Queenstown Torn Down
This area has had tin, copper & gold extracted from just about every rock around over the last couple of hundred years. It’s an example of how bad it can get & what used to happen before environmental impact was considered. They have had everything from acid rain and toxic mine tailings to dead rivers. It’s estimated to take another thousand years before the area may recover.
Dead Queen River
However…
There are some areas that look completely untouched as we discovered on our Choo Choo ride up the mountain on the rack & pinion railway. We took the half day “Rack & Gorge” trip on the “West Coast Wilderness Railway” from Queenstown to Dubbil Barril (return)
Our very own Thomas the Tank Engine getting his tank filled
The steam engines now run on oil. Originally they ran on coal (from Newcastle of course) but now it’s oil sourced mostly from Tassie recycled sump oil.
Control Centre
Mobile phones had to be turned off during the journey as it affects the engines navigation system…
Rainforest Rails
Rinadeena Station Wefie
The whole track was done by hand with no explosives. Sounds kinda like hard work.
King River Gorge
Dubbil Barril Station
A view into the business end
The bridge looked solid enough
Some fittings were not from Tassie
Blackwood Carriage
Sassafras Carriage
A fun day was had & although we travelled in comfort it gave us some insight into how difficult it must have been to construct the rail line all those years ago.
VanExtraOrdinaire.com 
Thay can’t spel gud at dubbil barril