Thirty horse-drawn carriages sitting in storage are looking for a new home and while they no longer have a practical purpose they offer a rare glimpse into Australia’s colonial history.

Collected by the Tasmanian Horse-Drawn Vehicle Foundation, some are on display, but the majority will remain hidden until the organisation can find a permanent space.

Launceston is a city known for preserving its past and ensuring these rare vehicles are maintained is a great opportunity to keep another piece of history alive in our region.

Recently The Examiner launched a new feature series ‘Our History’.

The series highlights pieces of Launceston’s history, the stories behind its buildings and infrastructure and the faces behind those stories.

The feedback from readers has been overwhelmingly positive.

It’s a testament to our community and its ability to respect the city’s foundations. 

Creating a new home for the horse-drawn carriages is just another chance to showcase that genuine respect. 

Another example of this is the passion behind the redevelopment of the CH Smith site.

It proved to be one of the more topical issues in Launceston over the past year with news it would be revitalised after sitting derelict for decades.

While some believed it should be knocked down, the majority fought for it to be brought back to life.

The development will see the site transformed, but will keep parts of its history alive.

The same goes for the Boland Street Cottages.

A development at the abandoned site was announced in November and Launceston Alderman Robin McKendrick was quoted as saying “thank goodness, at long last”.

It’s a view many would have taken and although some may not have agreed with all of the details of the development, the majority would have been pleased to see it maintains parts of the original cottages.

And that’s exactly why we have an obligation to find a new home for the 30 horse-drawn carriages.

Because we are a city proud of its history.