April 20 Queenstown (Day 206)
We had a beautiful morning, breakfast and packed up to move on.
We drove back through Zeehan and took the route south to Strahan (“Strahn” pronounced the ‘Irish way’ we were told).
We didn’t have much time to spend in Strahan, but it is known for the Gordon River cruise and fresh seafood, as well as the Guinness World Record for most water skiers towed behind a single boat! We continued on to Queenstown, another boom and bust mining town! A short visit to view a few outstanding sites.
The Empire Hotel built in 1901, next to the railroad station that now houses the scenic West Coast Wilderness Railway.
A feeling of Colorado mountain mining town came to us walking down the main street!
As we drove out of town, we saw the trail to Horsetail Falls, and it looked very intriguing! The barren hills are due to logging and the sulfurous fumes of the copper smelters that killed vegetation throughout the valley.
We found our nights spot at Linda Creek Campsite on the banks of Lake Burbury, a reservoir surrounded by hills.