Queenstown

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Alluvial gold was discovered near Queen River in the 1880s. From “Let’s Talk About Queenstown, put out by the then Tasmanian Visitor Corporation:

The news of the rich gold reef was welcomes by Pieman River diggers who found it hard to make a living from the worked out creeks, and many walked down to F.O. Henry’s store at Long Bay (Strahan) to get stores and mining implements before going up the King River.

The going was very rough. After reaching the navigable part of the King River there were rapids to be negotiated at frequent intervals, and often the boat had to be towed from the banks. The land journey was worse — through almost impenetrable jungle, packs had to be carried on men’s back. Incessant rainfall soon turned tracks in quagmire, stinking with rotten vegetation — a trap for man and later for horses used on the trail.

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