Tarraleah
{{Short description|Locality in Tasmania, Australia}}
{{Use Australian English|date=August 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}
{{Infobox Australian place | type = town
| name = Tarraleah
| state = tas
| image =
| caption =
| coordinates = {{coord|42|18|S|146|26|E|display=inline,title}}
| pushpin_label_position = right
| lga = Central Highlands
| region = Central
| postcode = 7140
| est = 1934
| pop = 0
| pop_year = 2016 census
| elevation= 630
| maxtemp = 13.8
| mintemp = 3.6
| rainfall = 1168.2
| stategov = Lyons
| fedgov = Lyons
| dist1 = 126
| dir1 = NW
| location1= Hobart
| dist2 = 137
| dir2 = E
| location2= Queenstown
| dist3 = 91
| dir3 = NW
| location3= New Norfolk
| location4 = Hamilton
| dist4 = 53
| dir4 = NW
| near-nw = Bronte Park
| near-n = Bronte Park, Dee
| near-ne = Dee
| near-e = Dee
| near-w = Butlers Gorge, Bronte Park
| near-sw = Southwest
| near-s = Wayatinah
| near-se = Wayatinah}}
Tarraleah is a rural locality in the Local Government Area (LGA) of Central Highlands in the Central LGA region of Tasmania, Australia. In the 2016 census, a population of nil for the state suburb of Tarraleah was recorded.
A large section of the town was purchased in 2023 by Hydro Tasmania for $11 million.{{Cite web|title=Hydro Workers Return to Tarraleah|publisher=Tasmanian Times|url=https://tasmaniantimes.com/2023/05/hydro-workers-return-to-tarraleah/|date=7 May 2023|access-date=5 July 2023}}
Geography
The locality is about {{convert|53|km}} north-west of the town of Hamilton,{{Citation needed|date=May 2024}} 120 km north-west of the state capital Hobart,{{Cite book |last=Boon |first=Robert |title=The Concise Encyclopedia of Australia and New Zealand |publisher=Horwitz Grahame|year=1991 |isbn=0 7255 2236 4 |edition=10th |volume=2 |location=Sydney |pages=788}} and slightly closer to Queenstown.
The Derwent River flows through from west to south, where it forms part of the southern boundary. Lake Binney is contained within the locality, as is Tarraleah Power Station.{{google maps|url=https://www.google.com.au/maps/place/Tarraleah+TAS+7140/@-42.301915,146.3714149,12z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0xaa7018b7aee9faa7:0x403c94dd0de0560!8m2!3d-42.3018041!4d146.4494097|title=Tarraleah, Tasmania|access-date=13 September 2020}}
==History==
Tarraleah is Aboriginal for 'brush kangaroo' or 'forester kangaroo.'{{cite web |author= |date= |title=Placenames Tasmania – Tarraleah |url=https://www.placenames.tas.gov.au/#p1 |access-date=13 September 2020 |website= |publisher=Placenames Tasmania |at=Select “Search”, enter "1270L", click “Search”, select row, map is displayed, click “Details”}}
The township was built in the 1930s by the Hydro Electric Commission to house Tasmania's pioneering hydroelectricity officers and management.{{Citation| title=Tarraleah power development | publication-date=1938 | publisher= Hydro Electric Commission | url=http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/12692837 | access-date=3 April 2012 }}{{Citation | author1=Felton, Heather | author2=Hydro Tasmania | title=Ticklebelly tales and other stories from the people of the Hydro | publication-date=2008 | publisher=Hydro Tasmania | isbn=978-0-646-47724-4 }} - see chapter 3 On the Upper Derwent - pp.76-101 regarding Tarraleah.{{Citation | author1=Lawson, Julie | author2=Tarraleah State School | title=Tarraleah School : down the years 1935-2000 | publication-date=2001 | publisher=[J Lawson] | url=http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/33987939 | access-date=3 April 2012 }}{{Citation | author1=Rackham, Sarah | author2=Woodberry, Joan| title=Hydro construction villages. Volume one. Waddamana, Shannon, Tarraleah | publication-date=1981 | publisher=Hydro-Electric Commission | isbn=978-0-7246-1035-8 }} The power scheme and headquarters at Tarraleah commenced in 1934.
Nive Road Post Office opened in 1934 and was renamed Tarraleah in 1935.{{Cite web | last = | title = Post Office List | publisher = Premier Postal Auctions | url = https://www.premierpostal.com/cgi-bin/wsProd.sh/Viewpocdwrapper.p?SortBy=Tas&country= | access-date = 21 September 2020}} Tarraleah was gazetted as a locality on 10 November 1971 and confirmed on 15 March 1972.
Road infrastructure
The Lyell Highway passes through from south-east to north. Fourteen Mile Road starts at an intersection with Lyell Highway and runs north-west until it exits.{{cite web |url=https://dpipwe.tas.gov.au/Documents/Route%20Descriptions%20V3.6.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170801112712/http://dpipwe.tas.gov.au/Documents/Route%20Descriptions%20V3.6.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=2017-08-01 |title=Tasmanian Road Route Codes |author= |date=May 2017 |website= |publisher=Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water & Environment |access-date=13 September 2020 |quote=}}
Amenities
The area is noted for its alpine lakes and mountains, and many hydro-electric dams, canals and giant steel pipeways. Tarraleah is located along the Lyell Highway, and is only a short distance from both Lake King William and Bronte Lagoon. Lake Lipootah and Bradys Lake are also close by.
After a multimillion-dollar redevelopment,{{cite web|url=https://www.tarraleahlodge.com.au/about/|title=About Tarraleah Lodge|access-date=5 July 2023|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230326152650/https://www.tarraleahlodge.com.au/about/|archive-date=26 March 2023}} the former Hydro construction village has become an estate that comprises Tarraleah Lodge with accommodation, recreation, and dining options. Fresh water trout fishing, boating, bushwalking, mountain biking and kayaking are all popular activities in and around the township. Tarraleah is also home to a high-altitude golf course.
References
{{reflist}}
{{CentralHighlandsTasmania|state=collapsed}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Company towns in Australia
Category:Localities of Central Highlands Council
Category:1934 establishments in Australia
{{CentralHighlandsTAS-geo-stub}}