Mathinna, Tasmania

Mathinna is a rural locality in the local government areas (LGA) of Break O'Day (97%) and Dorset (3%) in the North-east LGA region of Tasmania. The locality is about 83 kilometres (52 mi) south-west of the town of St Helens. The 2016 census recorded a population of 142 for the state suburb of Mathinna.[1]

Mathinna
Tasmania
Mathinna is located in Tasmania
Mathinna
Mathinna
Coordinates41°28′36.6″S 147°53′19.0″E
Population131 (2021 census)[1]
 • Density0.2/km2 (0.52/sq mi)
Postcode(s)7214
Elevation300 m (984 ft)
Area1,370.4 km2 (529.1 sq mi)
Location
LGA(s)Break O'Day Council
RegionNorth-east
State electorate(s)Lyons
Federal division(s)Lyons
Localities around Mathinna:
Alberton Pyengana St Helens
Upper Esk Mathinna Upper Scamander
Ben Lomond Fingal, Mangana St Marys

It is a small Australian town in the north-east of Tasmania, 63 km east of Launceston. It was named after a young Aboriginal girl sent to live with the Lieutenant Governor of Van Diemen's Land, Sir John Franklin and his wife, Lady Jane Franklin.[2]

History

Mathinna was gazetted as a locality in 1976.[3]

The town became established as a gold mining centre, shortly after gold was discovered in the area in the 1890s. The Golden Gate Mine in Mathinna was one of Tasmania's highest-yield gold mines, second only to Beaconsfield. At its peak in the late 1890s, the town sustained a population of over 5,000, including a large number of Chinese miners, making it the third largest town in Tasmania at the time.[4] Melbourne-based mining company Riltec made a failed attempt to re-establish the Golden Gate mine in 1994,[5] although recent gold mining efforts have been more successful, with a production target of 70,000 ounces made for the Mathinna mine in 2006.[6]

Blackboy Post Office opened on 30 June 1870, was renamed Reedy Marsh, Blackboy in 1871 and Mathinna in 1882.[7]

Former Premier of Tasmania Eric Reece, was born in the town in 1909.[8]

Geography

The Scamander River forms part of the northern and most of the north-eastern boundaries.[9]

Road infrastructure

Route B43 (Mathinna Road) enters from the south and runs north-west and west to the village. From there, the road continues west as C401 (Upper Esk Road).[3][10]

References
  1. "2021 Census Quick Stats Mathinna (Tas.)". quickstats.censusdata.abs.gov.au. Australian Bureau of Statistics. 26 July 2022. Retrieved 26 July 2022.
  2. "Mathinna (1835 - 1856) Tasmanian Aboriginal".
  3. "Placenames Tasmania – Mathinna". Placenames Tasmania. Select “Search”, enter "1114H", click “Search”, select row, map is displayed, click “Details”. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
  4. Community History - Mathinna Archived 2007-07-16 at the Wayback Machine, Fingal Online Access Centre (Tasmanian Communities Online). Retrieved on 27 May 2007.
  5. Making a Nation - About Mathinna, The Examiner. Retrieved on 27 May 2007.
  6. Gold exploration ramping up in state's north east, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 29 May 2006. Retrieved on 27 May 2007.
  7. Phoenix Auctions History. "Post Office List". Phoenix Auctions. Retrieved 21 March 2021.
  8. "Eric Elliott Reece". Members of the Parliament of Tasmania. Retrieved 25 August 2022.
  9. Google (2 April 2021). "Mathinna, Tasmania" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
  10. "Tasmanian Road Route Codes" (PDF). Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water & Environment. May 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 August 2017. Retrieved 2 April 2021.


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