Launceston may be known for its historic buildings and old-world atmosphere but it also offers all the dazzle of a 21st-century city. One of the best places to experience the glitzy side of Launceston is at Country Club Tasmania’s casino.

When the casino opened in 1982, it was only the second legal one in Tasmania and the third in Australia. It has since become the best place in Northern Tasmania to try your luck at poker, blackjack or the roulette wheel or to feed a coin into a machine and maybe win the jackpot.

If you’re looking for entertainment of a different kind, you’ll find plenty of options. Country Club Tasmania is one of Launceston’s premier venues for spectacular shows, comedy and live music. There are four bars and five restaurants in the complex, so you can keep your thirst quenched and your hunger sated.

You don’t have to wait until after sunset for the action to begin either. During the day you can go on wine tours or taste Tasmanian whisky, have a picnic, admire the art being exhibited on the premises, catch a movie at the in-house cinema or join in the weekly game of bingo. If you’d like to burn some energy, you can work out in one of two health centres, challenge your partner to a game of squash or tennis, go trout fishing on the lake or go walking in the bushland that surrounds the manicured lawns. Once a week there are tai chi classes. Kids will love feeding the ducks on the lake, going for a ride on a horse or a pony or simply being, well, kids in the dedicated playground.

Naturally an establishment named Country Club Tasmania would need to offer something for golfers. There is a fine 18-hole championship course as well as a driving range and a pro shop. In addition, the club offers golfing packages that include trips to Barnbougle Dunes and Barnbougle Lost Farm, the two world-renowned courses at Bridport.

Country Club Tasmania offers luxury accommodation in a variety of rooms, suites and villas. To get here from Launceston’s centre, you need to take the Bass Highway south and then the B54 into the suburb of Prospect Vale. The club can also arrange transport for you from Launceston Airport.