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.[1]
The town is roughly divided into two "suburbs", an older northern and a younger, more planned out southern. the northern half was originally a mining town called Mount Farrell, established in year 1900 after silver lead ore was discovered in the area.[2] It was later extended southwards by the HEC and used as a hydroelectric power scheme construction town during the making of the Pieman Scheme in the 1970s to early 1990s when its population reached 2500, but is now mainly a community at the edge of Lake Rosebery and a fishing location. Prior to adequate roads being built in the area, it was serviced by the Wee Georgie Wood Railway under its earlier name of the North Farrell Tramway.
The railway originally had 3 locomotives, Wee Georgie Wood, Wee Mary Wood and a Krauss engine named "Puppy". Wee Mary Wood was never restored and its chassis is currently in the Ida Bay/Lune River area. Prior to working in Tullah, Puppy worked in the Duck River region of the state and was eventually bought by the North Mt Farrell Co. The name "Puppy" was given due to its high pitched whistle, but it was originally Krauss number 2640 of 1892. The engine was eventually sold to Ida Bay in the 1930's where it still is today. The most well known locomotive, Wee Georgie Wood, has been salvaged and returned to operation, but as of 1010, it has been stripped down due to restoration work while the diesel engine "Alpha Romeo" works the short track in its place. Today the majority of the original track is now under the waters of Lake Rosebery but a short length of track close to the Murchison Highway is still in use (known as the Wee Georgie Wood Railway), along with some rolling stock. The track is a two-foot (610 mm) gauge, standard at the time. The Wee Georgie Wood railway currently has the remains of another Krauss locomotive that worked in the Queenstown area, a few electric locomotives (2 more of the same make are rotting at the western end of Gleadow Street in Launceston) and a gang motor from the original line. Beyond the highway, the remaining 600m of railway to the mines was repurposed into part of the Mackintosh Dam Road. A small timber line, approximately 7 km long, also ran south from the town.
Tullah features in the novel "The Sound of One Hand Clapping" by Richard Flanagan, published in 1997.
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Tullah has a shop, a post office (no deliveries, reception and sending only), a service station, chalets and the Tullah Lakeside Lodge (which both offer accommodation), a teddy bear shop, a woodwork shop, a football oval, a cricket club, and a growing number of modern amenities, including an online access centre.[1]
Mobile telephone service is erratic, more reliable in the northern part of town, and in the hills above town. Television reception is also erratic, and many houses have a satellite TV dish. Internet connectivity is dialup or VSAT satellite link.
The town is located on the shore of Lake Rosebery. Small boats can, with care, be launched into the lake from the boat ramp off the main street, Farrell Street.
Animals which can be seen in the area include: wombats, possums, wallabies, the occasional tiger quoll and (rarely) a Tasmanian Devil.
Towns near Tullah include Rosebery, Zeehan, Queenstown, Strahan and Waratah. It is also near Cradle Mountain and (via Rosebery) the Montezuma Falls.
Local lakes include the Mackintosh, Pieman, Murchison, Plimsoll and Herbert. Local rivers include the Mackintosh, Sophia (south end of Lake Mackintosh), Murchison, Pieman, Que and Fossey and various tributaries and creeks, such as Animal Creek.
Nearby are Murchison Dam, and the Sophia Adit, a mine-style tunnel leading to the main Sophia Tunnel which links Murchison Dam with Lake Mackintosh. An alternative is the Mackintosh Dam and Tullabardine Dam. There are boat ramps into Lake Mackintosh.