Strahan–Zeehan Railway Explained

Strahan–Zeehan Railway
Open:	1892
Close:	1960
Linelength Km:	51
Map State:	collapsed

The Strahan–Zeehan Railway, also known as the "Government Railway", was a railway from Strahan to Zeehan on the west coast of Tasmania.

It linked two private railways: the Mount Lyell Mining and Railway Company railway line (now known as the West Coast Wilderness Railway) between Queenstown and Regatta Point, and the Emu Bay Railway between Zeehan and Burnie.

Early photographs of the Strahan wharf and buildings adjacent taken from the north usually have the railway tracks in the lower section of the photograph, as the line followed the shore from Regatta Point around the bay before passing northward in what is considered to be West Strahan today.

The line ran parallel to Ocean Beach before heading towards Zeehan.^[1]

It was a critical link, due to the difficulties of shipping negotiating the entrance Macquarie Harbour and was essential during the 1912 North Mount Lyell disaster. The track gauge of the lines between Burnie was the same all the way to Queenstown.^[2]

Flooding and fire affected the most important link, the Henty Bridge, at stages in the line's history. 1920 was one year where the break in the line is recorded.^[3]

The line was heavily reliant upon the mining industry and its fortunes, and traffic reduced drastically at times of mining down-turns.^{[4] [5]}

Following its closure, parts became tracks and eventually the formation was made into the Zeehan-Strahan Road.

Dates

The line was opened on 4 February 1892, and it was closed 2 June 1960.^{[6] [7]}

Stations and stopping places

• Zeehan
• Silver Bell^[8]
• Austral^[9]
• Oceana Junction^[10]
• Professor
• Grieves Siding^[11]
• Eden
• Powell's Siding^[12]
• Mallana—renamed Fowler's Siding^{[13] [14]}
• Henty Bridge—renamed Koyule (1926)^[15]
• Henty^[16]
• Beach Road—also known as Ocean Beach
• Bellinger^[17]
• Opah—renamed Stella (1903)^[18]
• West Strahan^[19]
• Strahan Wharf^{[20] [21]}
• Regatta Point

See also

• Railways on the West Coast of Tasmania

Further reading

• Book: Atkinson, H.K.. Railway Tickets of Tasmania. 1991. 0-9598718-7-X.
• Book: Blainey, Geoffrey. Geoffrey Blainey. The Peaks of Lyell. 6th. St. David's Park Publishing. Hobart. 2000. 0-7246-2265-9.
• Book: Rae, Lou. The Abt Railway and Railways of the Lyell region. Lou Rae. Sandy Bay. 2001. 0-9592098-7-5.
• Book: Whitham, Charles. Charles Whitham. Western Tasmania – A land of riches and beauty. Reprint 2003. Municipality of Queenstown. Queenstown. 2003.

Notes and References

1. a photo of unidentified location on the route

2. News: STRAHAN-ZEEHAN RAILWAY. . . Hobart, Tas. . 11 December 1891 . 25 January 2016 . 3 . National Library of Australia.

   a news report with local concern about construction of the line, and its completion

3. News: STRAHAN-ZEEHAN RAILWAY. . . Burnie, Tas. . 19 February 1920 . 25 January 2016 . 3 . National Library of Australia.
4. News: STRAHAN-ZEEHAN RAILWAY. . . Launceston, Tas. . 11 June 1947 . 25 January 2016 . 2 . National Library of Australia.

   an early 1947 call for the closure, it remained open for over another ten years

5. News: STRAHAN-ZEEHAN RAILWAY. . . Burnie, Tas. . 5 September 1947 . 25 January 2016 . 4 . National Library of Australia.

   the decision to delay closing due to uncertainty of mining industry in Zeehan

6. Stokes. H.J.W.. The Tasmanian Government Railways on the West Coast. Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin. Australian Railway Historical Society. January–February 2003. 3–21, 43–62.
7. Book: Quinlan. Howard. Newland. John R.. 2000. Australian Railway Routes 1854-2000. Sydney. Australian Railway Historical Society New South Wales Division. 0-909650-49-7.
8. News: GUARD'S FOOT CRUSHED. . . Tasmania, Australia . 16 April 1909 . 24 December 2019 . 6 . Trove .
9. News: WEST COAST OF TASMANIA. . . Victoria, Australia . 22 June 1907 . 24 December 2019 . 15 . Trove .
10. News: STRAHAN-ZEEHAN RAILWAY. . . Tasmania, Australia . 3 February 1892 . 24 December 2019 . 3 . Trove . in 1892 mentioned as one of the intermediate stations on the line, along with Henty, and West Strahan
11. at heading Queensberry Mine News: HILL END GOLD. . . XXXI . 197 . Tasmania, Australia . 4 June 1920 . 11 September 2021 . 2 . National Library of Australia.
12. News: A CLOUDBURST . . CXXXV . 19,973 . Tasmania, Australia . 13 August 1931 . 11 September 2021 . 10 . National Library of Australia.
13. Fowler's Siding as homing pigeon racing location News: ZEEHAN CLUB . . Tasmania, Australia . 17 May 1939 . 11 September 2021 . 5 . National Library of Australia.
14. News: HOMING. . . Tasmania, Australia . 30 September 1932 . 11 September 2021 . 8 . National Library of Australia.
15. News: KOYULE . . Tasmania, Australia . 20 October 1938 . 11 September 2021 . 8 (DAILY) . National Library of Australia.
16. a picture of Henty Station from a photo of 1909
17. referred to as Bellinger culvert News: STRAHAN-ZEEHAN RAILWAY. . . CXII . 15,698 . Tasmania, Australia . 19 February 1920 . 11 September 2021 . 5 . National Library of Australia.
18. News: FIRE AT STELLA STATION. . . IV . 125 . Tasmania, Australia . 29 May 1911 . 11 September 2021 . 5 . National Library of Australia.
19. a picture of West Strahan turntable
20. News: STRAHAN WHARF. . . XCVII . 13,301 . Tasmania, Australia . 13 November 1912 . 11 September 2021 . 7 . National Library of Australia.
21. News: STRAHAN . . Tasmania, Australia . 3 September 1926 . 11 September 2021 . 4 . National Library of Australia.