Tullah, Tasmania

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Tullah is a town in the northern part of the West Coast Range, on the west coast of Tasmania, about 111 km south of Burnie.

It was originally a mining town called Mount Farrell.[1] It was later used as a hydroelectric power scheme construction town during the making of the Pieman Scheme, but is now mainly a community at the edge of the Pieman River Dam and a fishing location. Prior to adequate roads being built in the area, it was serviced by the Wee Georgie Wood Railway under its earlier name of the North Farrell Tramway.

The locomotive Wee Georgie Wood has been salvaged and returned to operation on a short length of track on the Murchison Highway, along with some rolling stock. The track is a two-foot (610 mm) gauge, standard at the time.

Tullah features in the novel "The Sound of One Hand Clapping" by Richard Flanagan, published in 1997.

Contents

[edit] Local amenities

Tullah has a shop, a post office (no deliveries, reception and sending only), a service station, chalets and the Tullah Tavern (which both offer accommodation), a teddy bear shop, a woodwork shop, a football oval, a cricket club, and a growing number of modern amenities, including an online access centre.[1]

Mobile telephone service is erratic, more reliable in the northern part of town, and in the hills above town. Television reception is also erratic, and many houses have a satellite TV dish. Internet connectivity is dialup or VSAT satellite link.

The town is located on the shore of Lake Rosebery. Small boats can, with care, be launched into the lake from the boat ramp off the main street, Farrell Street.

[edit] Local attractions

Animals which can be seen in the area include: wombats, possums, wallabies, the occasional tiger quoll and (rarely) a Tasmanian Devil.

Towns near Tullah include Rosebery, Zeehan, Queenstown, Strahan and Waratah. It is also near Cradle Mountain and (via Rosebery) the Montezuma Falls.

Local lakes include the Mackintosh, Pieman, Murchison, Plimsoll and Herbert. Local rivers include the Mackintosh, Sophia (south end of Lake Mackintosh), Murchison, Pieman, Que and Fossey and various tributaries and creeks, such as Animal Creek.

Nearby are Murchison Dam, and the Sophia Adit, a mine-style tunnel leading to the main Sophia Tunnel which links Murchison Dam with Lake Mackintosh. An alternative is the Mackintosh Dam and Tullabardine Dam. There are boat ramps into Lake Mackintosh.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Dennison, C.J. (undated, c. 1995) Where in Tasmania, Glenorchy, Tasmania: self-published ISBN 0-646-18747-3

[edit] Further reading

  • Blainey, Geoffrey (2000). The Peaks of Lyell, 6th ed., Hobart: St. David's Park Publishing. ISBN 0-7246-2265-9. 
  • Whitham, Charles. Western Tasmania: A Land of Riches and Beauty.
2003 edition - Queenstown: Municipality of Queenstown.
1949 edition - Hobart: Davies Brothers. OCLC 48825404; ASIN B000FMPZ80
1924 edition - Queenstown: Mount Lyell Tourist Association. OCLC 35070001; ASIN B0008BM4XC

[edit] External links

Coordinates: 41°44′S, 145°37′E