Devonport, TAS 7310

If you look again at the (Devonport) Advocate article, you will see that it actually says that Devonport is the 'crime capital' of the CRADLE COAST area, not Tasmania as a whole - that 'distinction' goes to Launceston. The Cradle Coast area comprises some 22,492 sq Klm and includes small towns like Sheffield and even King Island. Yes Devonport does have more crime than most of the other places on the Cradle Coast because it is bigger! Most of these offences are property offences, including vehicle theft. This is also the case for Launceston. Personal injury offences, assault etc are rare.
As stated elsewhere, Tasmania as a whole has the lowest crime percentage of all the states.
I know several people who have retired here from the hotter, busier areas of the mainland and they are all very happy with their decisions and with the slower, more peaceful and friendlier way of life. That has been my experience as well. Ulitimately it's one's own personal experiences wherever they live that influence their judgement. Negative experiences can be found even in the 'best' suburbs. Also, because of the way they are, some people will only look for the negative and exaggerate it out of all proportion.

So very true that some people will only look for the negative and exaggerate it out of proportion, my review however doesn't exaggerate the amount of drugs and unemployment in Devonport. Ones own opinion is just as valid as the next and judging by your need discredit others opinion about the city of Devonport one could come to the conclusion you may be trying to dissuade any negative comments that don't appeal to your liking.

Opinion is opinion and naturally you are entitled to yours. Facts however are facts. It is my view that the reviews by both you and your friend John ARE exaggerated and inaccurate and give a grossly misleading impression of Devonport. For you both to give this nice town only one star, one would think it was King's Cross! Unreal!
As far as "discrediting other's opinion" is concerned, John was the one who originally put negative comments against every positive/alternative post.

I can never understand why people who live here want to bag the place they live in. Pretty unhelpful and definitely not neighbourly. We all need to stand up and talk up our town. And yes I am a local resident having lived in the best part of Devonport, ( yes East Devonport) for 7 years now.

Which part of deven port is best to buy an investment property?

I absolutely disagree with the comments of the above reviewer who has now returned to live on the Gold Coast in Queensland.
Sure, as in all cities, especially in rural cities, there are some poorer parts of Devonport but by and large I have found this small city to be clean and friendly, with everything you'd reasonably need in the way of shops and stores. I have lived here for many years and not seen much evidence at all of the alleged social problems, although it's true that there is a slightly higher level of unemployment in the northern coastal areas of Tasmania compared to either Hobart and Launceston. As of December 2016, the official unemployment rate of Devonport was 7.32%. (This is just a fraction higher than the reported (February 2016) unemployment rate of the Gold Coast at 7.1 %.)
According to official Commonwealth Government statistics, the average /median age of Devonport residents is 41 years of age compared to 37 in Gold Coast City and 36.9 in Melbourne.
86.2% of people living in the suburb of Devonport were born in Australia - one of the highest levels of native born in the country.
According to a 2014 independent audit of crime levels in Australia, Tasmania has the lowest rate of serious crime in the country and among the highest rates of crime solved. (The next lowest being the ACT.)
Devonport is beautifully situated adjacent to Bass Strait and between the Mersey and Don Rivers. It is ringed right around on all the water edges by greenery and bike riding tracks, starting with the lovely Victoria Parade.
The above negative reviewer obviously loves the hot and humid climate of Queensland and is completely wrong about the climate in Devonport which has a very temperate climate. In fact the whole of the north coastal area of Tasmania has one of the most temperate climates in the world. Its latitude is the equivalent distance from the Equator as southern France and northern Spain is in the northern hemisphere. I am sitting here today, June 21st and the sky is completely blue with not a cloud in the sky and the sun is streaming into the house. It's about 14 degrees and feels warmer with the sun. The cold weather starts to set in in mid July and continues until mid October, but that is no different to Melbourne. It never gets as cold as Hobart, which is located much further south. (Even Hobart doesn't get anywhere near as cold as either London or New York!!).
The only thing that he was accurate about is the parking meters which are very prevalent in Devonport, (except for in the large parking areas of the two major supermarkets.)
The other thing that has to be remembered is the relatively low population base of Tasmania, with its TOTAL population of about 515,000 - concentrated mainly in the south. In contrast, the estimated resident population of Gold Coast City alone as of 30th June 2016, is 567,644. So naturally the 'feel' of a small city/town like Devonport (population 30,500) would be very different indeed to where the Queensland reviewer came from. One distinct advantage of smallness of course is the lower levels of urban density and traffic and the ease of getting around.
Despite its small size, a major urban renewal project is currently underway in Devonport - the largest one ever undertaken in regional Tasmania. LIVING CITY will revitalise Devonport through the creation of new retail, business/service and waterfront precincts focused on highlighting the region's tourism, arts, food and services.
It's interesting to read that the above reviewer moved back to the racy Gold Coast after only one year. The Gold Coast is known to have a rampant drug trade as well as documented problems with organised crime. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-07-21/gold-coast-becoming-crime-capital/2803830
He comes across to me as a real winger, completely unsuited to the quieter life of a small city and I'm not surprised that he couldn't make any friends here. His return to Queensland is Tasmania's gain.

