Smithton, Tasmania facts for kids
Quick facts for kids SmithtonTasmania |
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 Smithton
Location in Tasmania
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| Population | 3,934 (2021 census) | ||||||||
| Postcode(s) | 7330 | ||||||||
| Elevation | 7 m (23 ft) | ||||||||
| Location |
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| LGA(s) | Circular Head Council | ||||||||
| State electorate(s) | Braddon | ||||||||
| Federal Division(s) | Braddon | ||||||||
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Smithton is a town located on the far north-west coast of Tasmania, Australia. It's found along the Bass Highway, about 85 kilometers north-west of Burnie. In 2021, about 3,934 people lived there. Smithton is also the main town for the Circular Head Council, which manages the local area.
Contents
History of Smithton
The area started with a post office called Duck River in 1873. It was later renamed Smithton in 1895. Smithton officially became a town in 1905. Around that time, the Mowbray swamp was drained. This made land ready for dairy farms. In 1920, a very old skeleton was found here. It was a 45,000-year-old Zygomaturus, which was a type of marsupial that looked like a hippopotamus.
In 1905, Smithton had a long jetty that stretched 1200 meters into the water. This was important for boats.
The first regular train service on the Marrawah Tramway began in 1913. More railway lines opened over the next few years. By 1922, Smithton was connected to the state's main railway system. This helped the town grow. Smithton High School opened in 1937. Later, in 1951, a kindergarten and a public hospital were built. These additions helped Smithton become a busy and thriving town.
Smithton's Economy and Jobs
Smithton's economy mainly relies on agriculture. This means a lot of people work in dairy and beef farming. Other important industries in the area include fishing and growing seafood (aquaculture). Crop farming, timber plantations, and tourism also help the local economy.
Many companies have set up processing plants in Smithton. This makes the town a major work center in north-west Tasmania.
- Greenham Tasmania: This company has a meat processing plant. They prepare beef to send to places like Japan and the United States. They also sell beef in Australia. Over 120 people work here.
- McCain Foods: McCain Foods (Australia) Pty Ltd has facilities to store, process, and freeze potatoes. They make French fries here. The McCain plant operates all year. It employs about 150 people from the local community.
- Timber Mills: Two timber mills, run by Britton Bros and Ta Ann Tasmania, are located in Smithton.
- Tasmanian Seafoods: Tasmanian Seafoods Pty Ltd processes abalone and cans it. Their main office is also in Smithton.
- Murray Goulburn: This dairy company also has offices in the town.
- Tarkine Fresh Oysters: This company runs a large oyster farm. They employ more than 40 people in Smithton.
Community and Infrastructure
Smithton has several schools for students. These include a Catholic school, a Christian school, and government schools. St Peter Chanel is the local Catholic primary school. Circular Head Christian School is a Christian school that teaches students from kindergarten all the way to year 12.
In 2010, Smithton was part of a special trial. It was one of the first places to get the National Broadband Network, which provides fast internet.
A Cultural Heritage Centre and Museum opened in Smithton in 1996. Volunteers still run it today. The museum keeps many old items from Smithton's past. It has photos, tools, and other everyday things used in the Circular Head area.
Smithton's Climate
Smithton has an oceanic climate that is influenced by the Mediterranean. This means it has very mild, somewhat dry summers. Winters are cool and wet.
- Temperatures: The highest average temperature is around 22.0°C in February. The lowest average is about 13.2°C in July. Nighttime temperatures range from 11.5°C in February to 4.7°C in July.
- Rainfall: Smithton gets about 899.7 mm of rain each year. Most of the rain falls in winter. It rains often, with about 208 rainy days a year.
- Sunshine: The town has many cloudy days, about 183 each year. There are only about 38 clear days per year.
- Extreme Temperatures: The hottest temperature ever recorded was 36.6°C on January 30, 2009. The coldest was -4.5°C on June 19, 2024.
| Climate data for Smithton (40º49'48"S, 145º04'48"E, 8 m AMSL) (1996-2024 normals, extremes 1962-1997) | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 36.6 (97.9) |
30.5 (86.9) |
32.5 (90.5) |
27.5 (81.5) |
20.6 (69.1) |
18.3 (64.9) |
17.6 (63.7) |
18.8 (65.8) |
21.8 (71.2) |
25.5 (77.9) |
27.1 (80.8) |
30.1 (86.2) |
36.6 (97.9) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 21.9 (71.4) |
22.0 (71.6) |
20.5 (68.9) |
17.9 (64.2) |
15.4 (59.7) |
13.7 (56.7) |
13.2 (55.8) |
13.7 (56.7) |
14.9 (58.8) |
16.4 (61.5) |
18.4 (65.1) |
19.8 (67.6) |
17.3 (63.2) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 11.3 (52.3) |
11.5 (52.7) |
9.8 (49.6) |
7.8 (46.0) |
6.3 (43.3) |
4.8 (40.6) |
4.7 (40.5) |
5.2 (41.4) |
6.2 (43.2) |
7.0 (44.6) |
8.7 (47.7) |
9.7 (49.5) |
7.8 (45.9) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 0.4 (32.7) |
0.4 (32.7) |
−0.4 (31.3) |
−3 (27) |
−3.4 (25.9) |
−4.5 (23.9) |
−4.2 (24.4) |
−3.2 (26.2) |
−2.3 (27.9) |
−1.2 (29.8) |
−0.6 (30.9) |
−0.7 (30.7) |
−4.5 (23.9) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 40.3 (1.59) |
33.1 (1.30) |
53.9 (2.12) |
60.2 (2.37) |
89.0 (3.50) |
95.4 (3.76) |
118.6 (4.67) |
122.5 (4.82) |
94.8 (3.73) |
79.7 (3.14) |
58.9 (2.32) |
55.3 (2.18) |
899.7 (35.42) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.2 mm) | 10.4 | 9.2 | 12.9 | 17.0 | 21.5 | 21.5 | 24.2 | 23.8 | 21.2 | 19.0 | 14.1 | 13.5 | 208.3 |
| Average afternoon relative humidity (%) | 60 | 61 | 61 | 67 | 74 | 75 | 74 | 73 | 70 | 64 | 64 | 62 | 67 |
| Average dew point °C (°F) | 11.6 (52.9) |
12.2 (54.0) |
10.8 (51.4) |
9.7 (49.5) |
9.2 (48.6) |
7.9 (46.2) |
7.3 (45.1) |
7.2 (45.0) |
7.5 (45.5) |
7.7 (45.9) |
9.5 (49.1) |
10.1 (50.2) |
9.2 (48.6) |
| Source: Bureau of Meteorology (1996-2024 normals, extremes 1962-1997) | |||||||||||||
Famous People from Smithton
Some well-known people used to live in Smithton:
- Hannah Gadsby (born in Smithton, 1978): A famous comedian who won the Edinburgh Comedy Awards in 2017.
- Enid Lyons (born in Smithton, 1897): She was the first woman ever elected to the Australian House of Representatives, which is part of Australia's government.
- Don Kay (born in Smithton, 1933): A composer and music professor.
