You Won't Believe This Town Is In Tasmania

A town called Promised Land, complete with a miniature village, eight themed mazes, and an "embassy" garden, sits quietly in northwest Tasmania. As visitors drive in, they're greeted first by a sign bearing the town's name, followed by a cluster of scale-model buildings that feel more like a storybook set than a rural settlement. Promised Land, Tasmania, is very much real, shaped by 19th-century settlers and later reimagined through one of the region's most unusual attractions. Visitors who step into the Promised Land won't believe that this small town is in Tasmania.

History

The name "Promised Land" is believed to have been inspired by early European settlers in the 19th century, who were drawn to the area's fertile land near the Forth River. The three British explorers who came to this hilly countryside from the Kentish Plains believed they had found a Promised Land. James Boutcher, Angus McNab, and William Excell, from England, Scotland, and Wales, respectively, were among the first European explorers to the region in the 1860s and were immediately struck by its excellent soil just outside the Forth River. They called it the Promised Land, and the name has stuck to this day.

James returned in the 1870s to purchase 310 acres of land and build a slab house, becoming one of the first settlers of the Promised Land. From this settlement, other families and settlers began building homes and other buildings in the nearby regions, and early roads began to take shape. Within a few decades, much of the scrub and trees were removed to construct homes and a Baptist Tabernacle. Today, the town is a quiet rural settlement of under 100 people under the Kentish Council government.

Attractions

What really sets Promised Land apart isn't just its soil but its unusual landscapes that make visitors feel like they've stepped into another world, which locals call Tasmazia. As the name implies, Promised Land has a sprawling complex of eight different mazes, each with a different focus.

The Main Maze is the largest and one of the easiest to get lost in. The maze is a network of rooms, where one must find the right door to reach the center and The Three Bears Cottage. The Balance Maze, meanwhile, requires challengers to keep their balance while treading on a short wall. The most difficult maze in the complex is the Confusion Maze, made of hedges that are designed to disorient visitors, while the easiest is the Yellow Brick Road Maze, designed for kids.

This place was founded by Brian Inder in 1987, who had a great love for mazes and small model towns as a child. That's why he also set up the Village of Lower Crockpot next to Tasmazia. This "village" is a ⅕-scale model community, filled with structures that resemble something out of Willy Wonka's chocolate factory, with its tiny pubs and oddly shaped buildings, like a house shaped like an arrow. The Embassy Garden in the village features models inspired by multiple countries, including a few fake ones. Visitors have noted the village's irreverent sense of humor. After exploring the mazes and the village, guests can grab food from the cafe. Breakfast is considered the best time to go for pancakes.

Outdoors

There are several options for getting out into nature within a short drive of the Promised Land. First off, after visitors walk the streets of the Village of Lower Crockpot, they can take in the smells of its Lavender Farm, known for its views of Mount Roland, which rises to about 4,050 feet.

To reach Mount Roland, visitors can drive south to the Mount Roland Conservation Area. The mountain doesn't have an established park per se, but it does have several walking trails through the bush, from both Claude Road and Gowrie Park. These trails will guide hikers up to the peak, from where they can look down into northwestern Tasmania.

To the east of the Promised Land is Lake Barrington. This reservoir was created in 1969 by damming the Forth River. The lake is renowned for its eight-lane rowing course, which rowers, canoers, and water skiers come to for competitions. It's even been used by the Australian Olympic rowing team from time to time to train. The Inland Fisheries Service stocks the lake with big fish, which makes it an ideal spot for anglers. The water is clean enough for swimming or enjoying a nice picnic.

The Promised Land also serves as a gateway to the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area, including Cradle Mountain, which rises to 5,069 feet. Beyond the mountain, hikers can find the deep-blue glacial Dove Lake, rainforests, and alpine moorlands. The mountain is accessible at the Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park.

Other Odd Towns

Promised Land isn't the only odd town in this region of Tasmania; there are other unusual towns visitors can take a drive to. One is the quirky community of Sheffield. The rural town is mainly a dairy production facility on the outskirts of Mount Roland. Its butterfat is shipped out throughout Tasmania. In the 1980s, town residents began a campaign to cover the buildings with murals, inspired by Chemainus in British Columbia, Canada. There are now more than 60 murals in Sheffield, which earns it the title of Town of Murals.

Not far from Promised Land is the hilariously named community of Nowhere Else. The name fits, as there's nothing to see in this town other than a few farmhouses and a simple white sign that looks like a dead-end. It used to be a dead end, as the road led to a farmhouse, and local farmers would tell travelers there was "nowhere else" to go. The name stuck, even though the road now leads out to Mt. Roland and the community of Paradise in the shadows of the mountains.

The Enchanted World Of The Promised Land

Promised Land is a magical place that encourages childlike whimsy and curiosity. That's why kids love exploring the Yellow Brick Road Maze or figuring out the Confusion Maze, while their parents scratch their heads. The enchantment doesn't end in the Promised Land's borders. It continues through the serene bushlands of Mount Roland, over to the shores of Lake Barrington, and through the many other unusually named towns in Tasmania. It's definitely worth the trip just to take a few photos of this offbeat town and the surrounding communities.