Kempton, Tasmania
Kempton is a village in the local government area (LGA) of the Southern Midlands in the Central LGA region of Tasmania. The locality is about south-west of the town of Oatlands. The 2016 census has a population of 386 for the state suburb of Kempton. In a low rainfall region of plains and low hills, it is mostly used for grazing sheep. History. Originally the home of the Big River tribe of Aboriginal people, Kempton was first settled by Europeans in 1820. It was originally called Green Water Holes, but by 1820 was known as Green Water  Ponds, before being shortened to Green Ponds in 1821. Two convict stations were situated in Green Ponds and a military barracks at Glenfern Estate. In 1838 the town was renamed after early administrator and businessman Anthony Fenn Kemp who established the property Mount Vernon immediately to the north of where the township later grew. The hotel at Kempton was a popular first night stop for the trip from Hobart to Launceston. "Green Ponds" Post Office opened on 1 June 1832 and was renamed "Kempton" in 1895. A railway line connected the town with Hobart from 1891 until 1947. Kempton was  gazetted as a locality in 1970. Geography. The Jordan River flows through the north-west corner. Road infrastructure. National Route 1 (Midland Highway) passes through from south to north-west.