Bike rental Rent-A-Cycle Tasmania, from Launceston City Youth Hostel . Bikes from $70 per week, mountain bikes from $110.

Camping equipment The best place to rent gear is from Launceston City Youth Hostel . Another good option is Allgoods, with two stores at 71-79 York St and 60 Elizabeth St. Paddy Pallin, 110 George St, focuses on the top end of the market and also rents gear and sells fuel, a wide range of freeze-dried foods, guidebooks and maps.

Car rental Advance Car Rentals, 32 Cameron St (tel 03/6391 8000 or free call 1800 030 118), has rates from $83 with a $20 surcharge for one-day rental. They also hire out 4WDs, from $105 per day. Auto Rent Hertz, 58 Paterson St (tel 03/6335 1111), charges from $67 per day, and has campervans; Economy Car Rentals, 27 William St (tel 03/6334 3299), has cars from $62 per day; Lo-Cost Auto Rent, 152 Cimitiere St (tel 03/6334 3437), has rates from $55 per day; Ryan's Minicar Rentals (tel 03/6344 3600) has old Leyland minis from $27 per day.

Hospital Launceston General, Charles St (tel 03/6332 7111).

Internet access Free access at the Service Tasmania Centre, next door to the main library in Civic Square.

Left luggage Redline, 18 Charles St, charges $1.10 per item for 24hr (tel 03/6336 1444).

Motorbike rental Tasmanian Motorcycle Hire, 17 Coachmans Rd, Evandale (tel 03/6391 9139; from $70 per day, helmets $7.50).

Parking Plaza Quadrant Car Park, entrance on 94 York St, near the corner of George St (Mon-Fri 7am-6.30pm, Sat 7.30am-5.15pm), charges $7.70 per day, $15.70 per 24hr. It also has cheaper long-term rates if you want to leave your vehicle here while you go on the Overland Track.

Pharmacy Todd's Centre Pharmacy, 84 Brisbane St (daily 9am-10pm; tel 03/6331 7777).

Post office 170 Brisbane St, Launceston, TAS 7250.

Swimming The Launceston Swimming Centre, Windmill Hill Reserve (tel 03/6337 1282), has an outdoor 50m pool, a diving pool, children's pool and waterslides. Aquarius Roman Baths, 127-133 George St (tel 03/6331 2255), are a very popular, self-indulgent complex of therapeutic warm, hot and cold baths, sauna, steam rooms, gym, massage and solarium; admission to baths and saunas $20 (or $33 per couple).

Taxis There's a taxi rank on George St between Brisbane and Paterson streets, and one on St John St outside Princes Square. Central Cabs (tel 13 008); Taxis Combined (tel 03/6331 5555).

Tours Tigerline Coaches (tel 03/6272 6611 or 1300/653 633) has a programme of tours: Launceston city sights (half-day; $39); Tamar Valley wine tour (half-day; $49); Sea Horse World at Beauty Point (half-day; $55); and a summer-only fairy penguin twilight tour ($49). Their Cradle Mountain tour ($68) doesn't give enough time at the park (no more than 2hr). Tiger Wilderness Tours (tel 03/6326 6515) operates a similar programme of tours: Evandale and the market (Sun 9am-1pm; $45); Tamar Valley (half-day; $48); Mole Creek caves and the wildlife park ($49); Freycinet National Park (full-day; $75); and an evening tour to see the fairy penguins ($38). Launceston Wilderness Walks (tel 03/6334 3477) offer cycle tours (half-day $55; full day $99), as well as walking tours of Cradle Mountain (3 days; $495) and Freycinet National Park (3 days; $495).