Murchison Highway
Encyclopedia
The Murchison Highway runs from the West Coast
of Tasmania to Burnie, and was opened on 13 December 1963. The part of the Highway from Waratah to Burnie was known as the Waratah Highway until 1973 at the latest.
Prior to its construction, most transportation from the west coast to the north coast was required to use the Emu Bay Railway, or otherwise use shipping to Regatta Point
or Strahan
in Macquarie Harbour
.
This highway is susceptible to ice and snow in winter. One of the notorious sections is at the edge of Mount Black
, numerous accidents have occurred in the area. Also the Zeehan
to Rosebery
section has hazardous sections which can be affected by cold and wet weather.
Portions of the highway have been made redundant by extra roads built by Hydro Tasmania
during their work on the upper Pieman River
scheme and the Henty River dam schemes. These provide short cuts from Queenstown
straight through to Tullah
by going just west of the West Coast Range
.
West Coast, Tasmania
The West Coast of Tasmania is the part of the state that is strongly associated with wilderness, mining and tourism, rough country and isolation...
of Tasmania to Burnie, and was opened on 13 December 1963. The part of the Highway from Waratah to Burnie was known as the Waratah Highway until 1973 at the latest.
Prior to its construction, most transportation from the west coast to the north coast was required to use the Emu Bay Railway, or otherwise use shipping to Regatta Point
Regatta Point, Tasmania
Regatta Point is the location of a port and rail terminus in West Coast Tasmania, Australia- Port :Regatta Point is often assumed into the name of the locality across the bay in Macquarie Harbour, Strahan, Tasmania...
or Strahan
Strahan, Tasmania
-See also:* Convicts on the West Coast of Tasmania* Macquarie Harbour* Railways on the West Coast of Tasmania* West Coast Piners-Further reading:* *...
in Macquarie Harbour
Macquarie Harbour
Macquarie Harbour is a large, shallow, but navigable by shallow draft vessels inlet on the West Coast of Tasmania, Australia.-History:James Kelly wrote in his narrative "First Discovery of Port Davey and Macquarie Harbour" how he sailed from Hobart in a small open five-oared whaleboat to discover...
.
This highway is susceptible to ice and snow in winter. One of the notorious sections is at the edge of Mount Black
Mount Black
Mount Black is a prominent mountain, high, with a gentle snow-covered slope on its southwest side and a steep rock face on its northwest side, forming a part of the polar escarpment just west of Bennett Platform and the upper reaches of Shackleton Glacier. It was discovered and photographed by R...
, numerous accidents have occurred in the area. Also the Zeehan
Zeehan, Tasmania
Zeehan is a town on the west coast of Tasmania, Australia. It lies southwest of Burnie. At the 2006 census, Zeehan had a population of 845. It is part of the Municipality of West Coast....
to Rosebery
Rosebery, Tasmania
Rosebery is a town on the west coast of Tasmania, Australia. It is situated at the northern end of the West Coast Range, in the shadow of Mount Black and adjacent to the Pieman River now Lake Pieman....
section has hazardous sections which can be affected by cold and wet weather.
Portions of the highway have been made redundant by extra roads built by Hydro Tasmania
Hydro Tasmania
Hydro Tasmania, known for most of its history as The HEC, is the government owned enterprise which is the predominant electricity generator in the state of Tasmania, Australia...
during their work on the upper Pieman River
Pieman River
The Pieman River is a river on the West Coast of Tasmania, Australia. It was dammed with the 122m high Reece Dam in 1986 - creating Lake Pieman.-Name:...
scheme and the Henty River dam schemes. These provide short cuts from Queenstown
Queenstown, Tasmania
Queenstown is a town in the West Coast region of the island of Tasmania. It is located in a valley on western slopes of Mount Owen on the West Coast Range.It had a population of 5,119 people . At the 2006 census, Queenstown had a population of 2,117....
straight through to Tullah
Tullah, Tasmania
Tullah is a town in the northern part of the West Coast Range, on the west coast of Tasmania, about 111 km south of Burnie. The town has a population of roughly 270 people. At the 2006 census, Tullah had a population of 195....
by going just west of the West Coast Range
West Coast Range (Tasmania)
The West Coast Range of Tasmania is a group of mountains in the West Coast area of Tasmania in Australia that lies to the west of the Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park...
.