About Stanley

Naturally different, Stanley will be a highlight of your Tasmanian holiday

history

The history of town is everywhere, an authentic fishing village where houses and farms have remained in the same families for generations, is justifiably proud of its long rural and fishing heritage. Stanley was settled in 1830. Its’ location in Circular Head was chosen as the headquarters of the Van Dieman’s Land (VDL) Company and their vast farming operations (250,000 acres) on Royal Charter from King George 1V. Highfield House was built in 1832 -35 to house for their chief agent, Sir Edward Curr on the Green Hills where it stands today, preserved and solitary, overlooking Stanley, Bass Strait and the Nut.

in the village

Preserved houses and buildings with beautiful gardens, sea and rural vistas, the deep water harbour with fishing boats coming and going, and a good selection of galleries, restaurants and cafes, all give the town a character of its own. Spend time visiting the historic attractions, you can go fishing, play a game of golf, walk on beaches, eat great food made with the freshest ingredients, enjoy a chat with locals in the historic pub or just relax in comfy accommodation and read your book – and that is if you don’t want to leave town – there is wonderful exploring to do around the area that you won't want to miss.

Cleanest air

Stanley is famous for the cleanest air in the world (measured at Cape Grim nearby) and the wide-open skies offer wonderful opportunities for stargazing with bright night skies revealing the magic of the constellations and the awe-inspiring Milky Way.

Stanley re-imagined in hollywood blockbuster

In 2014 the Hollywood blockbuster ‘The Light Between Oceans’ shot many scenes in Stanley. Dreamworks Studio transformed Stanley into a film set, re-imagining the town into the 1920’s. Based on M.L. Steadman’s best selling novel, it starred Michael Fassbender, Rachel Weiss and Alicia Vickander, and the cast included Bryan Brown and Jack Thompson with many locals cast as extras.