To enjoy one of the best possible experiences on the west coast of Tasmania, contact Anthony Coulson from Queenstown Heritage Tours. If you’re really brave, book the Mt Lyell Underground Mine Tour.
Anthony Coulson: perfect mine tour guide
Mine Tour: Queenstown Tasmania
Actually, you don’t even need to be brave. I’ve been talking this up, as if I’ve achieved something quite significant by surviving the 3.5 hour Mt Lyell Underground Mine Tour.
But you all know what a chicken I am! I was apprehensive (read terrified) at the very mention of the “underground” bit. As it turns out, I didn’t even raise a sweat or feel remotely out of my comfort zone at any stage.
Deep underground Mt Lyell
Underground mine tour: Queenstown Tasmania
Mind you, aboard an authentic miner’s transport vehicle, the tour will have you travelling 6kms down the main decline (below the surface) to the lower shaft levels of the copper mine. That’s worth a little boast, I reckon! But the entire trip is just so fascinating and well-organised, visitors can breathe easily. Literally. You get to rock some stylish, groovy dress-ups (aka safety gear) just to make sure.
Hard-hat, miner’s lamp, gumboots, high viz vest
Boots made for mine tour
Queenstown: mining heritage
Authentic Boots and All Experience
Without question, the best part about this particular mine tour, was the guide. Anthony Coulson is a local bloke with vast experience of mining in Queenstown. It’s in the blood. From the moment you climb up into the back of the troopy, you’re with an insider.
Anthony Coulson: west-coast Tasmania
Amazing colours: minerals in the rocks
Originally, I thought Anthony should’ve launched into the tour-guide business straight from school, bypassing the mining apprenticeship. But his extensive knowledge has been hard-earned through hands-on experience, and tourists are now the beneficiary of that journey. Coupled with a passion for the west coast and an enthusiasm for history, Queenstown Heritage Tours has been forged with the perfect combination of skills. Anthony is willing and able to tackle any and all questions and answers honestly and thoroughly.
If you do book a mine tour with Anthony, don’t expect to spend the entire time underground Mt Lyell. Much of the expedition covers Tasmania’s history of mining in Queenstown particulaly, including original sites and the development of the industry. There’s no shirking the mine’s environmental impact and the current rehabilitation work required to restore the landscape either. You’ll hear poignant tales of the 1912 mining disaster, where 42 miners lost their lives in one of Australia’s worst tragedies.
Great views: authentic miner’s troopy
Queenstown Heritage Tours
Queenstown Heritage Tours
To find Queenstown Heritage Tours, wander past the Miners Siding on Driffield Street towards the Lyell Highway (within view from the Empire Hotel and West Coast Wilderness Railway station). There’s a bright orange sign announcing Mt Lyell Underground Mine Tours on the Evans Building near the Galley Museum. There’s every chance Anthony will be out on tour when you lob into town, so it’s always best to book in advance. You may notice other tour options too: Lost Mines, Ancient Pines and Lake Margaret Hydro Power (and we’ll share more about those tours soon). Both are fantastic additions to the mine tour, and with even more products in the pipeline, Queenstown will soon be recognised as a must-visit tourism destination on Tasmania’s west coast trail.
Queenstown Heritage Tours
Queenstown Heritage Tours: Miners Siding
Our FAMIL visit to Queenstown and Tasmania’s west coast region was made possible by…
- Mt Lyell Anchorage Bed and Breakfast: 17 Cutten Street, Queenstown TAS 7467 ~ phone (03) 6471 1900
- Queenstown Heritage Tours: 24 Sticht Street, Queenstown, TAS 7467 ~ phone 0407 049 612
- West Coast Wilderness Railway: 1 Driffield Street, Queenstown, TAS 7467 ~ phone (03) 6471 0100
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Comments relevant to this article are always most welcome, just leave a reply below. But first… please confirm the date of this article. Have you found something current, or is this ancient information? Either way, thanks for your company and come back again soon.
Anthony is a true blue West Coaster whom I’ve had the pleasure of working with underground in the past. You will not find a more honest and forthright person anywhere and I hope his business goes from strength to strength.
What a great endorsement. Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment John. Cheers!
Looks as though we are going to go back to Tassie just to do this tour. I thought we had our last trip there but this looks so exciting, a MUST do.
That’s what we like to hear Carol. You won’t regret your decision!
Have just done the Mount Lyell Underground Mine Tour with Anthony and it was the best and most interesting and authentic tour I have ever done. This is the 2nd time and was the best, with Anthony as the passionate and knowledgeable guide, sharing history and technical aspects of the mining.
Hi
My wife and I have just visited Queenstown on the Wilderness RAilway trip and were privileged to have a town guided tour with Charlee
We have never had a tour guide so enthusiastic, so knowledgable, so personable and so passionate about her town. She was delightful guide who in the space of just half an hour face us a consummate detailed history
If you can get this message to her we would be very grateful. She is a perfect ambassador for Queenstown and her enthusiasm deserves to be acknowledged
Many thanks
John and Elaine Holloway
Hi John and Elaine, thanks for the great message. We’re so glad to hear you enjoyed a fabulous experience. All the best, Tania