Brighton is located approximately 20 kilometres north-east of Hobart on the eastern side of the Derwent River and forms part of the urban-rural interface of Greater Hobart. The municipality is bordered by Derwent Valley, Southern Midlands and Clarence Councils and is traversed by the Midland Highway, East Derwent Highway, the main north-south railway line and the Jordan River. The municipality consists of nine suburbs. Dromedary, Honeywood and Tea Tree are predominantly rural. Bridgewater, Brighton, Gagebrook, Herdsmans Cove and Old Beach are predominantly urban and house the vast bulk of the population, and Pontville is a significant colonial era village. Brighton has a proud rural heritage and today is home to wineries, cherry growers and a host of other niche produce. The municipal area is approximately 170 square kilometers. It is Tasmania’s fastest growing community with a municipal population exceeding 17,000, and an annual growth rate well in excess of 2 per cent. Brighton has a relatively young population with a median age of 31 compared to the State average of 39.