Tasmania's 8 Best Retirement Towns Ranked
Finding the right retirement community is something at the top of every newly retired person's checklist. This task can seem daunting with the overwhelming amount of healthcare and community standards that one's future home must meet. The following is a list of Tasmania's 8 best retirement towns ranked in their abilities to support their thriving retirement communities.
8. Devonport
Devonport is a lively city in Tasmania that has waterfront properties and a welcoming community. This community is famous for its natural landmarks and maritime history. Retirees are invited to take part in their retirement community through their many care home facilities, such as Respect Aged Care and Home Care. This facility works with care providers who can either go to the homes of their clients, or retirees can move into their lovely retirement villages to savor every relaxing moment of retirement, surrounded by those taking advantage of the same leisurely lifestyle. Devonport has many healthcare facilities to support its retirement community, including My Clinic Plus, which serves as a General Practitioner ready to serve patients with in-house appointments, or even through telehealth to aid in a wide variety of healthcare services. This tight-knit community always has an upcoming event for residents to take part in. Some notable events are their Jazz and Blues events that are sure to keep the community on its toes. Devonport's history is displayed through its many landmarks. The Antique Emporium offers insight into the town's history through the means of an expansive antique collection dictating the town's history as well as history from around the world. The Bass Strait Maritime Museum allows visitors to discover the daily lives of sailors and fishermen with simulators and actual gear spanning centuries of maritime efforts. The Mersey Bluff Lighthouse now acts as a tourist attraction. The lighthouse offers an amazing view over large rock formations and into the vast and open sea. Devonport's unique historical remembrance and ample retirement facilities welcome new retirees to take part in its lively community.
7. George Town
George Town is a historic town near the mouth of the Tamar River that welcomes newly retired residents into its growing community with a practical mix of retirement and healthcare facilities. Ainslie Village, run by Southern Cross Care Tasmania a few minutes away at coastal Low Head, offers both independent retirement living and residential aged care, with many rooms overlooking the Tamar River and the lighthouse beyond. Healthcare needs are met close to home at the George Town District Hospital and Community Health Centre, which provides 15 acute care beds along with physiotherapy, community nursing, and home help services, while the larger Launceston General Hospital sits about 45 minutes south for more specialized treatment. Active retirees can keep busy through the George Town Senior Citizens Club and its program of indoor bowls and crafts, or by volunteering with Tamar Natural Resource Management to help preserve the area's local ecosystems. The town's past comes alive at the George Town Watch House, a former jail that now hosts rotating exhibits on local heritage. A short drive away, the Low Head Lighthouse has guided ships since 1833 and offers daily tours as well as nightly viewings of the little penguins that come ashore after dark. George Town's welcoming community and coastal setting invite new residents to settle into an easygoing riverside lifestyle.
6. Margate
Margate is a waterfront town known for its locomotives. This town invites new retirees to take part in its growing retirement community by utilizing its healthcare and retirement facilities. Barrington Lodge Aged Care Centre offers an enriching lifestyle in a community setting. This facility offers 24-hour care in fully furnished homes ready for move in. The health care facilities include Margate Health Centre, which welcomes new patients with its friendly staff and services covering diabetes and chronic disease care. Visiting The Margate Train allows visitors to engage in locomotive history through its many onsite trains and memorabilia. Some train cabins act as show rooms to fully immerse visitors in the world of locomotive history. The Inverawe Native Gardens sit nearby, with massive garden areas and woodworks alike. This interesting stop allows visitors to immerse themselves in the local culture through means of visual arts and written poetry. Margate's unique sense of community draws in visitors and keeps them with its vast network of retirement and community healthcare services to keep its residents in peak physical and mental well-being.
5. New Norfolk
New Norfolk is known for its rich colonial history and thriving antique scene. Its retired residents are encouraged to explore its expanding network of retirement and healthcare facilities. The Derwent Valley Medical Centre offers patients top-quality care with its friendly staff and many services covering podiatry and women's health specialists. This staff is committed to the overall wellbeing of its patients and works to ensure the comfort of any patient's stay. The Noble Life New Norfolk Resort is a luxurious lifestyle resort that invites newly retired members to stay in their 2 or 3-story homes and indulge in their 5-star rated clubhouse and amenities, including a pool and hot tub. This inviting community is expanding quickly and is always welcoming new members. New Norfolk's Tynwald Park is open 24-hours and has children's parks to take the grandkids, as well as scenic creeks and fields to explore. This park is beloved by the local community for its peaceful atmosphere. The Willow Court Asylum is a historical landmark that offers private tours for brave visitors to explore the seemingly active paranormal haunts of the grounds. These heritage buildings date back to the 19th century and have held many patients throughout their years. The Pulpit Rock Lookout is a scenic spot that lends itself to the use of photographers and those wishing to see the aurora australis over its tall mountain peaks. The breathtaking overview of the river creates a relaxing atmosphere for those wanting to escape into the area's scenic nature.