I have to agree with John. I have lived in Devonport for the past 10 years and the drugs here are a huge problem. The high schools are riddled with drugs and the city has become polluted with unemployed.

My children attended the excellent senior public high school Don College here in Devonport . It had better teachers than the ones in a beachside area of Sydney where they went previously and both gained admission to the U niversity of Tasmania. They never encountered drugs though admittedly that was 5 years ago. My daughter is employed as a counsellor in the area of drug and alcohol rehabilitation. She has also done work in mainland regional and outer suburban areas and on the central coast of NSW. According to her, the problems of unemployment and drug and alcohol usage are sadly nationwide in such areas and no worse in Devonport or other areas of Tasmania than anywhere else.

I am totally in agreement with helenp13. Such a negative view on life by johns89. So much of his terrible diatribe about Devonport is so inaccurate. I look at newspaper and TV news reports. Now there you can find serious crime , murders and drugs on sale. Maybe he just didn't like the quiet life and the beautiful weather of Devonport - no 35 plus and 40 degree days here, no monsoonal floods and no sharks cruising in the internal waterways. As for Jennifer, if she thinks there is a huge drug problem here in Devonport perhaps she could get the official statistics for Devonport and match them to parts of Melbourne, Sydney, the Gold Coast just to mention a few and see how little old Devonport matches up then. Hpw many drug shooting murders, drive-by house shootings, home invasions to name a few things associated with the drug trade a have we had here in the last 12 months? None I think is the answer. Give me Devonport any time.

Absolutely agree with you ianc17 & helenp13. I've lived in Devonport all my life and I have nothing at all to complain about. The weather could be a little warmer perhaps but in the main it's pretty perfect.

I'm living for these John comments and the way the community are responding, it really shows some sass and pride of where the locals live.

Am considering making a move from Melbourne and regarding the parking - how much exactly are we talking? A couple of dollars per hour, $15 a day.... would love to know specifics.

The way the locals are standing up for their hometown makes me want to be a part of the community!

Cannot agree with you more. your comments have hit the button right on the head. I had occasion to stay in East Devonport recently and booked in to the Argosy Motor Inn for affordable accommodation. I came away very impressed with the courtesy of the staff and the tidyness and neatness of this great Motel. I drove the three or four minutes over to Devonport "city" and found the locals to be equally as courteous and friendly. Yes, Burnie is only thirty minutes away to the east, and similarly Launceston fifty five to sixty minutes in the other direction. The recently placed statue at the entrance to the harbour, "Neptune"?, together with the lovely new surf club "complex" on the beach front are both a credit to the city council town planners. Well done, guys.

