|
The Abt Railway
|
|
|
Queenstown, whose infamous "lunar landscape" was touted by the Tasmanian tourist board as a major attraction in the 1970s, is currently putting itself back on the tourist map for very different reasons, with the opening of the $25 million
Abt Railway
development. The original Abt railway was completed in 1896 to connect the Mount Lyell Mining Company with the port of Teepookana, and in 1899 the line was extended to Regatta Point in Strahan. The railway closed in 1963, when it became more economical to transport by road, but years of lobbying finally led to the federal government financing its redevelopment.
When the railway is fully completed this year, renovated steam trains - each carriage designed using a different Tasmanian wood - will travel the 35km from
Queenstown to Strahan
on restored 1896 rack and pinion track, passing en route some of Tasmania's most scenic wilderness - crossing bridges spanning wild rivers, and climbing over 200m up a 1:16 gradient. On the way it will pass historic settlements such as Lynchford Station, where passengers can alight for some gold panning, and Rinadeena. At the time of writing, the eleven-kilometre stretch between Queenstown and Rinadeena was already up and running (tel 03/6471 1700, fax 6471 2415; Lynchford return $17.50, Rinadeena return $28). Other useful information
for tourists (each section contains more specific sub-sections): |
|
Australia,
|