Burnie Attractions

Burnie (pop. 20,500) is the fourth largest town in Tasmania. Founded in 1829 and named after the director of a land development company, it originally consisted only of a few huts, a warehouse and a blacksmith's shop. It was given a great boost by the opening of a tin mine on Mount Bischoff (75km southwest), the ore from which was shipped from Burnie's deep-water harbor. In 1938 a large paper mill was established in the town, using wood from the great expanses of forest round the town. Burnie is still an important industrial town, with foodstuffs factories (milk products, chocolate) as well as the paper mill.