...Every seems grumpy. The local are constantly complaining about the paid parking everywhere, the amount of unemployed drunk and drug addicts. Most people skip Devonport once arriving and head straight out of town. The council needs to get its priorities sorted. As to friendly people, ha, I have lived here for a year and still do not know my neighbors due to the fact they are rude. The only good thing is cheap private primary school, but once they get to high school move as they are full of drugs.

Winging John again.

Hi people of Tasmania.I am looking to relocate from Northern NSW to Sheffield.I have been there and enjoyed the murals and outstanding natural beauty and I was hoping to get some feedback about the town.
Thanks in advance.
Linda.

Hi lindap8 Sheffield is a great place. The only thing I can say that is not all positive is that facilities are limited due to the small population and it does get cold in the wintertime. Check the weather forecast pages and see if you could manage the weather there. I live on the coast in East Devonport which is about an 18 minute drive from Sheffiled. Not so cold in the winter time, cooler in the summer and lovely place also.

Hi, we are thinking of relocating to Penguin. I have 2 primary school aged kids and 1 pre- schooler. Can you tell me a little more about this town please?

Penguin is a nice little place with basic shopping facilities and is only a few minutes drive from Burnie. Very hilly though. You could get on Google Maps and give yourself a bit of a tour around the place. Climate is pretty good as it is all along the north west coast.

Hi, Im thinking of buying a place in Devonport as a investment for now and once it paid off we will move to Devonport to live. I love the cold weather all day everyday and I want to know how safe is it to start a family in Devonport? I can see John complaining about drugs, alcohol, unemployment and paid parking. Is that true?

The so called "clean beaches" have minimal sand and more rocks and pebbles. Also dog feces everywhere due to a lot of dog owners in Devonport and they all run around the beaches and playground.

Whinging John again!

Lovely long Sandy beach adjacent to the Life saving club and dual level cafe/ restaurant complex with lovely water views.

Would love some extensive info, and on safest suburbs and good childcares/primary schools... I was considering Devonport, but the talk of drugs and crime has scared me, being a single mum. Could you guys give me a really thorough honest review? Is it safe? What parts to avoid :(
Will someone really break in to my home? :( that's scary, what areas does that happen. I can't afford Hobart now with the price hikes and amount of people moving over there in the last 12 months.

Devonport is full of drugs ( due to the local bike gangs) and has been rated as the highest crime rating in Tasmania. Devonport also has a lot of unemployed Centerlink people.

Whinging John again. See my detailed response under John's first rant.

Hopefully whinging johns89 is back ion the Gold Coast now enjoying all the things there at Devonport does not have.

Most people don't stop in Devonport after getting off the boat. The city has the highest crime rate in Tasmania and has paid parking everywhere. Most people head to the smaller towns where it is cleaner, cheaper and safer.

Whinging John yet again. John from Queensland's Gold Coast which is riddled with drugs and organised crime. See my detailed response to his first rant at the top.

Maybe it should have been Broken Record John,

Have been in Devonport 4 nights trying to get a feel to relocate, and yes Devonport wins, great climate, not to busy on streets, clean and friendly. Spent time in Ulverstone, Port Sorell and Launceston but Devonport won our heart, just the right size for 1/2 retiring and house not far from town centre and football ground, so walk to everything, love it

We have lived here for nearly 6 years. Have not had any problems with crime or drug addicts etc. We live close to the Mersey river and Bluff beach and can walk to the shops, cinema, library etc. We know all our neighbours and don't find them unfriendly. I much prefer the climate here to Sydney's climate where we lived for 30 years.

Devonport looks beautiful. Thanks for all the positives. John sounds like a real winger and should move . Im thinking of relocating from Katoomba in the Blue Mountains NSW. It seems to be the same except you guys have the coast. Weather wise I imagine its the same. The further I can get away from the rat race the better.

Devonport is the place to be building construction is happening everywhere. Has a population of 30500 people and over 60000 people within 20km radius. Many new shops are opening and businesses. The atmosphere around Devonport is changing for the better.The living city project has and is transforming the city as the central hub of the north west coast.
People politicians and businesses need to see Devonport is clearly the biggest and best place to come to live and to invest.