Queenstown, the largest town on Tasmania's West Coast, is surrounded by dramatic hills and mountains and was once the world's richest mining town. The copper mining and mass logging in the early 1900s created a surreal and rocky 'moonscape' of bare coloured conglomerate.
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Although Mother Nature is slowly creeping back into the landscape, the scenic drive into Queenstown down a spiralling road with over 90 bends nothing short of spectacular.
There's plenty for the curious visitor to do, from an underground mine tour and local history museum to walks in the nearby wilderness, here are some highlights you won't want to miss.
Architecture
A walk through the main street is like stepping back in time. The building facades are still strongly redolent of the high colonial period with the old Victorian hotels, the forbidding Post Office tower and the magisterial Paragon art deco theatre evoking a surpassed age of aspiration to grandeur and prosperity.
Hike for great views
Bring your hiking boots and make for Gormonston Hill to really appreciate the spectacular view from the Iron Blow Lookout. The lookout gives you a bird's eye view of the open-cut mine with the stains of mineral deposits streaking the pit's walls. It makes for a hauntingly beautiful site with its unnatural colours marking the landscape.
A step back in time
For a real look into the past, Lake Margaret Power Station is a must. Take a tour of Tasmania's first of many hydro-electrical schemes. Learn about life in Lake Margaret, the mining heritage and how the power station was saved from closure. You can also take a tour of the ghostly village that still stands and is wonderfully interpreted inside the village hall.
Jump on board
The West Coast Wilderness Railway offers an historic journey through mountainous terrain and rainforest over 34.5 kilometres between Queenstown and Regatta Point, Strahan.
With its rich mining history dating back to the late 1800s, the track encompasses a remarkable engineering feat that is the steepest steam rail line in the Southern Hemisphere.