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City of Launceston
	City of Launceston; Tasmania
	; City of Launceston
Population:	65,021 (est., June 05)
Established:	1853
Area:	1405 km² (542.5 sq mi)
Mayor:	Albert Van Zetten
Council Seat:	Launceston
Region:	Launceston and surrounds
State District:	Bass
Federal Division:	Bass
	Website: http://www.launceston.tas.gov.au
	LGAs around City of Launceston:

The City of Launceston is a Local Government Area of Tasmania, encompassing almost all of the greater Launceston area in northern Tasmania. It also includes a region to the north east, emcompassing towns such as Lilydale. The City's population, 65,021, is the highest of any Local Government Area in Tasmania.^[1]

The City is governed by the Launceston City Council, led by a mayor and eleven other aldermen. The current mayor is Albert Van Zetten, who defeated Legislative Councillor Ivan Dean in the 2007 council elections. Dean's predecessor, Janie Dickenson, was, at the time of her election, the youngest female mayor in Australia. She was first elected mayor in February 2002 at the age of 27.

The City's logo features the Thylacine, an indigenous animal once bountiful in the Launceston district but hunted to extinction.

[edit] History

Launceston was first declared as a municipality in 1853 and included only the city centre and immediate surrounds of Launceston. In the 1890s, the municipality grew to include Galvin Town (South Launceston) and in 1906 to include the northern suburbs of Invermay, Mowbray and Trevallyn. Also in 1906, the Municipalities of George Town, St Leonards, Lilydale, Evandale, Beaconsfield, Longford and Westbury were established.

In 1984, the City of Launceston grew to incorporate the Municipalities of Lilydale and St Leonards.^[2]