Queenstown (Tasmania)

Queenstown is a former mining town near Tasmania's west coast. It's most notable for its almost lunar landscape. This is because the minerals being mined (mostly zinc and copper) were extremely toxic, and the tailing heaps left behind were extremely inhospitable to plant life. Also, the trees in the area were all logged for use in the mining process.

There is not a lot to see in the town, apart from the West Coast Wilderness Railway, but tourists visit to see the unusual landscape, and because it is en route to popular Strahan. The barren terrain is gradually being recolonized by plants, and vegetation is returning to the hills.

Get in

By car

Take the A10 highway from Hobart. This is a 250 km drive and takes about 4 hours.

By train

The West Coast Wilderness Railway [1] operates as a tourist attraction between Queenstown and Strahan, a distance of 34 km. The ordinary railway connection between Queenstown and the rest of Tasmania closed in 1960.

By air

Strahan Airport - Although helicopter and fixed wing flights operate from here for charter flights into the south-west wilderness area, or over locations in western Tasmania, there are currently no regular passenger flights to Strahan from other airports in Tasmania.

See

The Gallery Museum - Corner Driffield Street and Sticht Street. Tel: +61-3-6471-1483. Displays and information on Queenstown and surrounding areas, including photographic and minerals collections plus local memorabilia. Housed in the original Imperial Hotel, built in 1897.

Drink

• Empire Hotel [2] - 2 Orr Street. Tel: +61-3-6471-1699. Heritage building with National Trust listed staircase. Dining room with open fireplace. Lounge Bar, Public Bar and bottle shop. Gaming machines. Accommodation.

Sleep

• Gold Rush Motor Inn [3] - 65 Batchelor Street. Tel: +61-3-6471-1005. Motel units with licensed restaurant and bar.

• Queenstown Cabin and Tourist Park - 17 Grafton Street. Tel: +61-3-6471-1332. Two, four & six berth self-contained cabins. Caravan sites. Backpackers' & fishermen's rooms. Grassed tenting area. Communal kitchen & modern amenities block, plus laundromat.

• Rack & Rail Bed and Breakfast [4] - Ore Street. Tel: 0417 514 130.

Get out

Strahan

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