Don't Spare the Horses!

The early days of horse-drawn carriages on the Heritage Highway were exhilarating and often treacherous.

Coaches from rival companies would often compete with each other for the prestige of being first to finish.  Though slow on the hills, they could rattle along at about eight miles an hour.  Excited townsfolk would gather to see the spectacle as whips cracked, hooves clattered and wheels rumbled past. These races occasionally resulted in accidents, and passengers perched atop the coaches often fell victim to low branches. Price wars were frequent as enterprising businesses sought more patrons. 

The trip from Hobart to Launceston took a long 15 hours.  The coaching inns that sprang up along the main road must have been a welcome sight for weary travellers.  Exhausted horses were changed every 10 miles, rubbed down and rewarded with a quart of hot beer.  Many of these coaching inns still stand and continue a tradition of good food and friendly hospitality.  One of the finest examples is St. Andrew's Inn at Cleveland.