Waratah Tasmania | |
---|---|
Coordinates | 41°26′S145°31′E / 41.433°S 145.517°E |
Population | 249 (SAL 2021) [1] |
Postcode(s) | 7321 |
Time zone | AEST (UTC+10) |
• Summer (DST) | AEDT (UTC+11) |
Location |
|
LGA(s) | Waratah-Wynyard Council |
State electorate(s) | Braddon |
Federal division(s) | Braddon |
Waratah is a locality and town in North Western Tasmania adjacent to Savage River National Park. The town was constructed to support a tin mine at Mount Bischoff. It is built at the top of a waterfall, and water was diverted from the stream to provide water for mine sluicing and processing. At the 2021 census, Waratah had a population of 249. [2] It was also the first town in Australia to have electric street lights in 1886. [3]
Tin was discovered at Mount Bischoff by James "Philosopher" Smith in 1871. The mine operated successfully at first. The easy ore was all extracted by 1893 when sluicing was discontinued. Mining continued opencut on the face of the mountain, and underground. The underground mine closed in 1914, but surface mining continued for some time before it also ceased after the price of tin slumped in 1929. The mine was reopened by the Commonwealth Government in 1942 to support the war effort, but it finally closed in 1947. [4] It was the mine that produced power for 400 incandescent streetlights in 1886. [3] Mount Bischoff Post Office opened on 1 September 1874 and was renamed Waratah in 1882. [5]
In the vicinity of the locality, a number of smaller mines worked at the same time as the Mount Bischoff workings. Mount Magnet silver mine was connected by the Mount Magnet Tramway within 10 miles south west of the town.
At the 2007 Australian federal election, the polling place at Waratah Primary School registered a total of 148 votes. 72 votes (49.32%) were cast for the Labor candidate Sid Sidebottom, 54 votes (36.99%) were cast for the Liberal candidate Mark Baker and 17 votes (11.64%) were cast for Greens candidate Paul O'Halloran. [6]
Waratah has a cold oceanic climate (Köppen climate classification: Cfb), unusually cool by Australian standards and bordering on a Subpolar oceanic climate (Cfc). It is one of the wettest and coldest locations in Tasmania. The town has a high frequency of cloudy days and maximum temperatures often fail to get above 10 °C, even in summer. Winter snowfall is common, and heavy rainstorms can be experienced throughout the year. Extremes have ranged from 32.8 °C (91.0 °F) to -5.5 °C (22.1 °F). Waratah's wettest month on record was May 1923 with 644.8 mm (25.3 in) of rain recorded. [7]
Climate data for Waratah (Mount Road, 609 m AMSL) | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °C (°F) | 32.8 (91.0) | 32.7 (90.9) | 31.7 (89.1) | 23.3 (73.9) | 19.4 (66.9) | 14.4 (57.9) | 12.5 (54.5) | 16.7 (62.1) | 18.5 (65.3) | 25.5 (77.9) | 27.8 (82.0) | 31.7 (89.1) | 32.8 (91.0) |
Average high °C (°F) | 17.6 (63.7) | 18.0 (64.4) | 15.7 (60.3) | 12.5 (54.5) | 9.9 (49.8) | 7.9 (46.2) | 7.2 (45.0) | 7.9 (46.2) | 9.7 (49.5) | 11.8 (53.2) | 13.9 (57.0) | 16.0 (60.8) | 12.3 (54.1) |
Average low °C (°F) | 6.3 (43.3) | 7.0 (44.6) | 5.9 (42.6) | 4.3 (39.7) | 2.8 (37.0) | 1.5 (34.7) | 0.8 (33.4) | 0.9 (33.6) | 1.7 (35.1) | 2.7 (36.9) | 3.8 (38.8) | 5.2 (41.4) | 3.6 (38.5) |
