Tullah, Tasmania facts for kids
Quick facts for kids TullahTasmania |
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 Tullah
Location in Tasmania
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| Population | 202 (2021 census) |
| Postcode(s) | 7321 |
| Elevation | 169 m (554 ft) |
| Location |
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| LGA(s) | West Coast Council |
| State electorate(s) | Braddon |
| Federal Division(s) | Braddon |
Tullah is a small town located on the west coast of Tasmania, Australia. It sits among the mountains of the West Coast Range. Tullah is about 111 kilometers south of Burnie. Around 202 people call Tullah home.
Contents
A Town with a Mining Past
Tullah has two main parts. The older northern part was once a mining town. It was called Mount Farrell. This town started in 1900. People found silver lead ore there. The Mount Farrell Post Office opened in 1900. It changed its name to Tullah in 1910.
The Hydro Power Era
Later, Tullah grew bigger. The Hydro-Electric Commission expanded the town. This happened in the 1970s and 1980s. Tullah became a base for building the Pieman Scheme. This project created hydroelectric power. At its busiest, Tullah had about 2,500 people. Today, Tullah is a quiet community. It is popular for fishing on Lake Rosebery.
The Wee Georgie Wood Railway
Before good roads were built, a special railway helped Tullah. It was called the North Farrell Tramway. This railway later became known as the Wee Georgie Wood Railway. It used small trains to move things.
One famous train was "Wee Georgie Wood." It has been saved and restored. Another train, "Puppy," worked here too. Most of the old railway track is now under Lake Rosebery. But a short part of the track is still used today. You can find it near the Murchison Highway. This railway is a two-foot (610 mm) gauge. This was a common size back then.
The Wee Georgie Wood railway has other old trains. It has parts of a Krauss locomotive. It also has electric locomotives and a gang motor. A gang motor is a small vehicle used by railway workers. The town of Tullah is also mentioned in a book. It appears in the 1997 novel The Sound of One Hand Clapping by Richard Flanagan.
What Tullah Offers
Tullah has a few handy places for visitors and locals. There is a cafe where you can get a snack. The post office handles mail and bill payments. You can also find the Tullah Tavern and the Tullah Lakeside Lodge. Both offer places to stay. There is also a teddy bear shop and a woodwork shop. The town has a football oval for sports. You can also find an online access center.
Mobile phone service can be tricky in Tullah. It works better in the northern part of town. Television reception is generally fair. Many homes use satellite dishes for TV. Internet is available through ADSL2 or satellite.
The town sits right on the edge of Lake Rosebery. You can launch small boats into the lake. There is a boat ramp off Farrell Street, the main road.
Fun Things to See and Do
Tullah is a great place to see Australian wildlife. You might spot wombats, possums, and wallabies. If you are lucky, you might even see a tiger quoll. It is very rare, but you might even spot a Tasmanian devil.
Other towns close to Tullah include Rosebery, Zeehan, Queenstown, Strahan, and Waratah. Tullah is also near Cradle Mountain. You can also visit the Montezuma Falls by going through Rosebery.
The area around Tullah has many beautiful lakes. These include Lake Mackintosh, Pieman, Murchison, Plimsoll, and Herbert. Many rivers flow nearby too. Some of these are the Mackintosh, Sophia, Murchison, and Pieman. There are also smaller creeks like Animal Creek.
You can also visit the Murchison Dam. There is a special tunnel called the Sophia Adit. It leads to the main Sophia Tunnel. This tunnel connects Murchison Dam to Lake Mackintosh. Other dams nearby are the Mackintosh Dam and Tullabardine Dam. You can launch boats into Lake Mackintosh from special ramps.
