The Trail of The Tin Dragon

The Trail of the Tin Dragon is the untold story of the North East of Tasmania. It is a Chinese story. It is a story of Tin mining, of boom and bust, flood and drought, riches and poverty, hope and despair. It is a story of racial hatred and racial harmony. A story of human transience and the power of nature.

In Western legends and myths, the dragon is usually depicted as a medieval fire-belching monster, representing evil, or a beast to be vanquished by moral force and valour.For the Chinese, the dragon symbolizes goodness, strength, fertility and change.

As the essence of change, the dragon is the spirit of life itself.

As you follow the Trail of the Tin Dragon you will discover the stories of the Chinese and the land they once called home.

The Trail of the Tin Dragon has been developed to create a trail of experiences between Launceston and St. Helens through the picturesque townships of the North East.

The Trail is a visitor journey….

Launceston: The Queen Victoria Museum now houses the magnificant alter of Guan Di which once stood in the Chinese Temple, or Joss House, at the Chinese Mining Camp at Weldborough.

Branxholm: Site of the infamous ‘Showdown on the Bridge’. Tasmania’s first race riot in a confrontation between European and Chinese miners. Branxholm was also where the Ah Moy family owned a shop and rich mining leases of Ruby Flat.

Derby: The Tin Dragon Interpretation Centre & Cafe showcases the history of tin and it’s impact on development and exploration. It is also the site of the Briseis Mine; in it’s heyday one of the richest tin mines in the world. Experience the power and fury of A BILLION LITRES OF WATER with nowhere to go in the epic story of the Tin Rush and the miners who sought their fortune from this remarkable metal.

Moorina: Transport hub of the Tin Rush, with roads that were wet enough to ‘bog a duck’. Site of a Chinese monument and burning tower. The interpretive marker will hold you enthralled with stories of success and despair, and the transport of the precious tin, and of bodies!

Weldborough: Cultural centre for the Chinese miners. Site of mining camps, festivals and a casino. A replica statue of Guan Di resides at the historic Weldborough Hotel. This project is currently under development.

The Blue Tier: Mountain of Tin. The breathtaking beauty of the Blue Tier belies its amazing history of toil, hardship and lonliness for those who sought to make a better life for themselves and their families through mining for tin.

St Helens: Eastern most gateway to the Trail of the Tin Dragon, St Helens History Room and Visitor Information Centre’s ‘The Chinese Experience” encapsulates the Chinese tin mining story as it occurred in North East Tasmania.