Stanley has a population of more than 450. Its main industries are fishing and tourism.

For an aerobic workout Stanley-style - or to walk off the town's speciality of fish and chips - you can climb a winding path to the Nut's plateau. Alternatively, take the chairlift to appreciate the uninterrupted views of Bass Strait.

This is a great place for guided tours. The Tarkine Wilderness Area to the south has gained international recognition for its temperate rainforest, and you can travel there by four-wheel-drive with guides who know the area intimately.

Closer to Stanley, brave Highfield Historic Site on a ghost tour at night, or wait for the safety of daylight to learn how the area's first European settlers lived. Historic tours are also offered through Stanley's streets, which are lined with stone cottages dating back to the town's settlement.

Stanley is a good base for exploriing the wilderness areas. You might even take a wildlife tour.

Seal-spotting cruises and penguin-watching at the foot of the Nut are a must. There are many bushwalks in nearby Rocky Cape National Park.

The historic property of Woolnorth is still operated under its original Van Diemen’s Land Company charter, but there are also modern influences, including a large and productive wind farm. Tours are available.

Stanley was discovered by Bass and Flinders in 1798 and was named after the British Secretary of State for the Colonies, Lord Stanley.

The first telephone transmission from Tasmania to mainland Australia was made in 1936 from Stanley. The town was also the birthplace of Joseph Lyons, the only Tasmanian, so far, to have been an Australian prime minister.

Stanley has an average maximum temperature of 20 degrees Celsius (68 degrees Fahrenheit) in January and 12.5 degrees Celsius (54.5 degrees Fahrenheit) in June.

Stanley is an hour's drive west of Burnie on the A2. Head for the Nut - you can see it long before you reach the town.