Queenstown - TAS

Travellers approaching Queenstown from the east could be forgiven for thinking that they had strayed onto the surface of the moon. Copper mining and mass logging in the early 1900s created a rocky 'moonscape' of bare coloured conglomerate.

Queenstown is the gateway to the west coast and is close to the edge of Tasmania's World Heritage Wilderness Area and surrounded by great fishing lakes. It is the largest town on Tasmania's west, is surrounded by dramatic hills and mountains and was once the world's richest mining town.

From the east you approach Queenstown down a spiralling road with over 90 bends. The decent is nothing short of spectacular and a testament to the brutal reality of Tasmania's mining past.

The town now thrives on tourism. Not only does nature attract visitors to the town but its history is illustrated with historic buildings, many of them heritage listed and still in use. The population of around 1,800 are justly proud of their town and community. There is a growing creative community of artists and makers.

Queenstown is also home to the historic West Coast Wilderness Railway, a unique heritage and wilderness experience that runs full and half-day steam train journeys along a historic 35km track between Queenstown and Strahan.

Queenstown is a 2-hr drive (162 km) from Burnie and 3.5-hour drive (260 km) from Hobart.