Wesley Vale
Wesley Vale is a locality and town in the local government area of Latrobe on the north west coast of Tasmania, Australia. It is located approximately east of Devonport, and west of Port Sorell.
Wesley Vale has a primary school, Andrews Creek Primary School, which stands on the site of the former Wesley Vale Primary School, established in 1899.
History
In the post-war period, the Tasmanian Housing Department undertook large-scale residential development to address housing shortages. Pardoe Downs, within the boundaries of Wesley Vale, was one of the major subdivisions built in Devonport during the 1950s and 1960s, alongside similar estates in Hobart, Launceston, George Town and Burnie.The locality was gazetted in 1962.
The 2016 census determined a population of 443 for the state suburb of Wesley Vale. At the, the population had increased to 483.
Geography
The waters of Bass Strait form the northern boundary. The locality contains a mix of farmland, residential areas, and aviation infrastructure.Aviation
The northern section of Wesley Vale contains Devonport Airport, originally known as the Pardoe Downs Aerodrome. It was officially opened in November 1950 by the Minister for Air, Arthur Drakeford, in a ceremony attended by Dame Enid Lyons. More than 10,000 people attended the opening, where it was announced that £140,000 had been spent on the facility, with further works planned to make it one of the most modern airports in Australia.Devonport Airport continues to serve north-west Tasmania, providing regular commercial passenger services across Bass Strait and supporting general aviation.