Thomas Fleming arrived in Van Diemen's Land in 1817, and, in 1836, built an inn in the area which he named ‘Tunbridge Wells Inn’ after his home town in Kent in England.

Tunbridge is the site of Australia’s oldest single span wooden bridge, built by convicts, and spanning the Blackman River – a rare example of a sandstone bridge with wooden decking – and was used as a meeting place for Irish political exiles during the early days of settlement.

It was a central mid-journey stopover for the stage coaches travelling between Hobart and Launceston. In fact, there were three coaching inns in the town.

Each inn was associated with a different coaching company. The Tunbridge Wells serviced J.E. Cox Coaches, the Victoria Inn serviced Samuel Page Coaches and the York Inn serviced Alfred Burbury Coaches.

Tunbridge Manor is at the centre of town and dominates the townscape. Other buildings of importance include the Colonial Homestead, built in 1820, and the Tunbridge Wells Inn (now closed down). There is also the Victoria Inn (outside is a sandstone roller used to roll the roads by the convicts) and the Coaching Stables built in 1843.

Tunbridge also features the Blind Chapel (now the Masonic Hall) – reputedly 'blind' which meant there were no windows on one side so the parishioners didn't have to look at the local pub. Bowerman's General Store, a handsome two-storey Georgian building with a five bay facade and slim columns, is also prominent.

James Maclanachan (1799 – 1884) was one of the prominent early settlers in the area and a member of Tasmanian House of Assembly between 1859 and 1862 as the Member for the district of Oatlands. His main claim to fame was his stance against State aid for religions even though he was a staunch supporter of the Free Church of Scotland.

He was granted 500 acres of land near Tunbridge and named the property Ballochmyle.On his death he bequeathed £100 to build a Presbyterian church in Tunbridge and £400 for its first minister.

Tunbridge is a very “off the main road” little town these days with very little commerce. Even the Tunbridge Post Office was closed in 1994.