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West
Coast Pioneers' Memorial Museum |
A fascinating attraction for all ages. Featuring
exhibits of early West Coast Mining.
Tasmania's rugged West Coast is internationally
recognised as one of the world's richest mineral
provinces for both the diversity and the quantity of its
ore deposits.
Following the discovery of the Mt Bischoff tin deposits
in 1871 prospectors who penetrated the West Coast
wilderness to pan its creeks and rivers and to prospect
its mountains and valleys found almost every known
mineral of value to man including gold, silver, copper,
tin, lead, zinc, tungsten, iron ore and osmiridium. |
Mt Lyell Mining and Railway
Co. Ltd's Abt railway under construction, 1895.
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By the turn of the century scores of mines and dozens of
rip-roaring mining towns had been established in the
West -Waratah, Zeehan, Queenstown, Strahan, Heemskirk,
Gormanston, Dundas Lynchford, Rosebery, Renison Bell,
Magnet, Crotty, Mt Read, Williamsford, Tullah, Corinna,
Remine and many more.
Some were mere shanty settlements of rough paling huts
and tents; others were substantial towns of brick and
mortar, built to last with no expense spared.
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Teepookana, the Mt Lyell
port on the King River before the railway was extended
to Strahan.
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The West Coast Pioneers' Memorial Museum at Zeehan is open
every day of the year, including public holidays.
The hours are 8.30 a.m. till 6 p.m. from October to March and
8.30 a.m. till 5 p.m. from April to September.
Admission is by donation.
Allow yourself a leisurely couple of hours to view the
exhibits.
The Museum has a restaurant and a wide range of Tasmanian
books and souvenirs for sale. |
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Accommodation in Strahan, Zeehan & Queenstown
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