Every city has a dark side. Launceston has more stories than most.

A group of people socializing outdoors during evening with a historic clock tower and leafless trees in the background.

A DIFFERENT SIDE OF LAUNCESTON

This isn't the Launceston you'll find on a postcard.

Behind the Georgian streetscapes and beautifully preserved buildings is a much more complicated history.

Walk with us after dark through stories of murder, public executions, convicts, bushrangers, early gaols and colonial Launceston.

Some are confronting. Some are strange. Some have been retold for generations.

All of them are part of this city's story.

Why we tell these stories

Launceston has changed enormously since many of these events took place. Gaols have disappeared, buildings have been demolished and streets have been reshaped. In some places, there's little left to suggest what happened there at all.

That's why we tell these stories where they happened.

Dark Side isn't about sensationalising Launceston's past. It's about remembering the real people behind it and understanding the difficult, complicated and sometimes extraordinary history that helped shape the city we walk through today.

What to expect

  • Civic Square in central Launceston. Your booking confirmation will include the exact meeting location and everything you need before joining us.

  • Approximately two hours.

  • Yes. The route is designed to be suitable for wheelchairs and strollers. If you have particular accessibility requirements, get in touch before your tour and we'll happily talk through the route with you.

  • Dark Side is storytelling rather than a haunted-house experience. There are stories involving murder, execution, death and colonial violence, alongside some of Launceston's ghost stories and folklore.

  • Comfortable walking shoes and something appropriate for Launceston's famously changeable weather. Tours operate outdoors, so come prepared!

  • This experience is recommended for guests aged 13 and over due to mature historical themes and immersive storytelling. Topics include crime, murder, public executions, sex work, cannibalism, colonial violence and the Black War.

  • Yes. Launceston By Foot tours operate in most weather conditions, including rain. There are places along our routes where we can find some shelter, but we recommend checking the forecast and bringing a rain jacket or umbrella when needed.

    If severe weather means we need to change or cancel a tour, we'll contact booked guests directly.

EVERY CITY HAS A DARK SIDE. READY TO DISCOVER OURS?

Every city has a dark side. Launceston has more stories than most.

Join us after dark and discover the people, places and stories hiding in Launceston’s past.

BOOK NOW

Looking for something a little lighter?
Discover Heart of Launceston →

DARK SIDE OF LAUNCESTON

Two hours. Centuries of stories.

A very different side of Launceston.

Walk the streets after dark and discover the stories that don't always make it into the history books. Murder, public executions, convicts, bushrangers, gaols and hauntings all form part of Launceston's past.

But Dark Side is about more than the grim details. These are stories of real people who lived, struggled and survived here, told in the places where their lives unfolded.

2 HOURS
Guided walking tour

TUESDAYS & THURSDAYS
5:30pm–7:30pm

LAUNCESTON CBD
Starts in Civic Square

SMALL GROUPS
Personal, story-led experience

ACCESSIBLE
Wheelchair & stroller accessible

AGES 13+
Recommended for mature audiences

Nighttime scene of a wet street with a metal grate in the foreground and a wall with a sign reading 'The Gallow' illuminated in the distance. The sign features an illustration of a gallows.

Meet your guides

Two women sitting on stairs in front of a building, wearing matching dark beanies with green text, smiling at the camera.

Storytellers, history lovers and professional rabbit-hole explorers.

At Launceston By Foot, we believe the best way to discover a city is to walk it with someone who genuinely loves telling its stories. We're locals and adopted locals who spend far too much time disappearing down historical rabbit holes.

Our tours are researched, story-led and conversational. We're not here to recite a list of dates at you. We want you to meet the people behind Launceston's history and leave looking at the city around you a little differently.

Meet our guides →

A woman wearing a beanie and a black jacket with the text 'LAUNCESTON BY FOOT' is leading a small group on a walking tour in front of a white brick building with brown trim. The group is listening attentively, dressed in casual outdoor clothing.

Don’t just take our word for it.

  • "We had a great personal experience with Maddie as our guide. Her knowledge was incredible and her delivery was educational and intriguing. We thoroughly enjoyed every step and every story. Maddie answered all our questions in depth. Thank you for a great experience."

    Sept 2026

  • “Roz took us through on a cool winters night. So factual, so interesting! Launceston has a lot to offer and a dark side I never realised. Please dress warmly - this is Tasmania after all. I needed the hood on my puffer and left it behind. Please wear your comfy shoes. We went everywhere! Your tour guide will have lantern to let you know where you are starting.”

    Aug 2026

  • “Had such a great time on the Dark Side of Launceston tour! I’ve been around Launceston for ages but had no idea there were so many interesting and slightly creepy stories behind places I walk past all the time. The tour was really relaxed and easy to follow, and the stories made the history so much more interesting. Definitely recommend it if you’re curious about Launceston’s darker side. Such a fun way to spend an evening!”

    Aug 2026

  • "We had such a great time on the Dark Side of Launceston tour with Launceston by Foot! It was a really interesting way to discover a completely different side of Launceston and hear some of the darker stories and history behind places we walk past all the time. Our guides Madi and Roz was very knowledgeable, and made the whole tour really enjoyable. Robin and I joined the tour with a few others and had a fantastic evening. It definitely made me look at Launceston a little differently afterwards! Thanks again for such a fun and fascinating tour!"

    Aug 2026

  • "We had a wonderful tour with Maddi and Roz, such a wonderful way to see and feel Launceston. They are such great story tellers, we learnt alot about the history of the island, unsavoury characters and unlikely heroines. Cannot wait to join Launceston By Foot again for another tour."

    Aug 2026

  • "What a great tour. The guides were excellent, the right blend of information and humour which made the whole experience just wonderful. Worth every penny. Thank you so much. 10 out of 10."

    Aug 2026

  • "A very fun and interesting tour about the darker parts of Launceston's history. The guides were extremely friendly and knowledgable, happily answering any questions I had."

    June 2026

  • "Great walking tour with an awesome guide. We learned a lot about Launceston’s history and saw places we wouldn’t have found ourselves. Definitely worth doing!"

    July 2026