Record low °C (°F) | −0.2 (31.6) | 0.0 (32.0) | −1.7 (28.9) | −3.9 (25.0) | −5.5 (22.1) | −4.7 (23.5) | −5.0 (23.0) | −5.0 (23.0) | −3.9 (25.0) | −5.0 (23.0) | −3.9 (25.0) | −0.6 (30.9) | −5.5 (22.1) |
Average rainfall mm (inches) | 108.6 (4.28) | 91.9 (3.62) | 122.5 (4.82) | 170.1 (6.70) | 217.5 (8.56) | 224.1 (8.82) | 250.0 (9.84) | 255.7 (10.07) | 224.6 (8.84) | 197.6 (7.78) | 161.2 (6.35) | 139.0 (5.47) | 2,162.8 (85.15) |
Average rainy days (≥ 0.2mm) | 15.3 | 13.0 | 17.4 | 20.1 | 23.0 | 22.5 | 24.8 | 24.8 | 23.3 | 21.9 | 18.7 | 17.4 | 242.2 |
Source: Bureau of Meteorology [7] |
Climate data for Hellyer Mine Office (670 m AMSL) (−41° 57’ 22”, 145° 61’ 97”) ~22 km south-east of Waratah | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °C (°F) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 27.3 (81.1) |
Average high °C (°F) | 20.1 (68.2) | 20.2 (68.4) | 17.3 (63.1) | 13.9 (57.0) | 10.3 (50.5) | 8.3 (46.9) | 7.7 (45.9) | 8.5 (47.3) | 9.8 (49.6) | 12.2 (54.0) | 15.5 (59.9) | 18 (64) | 12.7 (54.9) |
Average low °C (°F) | 8.3 (46.9) | 8.8 (47.8) | 7.2 (45.0) | 5.3 (41.5) | 4 (39) | 2.6 (36.7) | 2.2 (36.0) | 2.2 (36.0) | 3 (37) | 3.6 (38.5) | 5.2 (41.4) | 6.5 (43.7) | 4.5 (40.1) |
Record low °C (°F) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | −3.6 (25.5) |
Average rainfall mm (inches) | 100.1 (3.94) | 65 (2.6) | 106.2 (4.18) | 125.9 (4.96) | 209.2 (8.24) | 188.9 (7.44) | 243.3 (9.58) | 265.9 (10.47) | 240.1 (9.45) | 194.1 (7.64) | 130.5 (5.14) | 161.9 (6.37) | 2,031.1 (80.01) |
Average rainy days (≥ 0.2mm) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 259 |
Source: Land Information System Tasmania |
Queenstown is a town in the West Coast region of the island of Tasmania, Australia. It is in a valley on the western slopes of Mount Owen on the West Coast Range.
Rosebery is a town on the west coast of Tasmania, Australia. It is at the northern end of the West Coast Range, in the shadow of Mount Black and adjacent to the Pieman River now Lake Pieman.
St Helens is the largest town on the north-east coast of Tasmania, Australia, on Georges Bay. It is known as the game fishing capital of Tasmania and is also renowned for its oysters. It is located on the Tasman Highway, about 160 km east of Tasmania's second largest city, Launceston. In the early 2000s, the town was one of the fastest growing areas of Tasmania, and reached a population of 2049 at the 2006 census. By the time of the 2021 census, it had a population of 2,206.
Zeehan is a town on the west coast of Tasmania, Australia 139 kilometres (86 mi) south-west of Burnie. It is part of the West Coast Council, along with the seaport Strahan and neighbouring mining towns of Rosebery and Queenstown.
Mount Magnet is a town in the Mid West region of Western Australia. It is one of the region's original gold mining towns, and the longest surviving gold mining settlement in the state. The prominent hill that is adjacent to the current townsite was called West Mount Magnet in 1854 by explorer Robert Austin, having named a smaller hill 64 km away, East Mount Magnet. Both hills had an extremely high iron content which affected the readings of his compass. West Mount Magnet had its Aboriginal name reinstated by the Surveyor General in 1972, "Warramboo," meaning campfire camping place. The magnetic variation at Mount Magnet is zero: magnetic north equals true north.
