How Our Stories Begin
I was walking down Cimitiere Street one day, a road I’ve driven and walked down a thousand times over my nine years in Launceston. Past Spotlight, my feet followed familiar paths. But on this day, something changed.
I looked up and was stopped in my tracks by her beauty.
It’s strange how a place can blur into the background of our daily lives. A building can stand tall, holding its own secrets, yet go unnoticed until one day, something shifts. That shift, for me, came after leading a Dark Side Tour. My guests were so passionate, so eager to uncover the stories hidden in the city’s streets, that they reminded me to look up and look for more stories.
And that’s when she stopped me in my tracks.
A grand façade, a proud two-storey structure, multiple windows and arches that proudly declared “1904.” A small curved raised parapet sits over the main entry, hinting at the grandeur of its past. Former carriage openings, now infilled with shopfronts, speak to the evolution of the street. A flagpole stands tall, once flying a flag in respect to a queen now long past. Bluestone at its base, custom double doors welcoming those who once walked through them, details that had escaped my eyes until now.
But what was this building?
Once you start asking he questions, curiosity takes hold, it’s down the rabbit hole. I found myself drawn into the search, heading to the library, diving into old newspaper articles, getting lost in historical notes, piecing together its past. Who built it? What purpose did it serve? Who walked through those grand doors a century ago? What was their story?
This is how our stories are found. They begin with a moment of being stopped in our tracks, a moment of unexpected awe. And they continue because we ask questions, because we want to know the who, the what, and the why.
So next time you're walking through Launceston, take a moment. Look up. You never know what story might be waiting for you.
And if you want to hear more of the stories that have stopped us in our tracks, join us on a Launceston By Foot walking tour. Walk the streets with us, uncover the hidden histories, and listen to the the city in a way you never have before.
With love to Launceston,
Roz Pinnington
Picture by Weekly Courier, March 18, 1905
