |
5.2 (41.4) |
6.3 (43.3) |
7.6 (45.7) |
7.0 (44.6) |
6.6 (43.8) |
| Source: Bureau of Meteorology (1998-2024 normals and extremes) | |||||||||||||
Hamilton's Roads and Travel
Route A10, also known as the Lyell Highway, passes through Hamilton. It runs from the south-east to the west. Route B110, called Hollow Tree Road, starts at an intersection with A10. It then goes north-east out of the town. Route C182, known as Thousand Acre Lane, also starts at an intersection with A10. It runs east until it leaves the area.
Famous People from Hamilton
- Cricketer Percy Lewis was born in Hamilton in 1864.
- Tasmanian artist Edith Lilla Holmes was born here in 1893.
Images for kids
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A view of Hamilton, Tasmania.
