Scottsdale is the largest town in north-east

Tasmania Tasmania (; palawa kani: ''Lutruwita'') is an island States and territories of Australia, state of Australia. It is located to the south of the Mainland Australia, Australian mainland, and is separated from it by the Bass Strait. The sta ...

, Australia, serving as the administrative and economic centre of the Dorset Council region. Located on the

Tasman Highway The Tasman Highway (or A3) is a highway in Tasmania, Australia. Like the Midland Highway (Tasmania), Midland Highway, it connects the major cities of Hobart and Launceston, Tasmania, Launceston – however it takes a different route, via the no ...

, it connects Launceston to the east coast and acts as a key service hub for surrounding agricultural areas. The town has a strong historical association with

potato The potato () is a starchy tuberous vegetable native to the Americas that is consumed as a staple food in many parts of the world. Potatoes are underground stem tubers of the plant ''Solanum tuberosum'', a perennial in the nightshade famil ...

and

dairy farming Dairy farming is a class of agriculture for the long-term production of milk, which is processed (either on the farm or at a dairy plant, either of which may be called a dairy) for the eventual sale of a dairy product. Dairy farming has a h ...

forestry Forestry is the science and craft of creating, managing, planting, using, conserving and repairing forests and woodlands for associated resources for human and Natural environment, environmental benefits. Forestry is practiced in plantations and ...

, and

poppy A poppy is a flowering plant in the subfamily Papaveroideae of the family Papaveraceae. Poppies are herbaceous plants, often grown for their colourful flowers. One species of poppy, '' Papaver somniferum'', is the source of the narcotic drug ...

cultivation, industries that continue to support its economy. In recent years, Scottsdale has expanded into tourism, with attractions such as Barnbougle Dunes Golf Links and the Bridestowe Lavender Estate farm drawing visitors. It is also home to the Defence Science and Technology Group's nutrition research facility. Scottsdale is part of the federal

Division of Bass The Division of Bass is an Divisions of the Australian House of Representatives, Australian electoral division in Tasmania. It includes most of the city of Launceston, Tasmania, Launceston and its surrounds. It has traditionally been a margin ...

and the state electoral division of the same name. According to the 2021 Australian census, Scottsdale had a population of 2,408 residents.

History

Scottsdale was first surveyed in 1855 and was noted by surveyor James Reid Scott for its fertile soils and mild climate. The area developed into an agricultural hub, with initial land selections occurring in 1859. The town was originally named Ellesmere before being renamed Scottsdale in 1893.

Economy

Scottsdale has long been an agricultural centre, with key industries including

and

cultivation, and mining. The town has experienced economic diversification, with tourism playing an increasing role in its development. Government investment in infrastructure and small business incentives has contributed to Scottsdale's regional growth. The Defence Science and Technology Group operates a nutrition research facility in Scottsdale, originally established in 1958 and redeveloped in 2014. Scottsdale's tourism sector has benefited from attractions such as Barnbougle Dunes Golf Links and the Bridestowe Estate

Lavender ''Lavandula'' (common name lavender) is a genus of 47 known species of perennial flowering plants in the sage family, Lamiaceae. It is native plant, native to the Old World, primarily found across the drier, warmer regions of the Mediterranean ...

Farm. The decline of the local timber industry has led to job losses, prompting local initiatives to attract new industries and retrain workers.

Culture

Scottsdale has a strong community focus, with local sporting clubs, agricultural shows, and cultural events contributing to its identity. The town supports a range of sports, including

Australian rules football Australian football, also called Australian rules football or Aussie rules, or more simply football or footy, is a contact sport played between two teams of 18 players on an Australian rules football playing field, oval field, often a modified ...

golf Golf is a club-and-ball sport in which players use various Golf club, clubs to hit a Golf ball, ball into a series of holes on a golf course, course in as few strokes as possible. Golf, unlike most ball games, cannot and does not use a standa ...

, and

netball Netball is a ball sport played on a rectangular court by two teams of seven players. The primary objective is to shoot a ball through the defender's goal ring while preventing the opposing team from shooting through their own. It is one of a ...

. The Scottsdale Art Gallery Café and other local venues promote regional artists and performers.

