Queenstown Tasmania : A feature packed town at the end of urbanisation.

*We acknowledge the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the true custodians of the land on which we live and work*

During the summer of 1881 Con Lynch and Tom Currie led foraging parties inland from Macquarie Harbour to explore beyond the first King River gorge and the tributing Queen River. The motivation was to find new exploitable stands of valuable Huon Pine and prospect for Gold. They found a huge tract of ancient temperate rainforest with the densest proliferation of ancient Huon Pines and astonishingly King Billy pines growing together. They also panned traces of Gold in the Queen River. The government had recently made the incredible reward sum of 5000 pounds payable to the discoverer of a minable Goldfield in an effort to stop the population drain to the Victorian rush. A huge sum of money at the time, more than enough incentive to get hardy prospectors exploring the Western Wilderness.

None were hardier than Thomas Currie who prospected up the deep eastern gorge of a Queen River tributary noting a large spectacular waterfall on his right. He continued onto a ridge between Mt Owen and Mt Lyell and after recovering from near exhaustion he headed back down the Queen river valley without knowing he had camped and rested a few hundred yards from the Iron Blow.

Horsetail Falls - pre devastation

One of Lynches party then found a cricket ball sized chunk of Quartz stone heavy with nuggety Gold in a tributary to the lower Queen River. A Gold bearing quartzite ore body was identified and pegged, Lynch set off to file the claim and the King River Gold Mining Company was floated soon after.

A minor rush ensued and at least a dozen more claims were soon pegged. This first settlement at 'Lynches show' was established about a mile north of what would later become Lynchford.

Within a year a 15 mile cartway was established from the former colonial site of Farm Cove on Macquarie harbour to Lynches which enabled tools, equipment and machinery to be laboriously bullocked inland to the by then several established Piners and Miners shows. This first cartway into the Queen River valley would become known as the Lynch/Currie route.

The King River Gold Mine water powered 10 head stamp battery could soon be heard the length of the Queen River valley as it crushed quartzite ore.

King River Gold water powered stamp crusher : circa 1885

Early 1883, Brothers Bill and Mick McDonough (also known as the Cooney Boys) with Steve Karlson would form the trio that began mining Gold on the eastern flank of the ridge between Mt Lyell and Mt Owen. There, around a dark ironstone outcrop that looked as if it had been blown up from inside the ground and hence named the Iron Blow they pegged a claim and formed the Mt Lyell mining company.

10 years later Bowes Kelly would realise it to be a significant Copper deposit. Without divulging vital information to the incumbent stakeholders (most notably Mr James Crotty) he proceeded to transform this early effort into the Mt Lyell Mining & Railway Company.

Queenstown became the major town of the several that made up the Lyell district.

Built around the success of the Pyritic Smelter chiefly innovated by Robert Sticht and the Abt Railway, from 1897 the town quickly grew to boast a population exceeding 5000. Combined with the nearby earlier townships of Gormanston, Linda, Lynchford, Comstock, and later the Lake Margaret village, the Lyell district population peaked at just over 10000 and would maintain around 7000 people until 1970. The 1963 closure of the Railway as the company switched to automotive and the 1969 closure of the smelter as world trade exchanges started to take effect saw the workforce shed 1000 employees. When mining went large scale underground from 1972 the implementation of mechanisation combined with the outsourcing of some supplies and services further eroded the employee numbers. 12 hr shift rostered work regimes were applied from 1989 and the winding up of the community nurturing Mt Lyell Mining & Railway Company saw the population diminish to 3200 by the mid 1990's. Queenstown's resident population continued to decline after 1995 when principal contractors were invited to tender for the Mt Lyell mining operation. The workforce quickly became transient and the remaining locals economic focus began to shift away from mining. Queenstown's resident population diminished to just 1700.

By the late 2000's after almost a decade of stagnancy, even though the Mt Lyell mine was producing record tonnages, Queenstown was noticeably evolving. Even acknowledgement and recognition of the game changing NO DAMS controversy of the early 1980's became a topic that could now be discussed with little fear of antisocial retribution. The regrowth of the forests started accelerating and became easily noticeable. Change had already occurred.

The Mt Lyell mine ceased production in 2014 and Queenstown has since become recognised as a spectacular wild place of artistic expression, nature based tourism and adventure activities yet still retains the interestingly unique spirited heritage of pioneer mining on the wild frontier.

Queenstown and Strahan remain on the wild frontier of Tasmania's Wilderness World Heritage Area (TWWHA). Recognised globally as a place of unspoilt ancient temperate wilderness, TWWHA is of infinitely greater universal value than any exploitable natural resource.

Cutten street Queenstown

Queenstown is the centre of services for Western Tasmania.

District Hospital: At the top end of Orr street has 3 emergency rooms, several acute wards, aged care, Xray, pathology and most other health care services one would expect at a regional hospital. GP consultation, emergency medivac services and general patient transfer services.

Pharmacy: Queenstown Medical Union comprehensive pharmacy. Professionally staffed and led by a resident pharmacist. Orr street.

Chiropractor and remedial massage: At the Queenstown Medical union building on Cutten street.

Australia Post: The post office is in the centre of Orr street and stocks a range of clothing, stationary, media devices, gifts and souvenir items.

Service Tasmania: Where government services can be accessed and engaged. Located under the same roof as local government (council). Main entrance is on Driffield street. The Robert Sticht memorial library is here.

Banking and Finance: Queenstown has face to face banking services supported by Bendigo Bank. Orr street.

Hair salon: Belladonna provides the full range of haircare services. Includes a barber shop style service. Cutten street.

Homewares, tools, utensils, hardware lines, gardening supplies, electrical goods and basic clothing lines.....Queenstown Market Place. As the name suggests. Most things can be found here. Orr street.

Supermarkets: Queenstown has two IGA supermarkets. Both in Orr street, are very well stocked and have friendly local staff.

Second Hand store: St Vincents second hand opportunity shop (Vinnies) Cutten street.

The Barnstore on McNamara street Queenstown has a collection of eclectic items for sale and trade. Find market trade booths where locally created items and souvenirs can be purchased. Great souvenirs can be purchased from The Empire Art Box on the corner of Orr and Driffield streets, the Huon Pine Emporium and the Missing Tiger book shop both on Orr street.

Art galleries: Queenstown has a robust and varied art scene with galleries and installations across town. Call into the Soggy Brolley art and design studio on Orr street or contacting the team at Presswest on Bowes street is a great place to get started. Find QWest across Driffield street from the Railway station and Frontier studio at Hunters Hotel.

Swimming Pool: Queenstown has a public swimming pool operated by local council with change and shower facilities available. Located along the Esplanade.

Gym: The well equipped gym is operated by the local council and can be accessed by contacting the local council office on Sticht street. Phone 64 714 700

Schools and childcare: Queenstown has a public school from prep to year 10 located in South Queenstown on Conlan street and a private (St Josephs) primary school located on Orr street. There is an early learning childcare facility on Selby street.

7XS local radio: Tune into 92.1FM