Tasmania's west coast has always had a colourful history; firstly as a hunting area and home for the Tasmanian Aborigines, and then in the early part of the 19th century as a penal colony for some who were considered the state's most hardened criminals.

In the 1860s prospectors began to search for gold, and although some gold was discovered the pickings were slim. The discovery of rich deposits of tin and copper heralded the mining boom on the west coast, and the rush to peg out leases was on in earnest.

With its high rainfall and suitable rivers, the hydro-electric potential of the west coast has long been recognised, but the development of these resources has only taken place in fairly recent times.

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