Tarraleah is a rural locality in the

Local Government Area A local government area (LGA) is an administrative division of a country that a local government is responsible for. The size of an LGA varies by country but it is generally a subdivision of a federated state, state, province, division (politica ...

(LGA) of Central Highlands in the Central LGA region of

Tasmania Tasmania (; palawa kani: ''Lutruwita'') is an island States and territories of Australia, state of Australia. It is located to the south of the Mainland Australia, Australian mainland, and is separated from it by the Bass Strait. The sta ...

, 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 Hydro Tasmania, formerly the Hydro-Electric Commission (HEC), is a Tasmanian Government business enterprise which is the main electricity generator in Tasmania, Australia. Originally oriented towards hydro-electricity, owing to Tasmania's dr ...

for $11 million.

Geography

The locality is about north-west of the town of

Hamilton Hamilton may refer to: * Alexander Hamilton (1755/1757–1804), first U.S. Secretary of the Treasury and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States * ''Hamilton'' (musical), a 2015 Broadway musical by Lin-Manuel Miranda ** ''Hamilton'' (al ...

, 120 km north-west of the state capital

Hobart Hobart ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the island state of Tasmania, Australia. Located in Tasmania's south-east on the estuary of the River Derwent, it is the southernmost capital city in Australia. Despite containing nearly hal ...

, 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 The Tarraleah Power Station is a hydroelectric power station located in the Central Highlands, Tasmania, Australia. It is part of the Upper Derwent Hydro Scheme and is operated by Hydro Tasmania. History The Upper River Derwent hydroelectric s ...

History

Tarraleah is Aboriginal for 'brush

kangaroo Kangaroos are marsupials from the family Macropodidae (macropods, meaning "large foot"). In common use, the term is used to describe the largest species from this family, the red kangaroo, as well as the antilopine kangaroo, eastern gre ...

' or 'forester kangaroo.' The township was built in the 1930s by the

Hydro Electric Commission Hydro Tasmania, formerly the Hydro-Electric Commission (HEC), is a Tasmanian Government business enterprise which is the main electricity generator in Tasmania, Australia. Originally oriented towards hydro-electricity, owing to Tasmania's dr ...

to house Tasmania's pioneering hydroelectricity officers and management. The power scheme and headquarters at Tarraleah commenced in 1934. Nive Road Post Office opened in 1934 and was renamed Tarraleah in 1935. Tarraleah was gazetted as a locality on 10 November 1971 and confirmed on 15 March 1972.

Road infrastructure

The

Lyell Highway The Lyell Highway (Route A10) is a highway in Tasmania, running from Hobart to Queenstown. It is the one of two transport routes that passes through the West Coast Range, the other being the B28 Anthony Road. Name The name is derived fro ...

passes through from south-east to north. Fourteen Mile Road starts at an intersection with Lyell Highway and runs north-west until it exits.

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

, and is only a short distance from both Lake King William and

Bronte Lagoon Bronte Lagoon is a lake that was created by Hydro Tasmania in the 1950s along with Bradys Lake, Lake Binney and Tungatinah Lagoon as water storages for the Tungatinah Power Station on the Nive River. It is located in the Central Highlands of ...

. Lake Lipootah and Bradys Lake are also close by. After a multimillion-dollar redevelopment, the former Hydro construction village has become an estate that comprises Tarraleah Lodge with accommodation, recreation, and dining options. Fresh water

trout Trout (: trout) is a generic common name for numerous species of carnivorous freshwater ray-finned fishes belonging to the genera '' Oncorhynchus'', ''Salmo'' and ''Salvelinus'', all of which are members of the subfamily Salmoninae in the ...

fishing Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment (Freshwater ecosystem, freshwater or Marine ecosystem, marine), but may also be caught from Fish stocking, stocked Body of water, ...

boating Boating is the leisurely activity of travelling by boat, or the recreational use of a boat whether powerboats, sailboats, or man-powered vessels (such as rowing and paddle boats), focused on the travel itself, as well as sports activities, suc ...

bushwalking A hike is a long, vigorous walking, walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century. Long hikes as part of a religious pilgrimage have existed for a much longer tim ...

mountain biking Mountain biking (MTB) is a sport of riding bicycles off-road, often over rough terrain, usually using specially designed mountain bikes. Mountain bikes share similarities with other bikes but incorporate features designed to enhance durability ...

and

kayaking Kayaking is the use of a kayak for moving over water. It is distinguished from canoeing by the sitting position of the paddler and the number of blades on the paddle. A kayak is a low-to-the-water, canoe-like boat in which the paddler sits fac ...

are all popular activities in and around the township. Tarraleah is also home to a high-altitude golf course.

References

Towns in Tasmania Company towns in Australia Localities of Central Highlands Council 1934 establishments in Australia {{CentralHighlandsTAS-geo-stub