Zeehan Attractions

The little town of Zeehan (pop. 1200) is named after the ship in which Abel Tasman sailed round Tasmania in 1642. The discovery of silver in 1882 brought an economic boom, and by 1900 the town had a population of over 5000 and 26 hotels, making it Tasmania's third largest town. In 1908 mining began to decline, and in 1960 the last mine closed. Zeehan is now only a shadow of its former self.

A relic of the town's former prosperity is the Gaiety Theatre (1898; 1000 seats), in which such great stars as Enrico Caruso and Dame Nellie Melba once appeared. Another reminder of past splendor is the old Grand Hotel (1898), now used for a variety of functions. The West Coast Pioneers Memorial Museum, housed in the School of Mines (1894), has a magnificent collection of minerals. Beside the museum is a collection of old steam engines and rolling stock.