Zeehan, Tasmania
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| Municipality of West Coast Local government areas of Tasmania | |
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Zeehan is a town on the west coast of Tasmania, Australia. It lies 150 km south-west of Burnie, and has a population of 1132 (1991 census). It is part of the Municipality of West Coast.
The region has one of the oldest histories of any part of Tasmania, when Abel Tasman sighted this part of the state in 1642. Zeehan saw a boost in population when silver-lead deposits were found in 1882. This rush lasted in the closure of the last mine in 1914. During the time the population peaked at 10000, nearly ten times the current population.
The Renison Bell tin mine has recently re-opened, but the majority of the town relies on tourism for its survival. Among these attractions is the West Coast Pioneers Museum, which is in the old School of Mines building.
The town was named by George Bass and Matthew Flinders after Abel Tasman's brig Zeehaen.