The cast iron fountain has been a Launceston staple for more than a century. It was originally commissioned to commemorate Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee in 1887.

But after being exposed to the elements for all these years, the fountain is showing signs of decay.

To preserve this piece of local history, the City of Launceston has started work on repairing the structure and removing its lead-based paint.

Mayor Matthew Garwood said the "full restoration" would be completed later this year.

"We're working with Glasgow Engineering to remove the structure a step at a time and each of those components will then be restored," he said.

"Any elements that may be too damaged to repair will be re-cast in cast iron by Castings Tasmania.

"Both Glasgow Engineering and Castings Tasmania go right back to the very earliest days of manufacturing in Launceston, so there's a lineage there that's continuing today."

To ensure that the restored fountain doesn't stray from its original design, the council is completing 3D scans of every component.

City of Launceston public space projects officer Geoff Farquhar-Still said contractors were in the process of dismantling the fountain to work on it off-site.

"There's a lot of careful assessment being done of the components of the fountain as we progress, including 3D scanning," he said.

"The 3D scans provide us with data we can use to recast any pieces that may have deteriorated beyond repair. However we'll avoid replacing pieces unless we absolutely have to."

The City Park fountain is one of hundreds that were manufactured by the Walter Macfarlane & Co. foundry in Scotland and shipped all over the Commonwealth.

Mr Farquhar-Still likened the corporation to "a 19^th century IKEA", having sent flat pack structures from a series of patterns.

"They would arrive in kit form and be bolted together on-site - extremely heavy but ornate and beautiful objects," he said.

"A lot of them - particularly in the UK - were melted down during the war to make weaponry.

"There are still a few surviving drinking fountains of this kind around the world, but ours is in very good condition considering its age."

Launceston's fountain was originally built at City Park's entrance. When it was moved to the centre of the park, it left an octagonal mark in the asphalt that can still be seen today.

It's believed the structure was shifted around 1908 in response to the introduction of motor vehicles, which could damage the fountain in an accident.

Mr Farquhar-Still said while it's withstood the elements well, the fountain's recent deterioration signalled that work needed to start now.

"The goal of this restoration project is to retain as much of the original structure as possible and to return it to its original state," he said.