In 1821 the invading British colonial government settled and granted land in the district to released convicts, farmers, and colonists.

[6] The Panninher people, who had already suffered from European diseases, resisting takeover of their country, and settler harassment, were dispossessed and displaced by the land grants.

The grounds contained a chapel, hall, library,[9] museum,[10] and cricket oval[11] - where the first games of Rugby football were played in Australia.

[16] The township had a methodist church, state school,[17] police station, blacksmith,[18] and a coffee palace (once known as the pub and hotel the Bush Inn).

[19] In 1918, a soldiers avenue row of trees were planted in the township, which was attended and set in the ground by Tasmanian Premier Lee and his wife.

[21] Lands in the town centre were purchased by the Longford Council in 1946 for 99 pounds to build a hall, and new recreation grounds for cricket and football.

As the region is situated in the Midlands, the area experiences both the warmest summers and some of the coldest winters in Tasmania - often experiencing frost.