Deloraine is a town on the Meander River, in the central north of Tasmania, Australia. It is 50 km west of Launceston and 52 km south of Devonport along the Bass Highway. It is part of the Meander Valley Council. Deloraine recorded a population of 3,035 in the . Deloraine, like most Tasmanian towns, has a temperate and wet climate. History The region was explored in 1821 by Captain Roland, who was searching for farm land. The land was granted to new settlers, and the town is now a major agricultural centre, with a large number of farms of all types in the area. Deloraine is named after a character from the poem The Lay of the Last Minstrel, written by Sir Walter Scott. Deloraine Post Office opened on 29 October 1836. The town won the State Tidy Towns award in 1992, 1993 and 1995, and the Australian Community of the Year award in 1997. Economy While Deloraine is a predominantly rural farming town, it is also aimed at pleasing tourists, who visit because of its culture and location also serving as a base to explore areas such as Cradle Mountain, the Great Western Tiers, Mole Creek and the Central Highlands. Farms in the area produce poppies, herbs, onions and potatoes; as is typical produce for the Tasmanian climate. Deloraine is also home to the 41° South salmon and ginseng aqua farm. The town currently operates two sawmills previously owned by Gunns as well as facilities that manufacture fertiliser, farm equipment, water tanks and street signs. The nearby opium processing factory, Tasmanian Alkaloids, located in Westbury offers some employment for the town. Deloraine is in the Launceston licence area for television and radio and is served by ABC Television, SBS Television, Tasmanian Digital Television, Southern Cross Tasmania, WIN Television, 91.7 ABC Northern Tasmania and other ABC radio networks, commercial stations 89.3 LAFM and 90.1 Chilli FM and community station 96.9 Meander Valley FM. The annual Tasmanian Craft Fair takes place in Deloraine, it attracts around 18,000 people annually. During the craft fair, there are around 260 exhibitors demonstrating crafts in the town. Because of this, as well as the large population of artists, the town is considered a cultural centre. Infrastructure Because of its location between the two cities of Launceston and Devonport, Deloraine is a transport hub for trade and tourists between the two cities. Most local infrastructure and