Regatta Point, Tasmania facts for kids
Regatta Point is a small but important place on the west coast of Tasmania, Australia. It's located right on the edge of Macquarie Harbour, a large natural harbor. For a long time, Regatta Point was a busy port and the end of a special railway line that helped transport valuable minerals from the mines in Queenstown.
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A Busy Port
Regatta Point is very close to the town of Strahan, Tasmania, which is just across the bay in Macquarie Harbour. In the past, other ports like Strahan and Pillinger also operated in Macquarie Harbour.
Today, most of the ships that use the famous and sometimes dangerous entrance to Macquarie Harbour, known as Hells Gates, are part of the local fishing fleet.
Railway Connections
Regatta Point was once the main port and the end point for the Mount Lyell Mining and Railway Company railway line. This railway connected the mines in Queenstown to the harbour.
When the railway was fully working before it closed in the 1960s, Regatta Point was where materials from the Mount Lyell mines were loaded onto ships. It was also where the private Mount Lyell railway connected with the government railway line. This government line went through Strahan on its way to Zeehan.
It was even possible for people to travel by train all the way from Queenstown to Burnie. They would use the Mount Lyell Line, then the government line to Zeehan, and finally the Emu Bay Railway line to Burnie.
The Station Building
The original railway station building at Regatta Point was unfortunately destroyed by fire in 1900.
Today, the station building has been rebuilt and beautifully restored. It now serves as the starting point for the popular West Coast Wilderness Railway. The building was carefully repaired after being at risk of falling apart from the 1960s to the 1990s.
Stations on the Line
The railway line from Regatta Point to Queenstown had several important stops along the way:
- Teepookana
- Dubbil Barril
- Rinadeena
- Lynchford
- Queenstown (Tasmania) railway station
Other Nearby Ports
Outside of Macquarie Harbour, the closest major ports on the north coast of Tasmania are Burnie, or Hobart in the southeast. There are smaller places where ships can anchor in between, but these often don't have any facilities, like Port Davey, or they can be quite dangerous, like Trial Harbour.
