Showing posts with label Queenstown. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Queenstown. Show all posts

Sunday, 22 January 2012

Tasmania: Part IX

The interior of our carriage on the West Coast Wilderness Railway.
The steam train runs on a rack and pin track, which was a feat of engineering
 and human  endurance when it was built through rugged mountain terrain
in the late 1800s to transport tin, silver and other metals from
Queenstown to the port at Strahan (click to enlarge).


Terrain like this...the King River Valley


The King River, which is slowly recovering from the devastating
effects of decades of polluting mining practices used
in the region. Not long ago it was considered a 'dead' river.


The locomotive





Wednesday, 18 January 2012

Tasmania: Part VIII

 Queenstown is known for its bare hills, the result of logging to feed
mine furnaces  and acid rain in years gone by (click to enlarge)


But it was the high number of dilapidated houses and buildings
 that we couldn't get over. It was kind of depressing, to be honest




Even the beer depot looks ready to fall down!
 
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