Melba Flats

Melba Flats
Facility information
Location	Zeehan
Coordinates	41°50′52.16″S 145°24′46.55″E / 41.8478222°S 145.4129306°E / -41.8478222; 145.4129306
Constructed	1970
Operator	TasRail
Rail information
Rail lines	Melba Line
Rail gauge	Narrow gauge
Road information
Street access	Murchison Highway

Melba Flats is a railway siding on the Emu Bay Railway east of Zeehan that served as a terminus for trains carrying copper ore from the Mount Lyell Mining and Railway Company in west coast Tasmania, once the Emu Bay Railway ceased services into the Zeehan townsite.^[1]

The section of line near Melba Flats was operational by December 1900. The Rosebery to Zeehan connection closed on the 14 August 1965, however the Rosebery to Melba Flats section re-opened on the 15 January 1970.^{[citation needed]} The Mount Lyell company had trucks deliver the ore along the Queenstown to Zeehan road to this siding.

The Melba Flats area is the site of numerous historical workings; hand workings and hand constructed mining shafts dating back to the 1880's. Lead, zinc, silver, tin and nickel have been located in varying quantities in the area.

Allegiance Mining are planning to open pit mine niccolite and pentlandite, copper, gold and platinum minerals from small deposits on Melba Flats.

Notes

1. ^ Whitham, Lindsay (2002). Railways, Mines, Pubs and People and other historical research. Sandy Bay: Tasmanian Historical Research Association. ISBN 0-909479-21-6.  page 15 - for details of the demise of the Zeehan terminus of the Emu Bay Railway

References

• Atkinson, H.K. (1991). Railway Tickets of Tasmania. the Author. ISBN 0-9598718-7-X. 
• Blainey, Geoffrey (2000). The Peaks of Lyell (6th ed. ed.). Hobart: St. David's Park Publishing. ISBN 0-7246-2265-9. 
• Whitham, Charles. Western Tasmania: A Land of Riches and Beauty.

2003 edition - Queenstown: Municipality of Queenstown.

1949 edition - Hobart: Davies Brothers. OCLC 48825404; ASIN B000FMPZ80

1924 edition - Queenstown: Mount Lyell Tourist Association. OCLC 35070001; ASIN B0008BM4XC

• Whitham, Lindsay (2002). Railways, Mines, Pubs and People and other historical research. Sandy Bay: Tasmanian Historical Research Association. ISBN 0-909479-21-6. 

Coordinates: 41°50′S 145°24′E / 41.833°S 145.4°E / -41.833; 145.4