Zeehan

At the turn of the century (by which I mean the previous century, lol), Zeehan was the third largest town in Tasmania but the decline of mining means it’s not much more than a ghost town. There is a good museum (the mineral collection is excellent) and they’re trying to develop a mountain biking industry but there’s a feeling of desolation even on a Saturday at 2 pm. No coffees available anywhere, most shops empty, and the ones there are, closed. We did find the two-headed teddies amusing (Tasmanians are reputed to be inbred because of the state’s isolation - mainlanders will ask the new Taswegian emigre to show them where the scar on their neck is from having their second head removed, and in fact even the doctors asked my parents if they were related because of a rare recessive condition three of my siblings have.)

Extras - those teddy bears, and a more traditional shor from the Wild West of Tasmania - an enormous tree fern at the lovely Hellyer’s Gorge.