Legana is a small town on the Tamar River in northern Tasmania, Australia. It is 12 kilometres north of Tasmania's second largest city, Launceston. It is adjacent to Riverside, Bridgenorth, Grindelwald and Rosevears. At the 2016 census, Legana had a population of 4,029. The name "Legana" is based on the Palawa word for "fresh water" since it is at the point where the Tamar River becomes fresh water. There is currently a homestead called "Freshwater" which was adjacent to a private jetty where early settlers traded with the local natives. This homestead, in Nobelius Drive, now operates as a Bed and Breakfast accommodation house.
History
Legana was originally a rural town made up of dairy farms, apple orchards, and cattle grazing. Most of the residences were originally located near the Tamar River with housing developments built nearer to the West Tamar Highway. Legana was also originally called Legana Estate. Legana Post Office opened on 1 April 1910.
Community
Like most smaller rural townships, sporting clubs play an important part of the social life of Legana. Most of the community facilities are located within a community precinct which accommodates the Legana Cricket Club who compete in the TCL cricket competition running two teams, an A grade team and a social B grade side, the , and children's community playground, near the playground the council are planning to build a bicycle dirt jump park for the local youths to ride their bikes on. The memorial hall is near to this precinct. A shopping centre has been built on the other side of this community precinct which provides the community with a supermarket and number of speciality shops. The shopping centre has had an upgrade and has been extended from the side and the back. Recently the area has had more developments in that businesses have decided to take advantage of this growing community: Legana now has a post office and a newsagent with Tatts Lotto, chemist, butcher, baker, hairdresser, KFC, Legana Tavern, BWS Bottle Shop, Legana Medical Centre, Launceston Holiday Park Caravan Park, Lawson Homes, Legana Bakery, Legana Plants Plus Nursery, Legana Hair & Beauty Salon, florist, R&R Caravan Centre, Reject Shop, Scotts Motorcycle Spares, Newman Automotive, Velo Vineyard, Impact kitchens, Salvation Army, St John's Foot Clinic, Tyres and More, Eyelines Glasses & Frames & Repairs, Harcourt's Real Estate, Woolworths, Woolworth's Petrol Plus, 2 ATM'S at Woolworths, as well as other new shops. An enthusiastic group of locals produce a periodical newsletter outlining local events and other items of interest. This is delivered free of charge directly to household letterboxes. A fire station, Legana Fire Brigade consists of a group of enthusiastic volunteers who provide the community with a fire protection service equipped to respond to both structure and vegetation fires, car accidents, fire alarms. Legana Brigade was formed soon after the devastating 1967 bushfires in Tasmania. Legana Fire Brigade's first piece of equipment was a tanker trailer, purchased by the then Beaconsfield Council under a Rural Fires Board subsidy scheme, and housed at the Brigade Captain's property. At about this time the Legana area began to change from an agricultural base community to one of a rural residential nature with a sub-division at Freshwater Point. As a result, the Council provided a four-wheel drive medium tanker which again was housed at the Brigade Captain's As Legana' s population grew the existing members felt that the Fire Commission should provide a more suitable shed which was built in the early 80's. The members went further however and after much hard work, fund-raising and lobbying they were able to ensure that a meeting room and office were incorporated into the new station that was finally opened in 1985. The station was located on the old Freshwater Point Road but the developments of Grindelwald, Rosevears Danbury Park and the general expansion of Legana itself lead to plans being discussed in 1996 for a larger replacement station in a more central location. Churches in Legana include the Legana Christian Church in Gerrard Close, and the Free Reformed Church in Outreach Drive.
Bus services
Legana has no schools, but is adequately serviced by several bus services for children to get to nearby schools. All bus services in Legana are run by Manions Buses. The "Legana Loop" route travels to and from Launceston.
