Zeehan, Tasmania

Zeehan is a town in the west of the Australian state of Tasmania. It is located 139 km south-west of Burnie. At the 2006 census, 845 inhabitants were found It belongs to the Local Government Area West Coast Municipality.

The city was named after the nearby Mount Zeehan. This in turn was named by George Bass and Matthew Flinders after Abel Tasman's brig Zeehaen.

History

The region has the most rich history in Tasmania. Abel Tasman sighted this part of the island in 1642. An early port for Zeehan was Trial Harbour, which was very uncertain due to its location on Ocean Beach, and so its function was soon taken over by Strahan. Zeehan was founded as a mining area. After the discovery of silver and lead deposits of Zeehan and Dundas in 1882 by Frank Long a town arose. The best time of mining was the First World War, the reduction of galena in the mines of Montana and Oceana but was continued until 1963. The population of Zeehan and the adjacent Dundas reached 10,000 in 1910, peaked. This was about ten times as much as today.

Zeehan was clearly in competition with the major city in the south, Queenstown, and as long as the silver boom lasted, the city as the " Silver City " was known. In the first decade of the 20th century, it could take Zeehan of size with Launceston and Hobart. In his more than 3.2 km (2 miles ) long main street there were more than 20 hotels. In the 1970s there was with the operation of nearby tin mine Renison Bell increased activity in the city, and also in the 1990s.

Railway

Zeehan was an important railway junction - the end of Emu Bay Railway and the beginning of state Strahan - Zeehan Railway, which connected with Regatta Point Strahan, where the Mount Lyell Railway created the connection to Queenstown. Also, there was in the early history of the city, a number of timber transport paths that led to the Pieman River and other destinations of Zeehan.

Some of the narrow gauge railways east of Zeehan were remarkable. On one of them the first Garratt steam locomotive that was built specifically for this job went.

After the state-owned railway connection between Zeehan and Strahan was closed, the Mount Lyell Mining and Railway Company promoted its copper ore by truck to the terminus of the Emu Bay Railway in Melba Flats a few kilometers east of Zeehan.

Climate

Economy

The nickel mine of Allegiance Limited Avebury, the Comstock - zinc mine in Zeehan and operated by Bluestone Tin Tin Mine Renison Bell are important economic factors for the city, but the main industry is tourism yet.

Attractions

Its attractions include the West Coast Pioneers Museum in the old School of Mines - Building. The street grid of Zeehan is typical of the city.

Well-known residents

The well-known concert pianist Eileen Joyce was born in Zeehan and Eileen Joyce Memorial Park was named in her honor.

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