Oatlands, a historic town in the interior of central Tasmania, was founded in 1832 as a garrison town, now a thriving tourist attraction, with a host of George-style buildings and sandstone buildings. Many were built by criminals who had been exiled here at that time.
Oatlands is built near (Lake Dulverton), Lake Darfur, and (Callington Mill) is undoubtedly the most important attraction in the town of Oatlands. The huge windmill, built in 1837, is now re-producing high-quality organic flour, as can be seen from a long distance. Oatlands's tourist center, (Heritage Highway Visitor Information Centre), is located near the Collinton Mill, where tourist maps and brochures are available. More than two hundred years ago, Oatlands and surrounding areas supplied more than half of Tasmania's bread and staple food, and Corrington was the first fully mechanized production base in Tasmania, giving birth to the best bread in Australia. Only with the industrialization of Hobart and Langston in the 19th century, Oatlands declined rapidly. Even so, her glorious years still make town dwellers proud, and in December lavender-filled towns were often mistakenly thought to be in Europe.
Oatlands has the largest sandstone complex in Australia's rural environment. The 87 sandstone buildings on the main streets of the town embody the true colonial characteristics of the town. Some important buildings include the Kellington Mill, built in 1837, and the Oatlands Prison, (Oatlands Gaol), Oatlands Court (Oatlands Court House), in 1835.
