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Strahan to Regatta Point Rail Trail

Tasmania - West Coast

4 based on 2 reviews
Location: Strahan, 300km from Hobart
Length: 3 km
Surface: Sealed
Start / End: Strahan to Regatta Point
Public Transport: None
Suitable for:
  • Cycling – Mountain BikesCycling – Mountain Bikes
  • Cycling – Touring and Hybrid BikesCycling – Touring and Hybrid Bikes
  • PramsPrams
  • Scooters and Inline SkatesScooters and Inline Skates
  • WalkingWalking
  • WheelchairsWheelchairs

  • Rail Trail
  • On Road
  • Potential RT
  • Other Trail
  • Former Railway
View Map

The bustling tourist town of Strahan lies on the northern end of Macquarie Harbour.

The trail follows the foreshore, offering wonderful views of the historic town and its harbour.

Now a fully sealed, concrete trail, it follows the former railway that connected the Abt rack railway from Queenstown with the main line north to Zeehan and Burnie.

The Abt railway is now an operational tourist railway which operates daily.

Nearby Attractions

Strahan has many wonderful attractions and activities for visitors.  Some are listed here

Strahan is the departure point for the West Coast Wilderness Railway

Franklin–Gordon Wild Rivers National Park

Boat cruises provide an unforgettable journey through World Heritage Wilderness of the Gordon River.

Nearby, in Macquarie Harbour is Sarah Island, once a notorious convict prison

There are long stretches of wild ocean beach to explore with massive sand dunes

Take a 30-min walk (one way) to Hogarth Falls and go platypus spotting

 

Last updated: 6 December 2022

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2 reviews of “Strahan to Regatta Point Rail Trail”

Rode this on the 13 April. We had ridden from the Strahan caravan park to the dock for the boat trip on Macquarie Harbour for the day. After the finish of the day cruise we trundled around the bay to Regatta Point on this path. Very pleasant and easy. Path actually starts near the primary school and follows the esplanade around to the town centre and then continues on to Regatta Point.

Walked on sections of this trail in January 2019. A popular walking and cycling trail with locals and tourists. Lovely way to see the harbour and the waterfront part of Strahan township.

Background Information

Traditional Owners

We acknowledge the Peerapper and  Tommeginne people, the traditional custodians of the land and waterways on which the rail trail is built.

Rail line history

The railway was built from Queenstown to Strahan by the Mount Lyell Mining Co. which  began operations in November 1892. The railway officially opened in 1897, and again on 1 November 1899 when the line was extended from Teepookana to Regatta Point and Strahan.

Due to the extremely rugged terrain and lack of roads at the time, the railway was the only way to get copper from the mine at Queenstown to markets.

The railway utilised the Abt rack and pinion system for steep sections. Because of the steep gradients and many tight turns, the chosen gauge was the narrow 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm)

The original line continued into the Mount Lyell mining operations area in Queenstown, and at Regatta Point the line linked around the foreshore of Strahan to link with the Government Line to Zeehan.

The railway ceased operation on 10 August 1963 due to increasing maintenance costs and the improvement of road access to the West Coast from the north with the opening of the Murchison Highway. The last train run was hauled by the same locomotive that ran the first service (no.1 in 1896 was the first engine to steam into Queenstown). The rail and other movable items were lifted taken off-site, leaving most of the bridges intact.

Despite various proposals post 1963, it was not until the 1990s some very committed local West Coast people campaigned for the restoration of the Abt Railway as a heritage tourist attraction featuring the unique rail system and the community’s mining history.

The restoration of the Abt Railway was made possible through the allocation of $20 million from the Federal Government’s Prime Minister’s Federal Fund, with further funding from the State Government and some private investment.

The restored railway commenced operations on 27 December 2002 as the Abt Wilderness Railway, with the new terminus in Queenstown. The station at Regatta Point terminus has been renovated.

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