The Melba Line is a 1,067 mm narrow-gauge railway on the West Coast of Tasmania. The line was originally constructed as a private railway line named the Emu Bay Railway and was one of the longest-lasting and most successful private railway companies in Australia. While at present the line travels from Burnie to Melba Flats, it previously ran through to Zeehan carrying minerals and passengers as an essential service for the West Coast community.
The Tarkine, officially takayna / Tarkine, is an area containing the Savage River National Park in the north west Tasmania, Australia, which contains significant areas of wilderness. The Tarkine is noted for its beauty and natural values, containing the largest area of Gondwanan cool-temperate rainforest in Australia, as well as for its prominence in Tasmania's early mining history. The area's high concentration of Aboriginal sites has led to it being described by the Australian Heritage Council as "one of the world's great archaeological regions".
Rossarden is a rural locality in the local government areas (LGA) of Northern Midlands (89%) and Break O'Day (11%) in the Central and North-east LGA regions of Tasmania. The locality is about 81 kilometres (50 mi) east of the town of Longford. The 2016 census recorded a population of 42 for the state suburb of Rossarden.
The mines of the West Coast of Tasmania have a rich historical heritage as well as an important mineralogical value in containing or having had found, specimens of rare and unusual minerals. Also, the various mining fields have important roles in the understanding of the mineralization of the Mount Read Volcanics, and the occurrence of economic minerals.
Avoca is a rural locality in the local government areas (LGA) of Northern Midlands (99%) and Break O'Day (1%) in the Central and North-east LGA regions of Tasmania. The locality is about 69 kilometres (43 mi) south-east of the town of Longford. The 2021 census recorded a population of 192 for Avoca.
Mount Bischoff is a mountain and former tin mine in the north-western region of Tasmania, Australia. The mountain is situated adjacent to Savage River National Park near the town of Waratah.
Guildford is a rural locality in the local government area (LGA) of Waratah–Wynyard in the North-west and west LGA region of Tasmania. The locality is about 81 kilometres (50 mi) south of the town of Wynyard. The 2016 census has a population of nil for the state suburb of Guildford.
Burnie City Council is a local government body in Tasmania, located in the city and surrounds of Burnie in the north-west of the state. The Burnie local government area is classified as urban and has a population of 19,348, which also encompasses Cooee, Hampshire, Natone and Ridgley.
Mathinna is a rural locality in the local government areas (LGA) of Break O'Day (97%) and Dorset (3%) in the North-east LGA region of Tasmania. The locality is about 83 kilometres (52 mi) south-west of the town of St Helens. The 2016 census recorded a population of 142 for the state suburb of Mathinna.
Lottah is a rural locality in the local government area (LGA) of Break O'Day in the North-east LGA region of Tasmania, Australia. The locality is about 27 kilometres (17 mi) north-west of the town of St Helens. The 2016 census recorded a population of 13 for the state suburb of Lottah. It is a small town in Northeastern Tasmania. The closest settlement is Pyengana and the closest major town is St Helens.
Mount Magnet silver mine, also known as the Magnet Silver Mining Company operated between 1902 and 1941.
Heinrich Wilhelm Ferdinand "Ferd" Kayser, was the mine manager of Mount Bischoff Tin Mining Company for thirty years.
Oonah is a rural locality in the local government areas of Burnie and Waratah-Wynyard in the North West region of Tasmania. It is located about 38 kilometres (24 mi) south-west of the town of Burnie. The 2016 census determined a population of nil for the state suburb of Oonah.
Cornwall is a rural locality in the local government area (LGA) of Break O'Day in the North-east LGA region of Tasmania. The locality is about 44 kilometres (27 mi) south-west of the town of St Helens. The 2016 census recorded a population of 65 for the state suburb of Cornwall.
Luina is a rural locality in the local government area (LGA) of Waratah–Wynyard in the North-west and west LGA region of Tasmania. The locality is about 93 kilometres (58 mi) south-west of the town of Wynyard. The 2016 census recorded a population of nil for the state suburb of Luina.