Longford is a town in the north-east of Tasmania. It lies 21km south of Launceston. The town was first settled in 1813 and is part of the Northern Midlands Council area. The Northern Midlands district is one of Tasmania''s largest and diverse areas. The district extends from mountainous country on its eastern and western boundaries, to extensive grazing lands and the rich agricultural river flats of the Esk, Lake and Maquarie rivers. The Northern Midlands district is renowned for its historic villages with magnificent Georgian architecture, fine wool and agricultural production, the Ben Lomond National Park, trout fishing, beautiful waterways, diverse businesses and many tourist attractions. The districts relaxed country lifestyle in such close proximity to Launceston attracts many residents to the northern towns of Longford, Evandale and Perth. These towns, and the rural residential estate of Devon Hills, are experiencing steady population growth. Longford at the 2006 census had a population of 4,266, Evandale 1,289 and Perth 2,239.