Destination Profile - Strahan, Tasmania
Strahan was once a busy port, servicing the exportation of copper, gold, lead, silver and timber. However, it took a while for a settlement to be built as the dangerous seas and entrance to Macquarie Harbour, where the town is situated, put off sailors to the western coast. The town is extremely pretty, and is pleasant just to walk around. There are a number of fantastic buildings with outstanding architecture.
As the only safe all-weather harbour on the west coast, Strahan has played an integral role in the history of the entire area.
The first European visit to the area was in 1815, when James Kelly and four companions rowed their open whaleboat through Hells Gates, the treacherous entrance to Macquarie Harbour. Kelly, a master mariner, had been contracted by Thomas Birch to conduct an exploratory trip to the west coast to search for economic opportunities. The huge stands of Huon pine that Kelly saw were the economic catalyst for settlement and the later establishment of the penal colony on Sarah Island.
In the 1880s the discovery of gold in the rugged mountains behind Strahan provided incentive for further settlement and development. By 1888 Strahan had grown large enough to be proclaimed as a town, and was named after Sir George Strahan, a previous governor of Tasmania.
This destination is part of the Tasmania and her Isles Australian Adventure.
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