The area was a thoroughfare for several Tasmanian Aboriginal groups for tens of thousands of years as they traversed the high inland of the island at different times for ceremony, food and the seasons.

Oatlands was given its name by Lachlan Macquarie in 1821. The town boomed in the 1830s and 40s with military barracks, a supreme courthouse, hanging gaol, competing stagecoach companies and a slew of inns. Most of the convict-hewn sandstone buildings, built in the Georgian style, were erected in this time.

The iconic Callington Mill (1837) ground locally grown grains until the 1870s, when hard times and competition from the larger population centres forced its closure.

Bypassed by the Midlands Highway more than twenty years ago, Oatlands became the town that Tasmanians forgot. The Mill was restored and began grinding again in 2010. Pandemic restrictions in 2020 forced people to remember their own state's quirks and comforts, and local travelers rediscovered the town.

Oatlands became, again, the place to meet in the middle.

These days Oatlands is a quietly strong village boasting all the services - hospital, school, supermarket, pharmacy and fuel station. The new indoor aquatic centre and destination playground bring families to play. Our local eateries offer a wide range of great food throughout the day, and the pub and wine bar make for cosy evening options. Lake Dulverton attracts a huge number of seasonal birds, and there are bike tracks and walks for all two and four legged creatures.