4. Kingston
Kingston's growing retirement community welcomes newly retired members with its interconnecting retirement and healthcare facilities. The Oak Tree Retirement Village in Kingston is a retirement community that services the independent lifestyles of its lively community with 54 villas, outdoor BBQ and entertainment areas, and a wide variety of amenities to keep up with the active lifestyle of its residents. The homes have 2 or 3 rooms and accommodate the furry friends of residents. The community offers peace of mind with its gated boundaries and 24/7 security. The Kingston Plaza General Practice is a top-rated General Practitioner that services the community with physical and mental health care services alike. This office is known for its calming demeanor and aims to set the minds of its patients at ease in services covering checkups and chronic condition management. The Kingston Beach Golf Club is a luxury golf club that offers memberships to allow visitors to explore their clubhouse amenities. The golf club also serves food to make for a relaxing getaway to the holes. Kingston Beach is the suburb's most popular stretch of sand, a calm and sheltered spot for a morning swim or an easy walk along the foreshore where Browns River meets the sea. Kingston is also home to the Australian Antarctic Division headquarters, where public displays trace Australia's exploration of the far south and include artifacts from early expeditions such as Sir Douglas Mawson's sled. For a quieter outing, the all-timber St Clement's Church, built from huon pine in the 1870s, still stands at the heart of the old town. Kingston's lively community and coastal setting entice new members to keep up with its active lifestyle.
3. St Helens
St Helens is a scenic coastal town known for its premier fishing hub and growing retirement community. The town's vastly interconnected network of retirement homes and healthcare facilities aims to bring peace of mind to retired community members and their families. The Medea Park Residential Care facility is a home health care service offered in St Helens. The facility offers in-home visits to support the independent lifestyle of its clients. The St Helens District Hospital and Community Centre is staffed with friendly staff waiting to tend to the physical needs of its community. The 24 hour emergency room is heavily equipped to handle the needs of its patients around the clock. The Easy Tiger St Helens Restaurant, Bar, Cinema, and Brewery is an all-in-one stop for a day of fun. The Restaurant offers live music and events, as well as a wide selection of movies to choose from. This unique plaza opens its arms to the community with its inviting staff and lively happenings. The Priory Ridge Estate is a beloved winery that houses many local and international wines. The grounds also tend to flocks of sheep. Mainly Maritime is a local museum that houses a plethora of local maritime memorabilia. The museum is determined to spread awareness of the town's historical relevance. St Helens offers unique insight into the active side of retirement through its welcoming community.
2. Deloraine
Deloraine is famous for its well-preserved 19th-century architecture and lively arts and crafts scene. The community welcomes newly retired residents to utilize their retirement and healthcare facilities. The Aged Care Deloraine facility offers 24-hour compassionate care in its retirement community. The facility offers respite care and independent living units to match the level of need for all of its residents. The Deloraine and Westbury Medical Centre is a well maintained and operated medical clinic that offers a wide variety of healthcare services to ease the minds of patients and families alike. The Christmas Hills Raspberry Farm Cafe offers visitors fresh raspberries, raspberry lattes, scones with jams and creams, and many other breakfast delicacies. The grounds of this cafe are large open fields that are surrounded by a lining of trees to make for an enjoyable breakfast outdoors. The Deloraine Creative Studios Inc is a beloved art gallery that features fiber art, visual art, woodwork, and many other mediums of the community in rotating exhibits. This studio is one of the many cultural hubs of Deloraine. Yarns Artwork in Silk, Deloraine, is another art gallery that displays the intricate fiber arts of talented artists. The felted, quilted, and stitched portraits are sure to transport visitors to worlds of wonder. Deloraine's intensely artistic community welcomes new residents to explore their own artistic sides.
1. Penguin
Penguin, Tasmania, takes its name from the little penguins, also known as fairy penguins, that come ashore along this stretch of coast. More on Fairy Penguins can be found in the World Atlas article, "What Are Fairy Penguins?" These quirky creatures welcome new members into their growing retirement community, along with the help of Penguin's interconnected system of retirement and healthcare facilities. The Respect- Coroneagh Park is a nursing home that maintains 24-hour care through the aid of its team of dedicated healthcare personnel. The Nursing home has many types of rooms to accommodate any budget. Its secure dementia care aims to ease the patients and family alike. Patrick Street Clinic is a dedicated medical clinic that works to serve its community with a friendly staff readily available to meet the needs of its patients. Appointments can be easily made online. The Big Penguin is a larger-than-life statue of a Fairy Penguin that is often decorated to match seasonal holidays. The Big Penguin is often seen as the mascot of Penguin due to its resemblance to the local wildlife. The Ferndene State Reserve is a state park that has both caves and trails to explore. The reserve's forests lend visitors a sense of calmness as they are enveloped by the scenic escape that surrounds them. Hiscutt Park is a massive park that has windmills, picnic tables, and a pet-friendly atmosphere. This park would make for the perfect morning walk. Penguin's unique wildlife and vast network of retirement and healthcare facilities create an overwhelmingly inviting retirement community focused on meeting the physical and mental needs of its residents.
Settling Into Tasmania
Across the working harbours of the north coast and the river valleys of the south, these eight Tasmanian towns each give retirees a different rhythm to settle into. What they share is a steady supply of aged care and medical services close to home, along with the kind of community life that makes a new chapter easier to begin. Whether you come for maritime history, a thriving arts scene, or a beach within walking distance, there is a corner of the island to suit nearly every retirement.
