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Tasmania (Western Region) |
| Zeehan | |
| The town became prosperous from the silver-lead mines which opened in the 1880s, and at its height boasted a population of eight thousand. However, the mines had already begun to fail by 1908, and the town was not to see a revival until the 1970s, when the Renison Bell tin mines were opened. Several boom-period buildings are still standing, including the elaborate facade of the Gaiety Theatre, once the largest theatre in Australia, which hosted Houdini and Caruso but now houses a hairdresser’s. The West Coast Pioneer Memorial Museum on Main Street (daily 8.30am–5pm; $3) has displays on mining history. | |
| Accommodation
is expensive, with the Heemskirk Motor Inn, and even basic pub
rooms at the Hotel Cecil on Main Street are steep; however, you can
get decent counter meals here. The ANZ bank has restricted
opening hours (Mon 1–4pm, Tues 2–4pm, Wed 9am–noon, Thurs 9am–4pm,
Fri 2–5pm); there are no ATMs.
Getting there & away |
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| There’s
no fuel available on the A10 south of Corinna
until you reach the small settlement of TULLAH, 40km south, where
you’ll find a pub, tearooms and cottage accommodation. Fourteen
kilometres further on is the comparatively large town of ROSEBERY,
a good place to stock up on supplies, with full banking facilities
at the ANZ bank (Mon, Tues & Fri 9am–noon, Wed 2–4pm; closed
Thurs). From here, it’s 23km to the turn-off to ZEEHAN, 6km
southwest off the A10.
From Zeehan it’s possible to go straight to Strahan (47km) on a sealed road (B27), bypassing Queenstown and visiting the Henty Dunes en route; or you could head back to the A10 (called the Zeehan Highway until Queenstown) and reach Strahan via Queenstown, another 32km along the highway. |
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