This once thriving mining town is a pale shadow of its former self. The town is situated on the slopes of Mt Owen overlooking the mine workings of the valley, and is subject to harsh winds and rain. The town was named after Lord Gormanston, the Tasmanian Governor from 1893 to 1900, and at one time it was the seventh largest town in the State.

Gormanston was the headquarters of the North Lyell Copper Company which had been established here in 1897. The town was linked to the North Lyell Railway in 1900, but the three mile line was dismantled in 1904 following the merger of the North Lyell and the Mt Lyell Companies, and Gormanston declined as Queenstown became the centre for the newly merged company.

In 1911 Gormanston had a population of 2,009 people, a post and telegraph service with some savings bank facilities, four churches of varying denominations, a police constable, three football clubs and a municipal council which met every three weeks. The post office, established in 1884, was the first official post office on the west coast.


The road from Gormanston to nearby Queenstown is paved with some of the most spectacular scenery in Tasmania. A particular highlight is the view from the Iron Blow Lookout which incorporates the man made lake, and views of the valley and Mt Owen.

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