Forest Eco Centre

The Forest Eco Centre was a visitor centre designed to educate the public about the state's forestry industry. Developed by award-winning

Hobart Hobart ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the island state of Tasmania, Australia. Located in Tasmania's south-east on the estuary of the River Derwent, it is the southernmost capital city in Australia. Despite containing nearly hal ...

architect Robert Morris-Nunn and constructed in the late 1990s, it was the first facility of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere to incorporate innovative, environmentally sustainable design principles. The centre's distinctive conical structure was engineered to maximise passive heating and cooling, with a thermal chimney regulating airflow and temperature. It also housed offices for Forestry Tasmania, a café, and a gift shop showcasing locally crafted timber products. Despite its architectural significance, the centre closed in 2014 due to structural issues, including water leaks that caused electrical hazards. The building was later sold, and in 2022, new owners announced plans to redevelop the site into accommodation with self-contained units and dormitory-style rooms for seasonal workers, tourists, and

mountain biking Mountain biking (MTB) is a sport of riding bicycles off-road, often over rough terrain, usually using specially designed mountain bikes. Mountain bikes share similarities with other bikes but incorporate features designed to enhance durability ...

visitors to North-East Tasmania.

Demographics

In the 2021 Australian census, Scottsdale recorded a population of 2,408 people. The majority of residents (84.5%) were born in Australia, with small migrant communities from England (3.2%), New Zealand (1.1%), and the Philippines (0.7%). English is the dominant language spoken at home by 91.4% of residents, while other languages spoken include Mandarin (0.5%), Italian (0.4%), and Tagalog (0.3%). The median weekly household income in Scottsdale is $1,150, which is below the national median of $1,746. Approximately 27.3% of households report a weekly income below $650, while 8.9% earn more than $3,000 per week. Christianity remains the most commonly practiced religion, with 49.2% of residents identifying with a Christian denomination, including Anglicanism (18.5%) and Catholicism (16.4%). 42.8% of residents reported having no religious affiliation, reflecting broader secular trends in Tasmania.

Climate

Scottsdale has a

oceanic climate An oceanic climate, also known as a marine climate or maritime climate, is the temperate climate sub-type in Köppen climate classification, Köppen classification represented as ''Cfb'', typical of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of co ...

( Köppen: Cfb), with very mild, relatively dry summers and cool, wet winters. Average maxima vary from in January and February to in July while average minima fluctuate between in February and in July. Mean average annual

precipitation In meteorology, precipitation is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that falls from clouds due to gravitational pull. The main forms of precipitation include drizzle, rain, rain and snow mixed ("sleet" in Commonwe ...

is moderate, spread between 151.8 precipitation days, and is concentrated in winter. The town is not very sunny, with 165.9 cloudy days and only 68.0 clear days per annum. Extreme temperatures have ranged from on 30 January 2009 to on 6 August 1974.

Access

Scottsdale is connected to Tasmania's road network primarily via the

, which links the town to Launceston to the west and the north-east coast, including

Bridport Bridport is a market town and civil parish in Dorset, England, inland from the English Channel near the confluence of the River Brit and its tributary the River Asker, Asker. Its origins are Anglo-Saxons, Saxon and it has a long history as a ...

and St Helens. The Bridport Road provides a direct route to Bridport, supporting regional transport and freight movements. Public transport services are limited, with bus connections provided by local operators linking Scottsdale to Launceston and surrounding towns. The town is serviced by the North East Bus Service, which operates passenger routes to Launceston and other regional destinations. Historically, Scottsdale was connected to Tasmania's rail network via the North-East Tasmania Rail Line, which operated between Launceston and Herrick. The railway played a crucial role in supporting the town's timber and agricultural industries but was decommissioned in the early 2000s. Some sections of the former rail corridor have been repurposed into recreational cycling and walking trails, including the North East Rail Trail, which extends from Scottsdale towards Billycock Hill, attracting cyclists and tourists to the region. The town's road infrastructure has been progressively upgraded to accommodate increasing freight and tourism traffic, with improvements made to the Tasman Highway and surrounding routes to enhance safety and accessibility.

Notable people

Arts

* Keith Adams, filmmaker and adventurer known for his film '' Northern Safari'' (1956).

Politicians

* Tania Rattray, independent member of the

Tasmanian Legislative Council The Tasmanian Legislative Council is the upper house of the Parliament of Tasmania in Australia. It is one of the two Chambers of parliament, chambers of the Parliament, the other being the Tasmanian House of Assembly, House of Assembly. Both ho ...

(upper house) in the division of McIntyre. * Tony Rundle, former journalist and

Premier of Tasmania The premier of Tasmania is the head of the Government of Tasmania, executive government in the Australian state of Tasmania. By convention, the leader of the party or political grouping which has majority support in the Tasmanian House of Assem ...

from 18 March 1996 to 14 September 1998.

Sports

* Brian Booth (1924–2020), cricketer * Xavier Doherty, cricketer * Thomas Rocher (1930–2018), cricketer * Trevor Ranson (1912–1996), VFL footballer * Ike Sellers (1905–1997), VFL footballer

External links

Climate Statistics for Scottsdale

Radio 7SD Scottsdale

References

{{authority control 1859 establishments in Australia Localities of Dorset Council (Australia) Populated places established in 1859