Major city · Australia
Zeehan
Give Zeehan half a day: the West Coast Heritage Centre, a walk down Main Street, then move on. Sleep here only if Queenstown and Strahan are full.
Zeehan was the West Coast's biggest town before World War I, when the silver lodes paid. The mines ran out and the population is now around 700. What is left is a wide, near-empty grid of early-1900s public buildings a few kilometres off the A10, plus a good local museum. It is a stop of two to four hours between Strahan and Queenstown, not a base.
More ways in
Local time, weather, currency, airports
- Weather
- see forecast
- Currency
- AUD
- Best months
- Nov–Apr
- avoid Jun–Aug (cold, wet, ice on the A10)
- Airports
- BWT · HBA · LST
- Nights
- 0–1
Rules in force · 7
- Oceania ↗Oceania's island states guard their farms and reefs at the border: tick 'yes' on the arrival card for any food, plant, animal product, soil or used outdoor gear, and let the officer decide.
- Oceania ↗Across the tropical South Pacific, cyclones are possible from November to April: choose insurance that covers weather delays and keep one spare night before a long-haul departure.
- Australia and New Zealand ↗Both countries drive on the left, with long distances between fuel stops in the outback and on New Zealand's back roads; fatigue causes more visitor crashes than speed.
- Australia ↗Almost every visitor needs a visa or an electronic authorisation (ETA or eVisitor, depending on passport) before boarding: apply only through the official Department of Home Affairs site or the official AustralianETA app, and check the rules for your passport.
- Australia ↗Declare all food, plant material, seeds, wood and animal products on your arrival declaration; undeclared items can bring on-the-spot fines or visa cancellation. When unsure, declare it.
- Australia ↗Drive on the left. An overseas licence in English (or with an official translation or International Driving Permit) is accepted for visitors; check the state rules and your rental contract.
- Australia ↗Swim between the red and yellow flags on patrolled beaches; rip currents cause most beach drownings.
What is in this basic guide9 covered · 4 not yet ▾
In this guide
Not in this guide yet
- Walking areas with bag rules
- Day plans checked against opening hours
- Airport-to-bed timings and the last safe connection
- Field-checked times and prices
Emergency numbers for Zeehan000 ▾
Tap a number to call from your phone. These are the numbers listed in this guide; a row marked check has not been verified.
EssentialsQuick answers and what things cost
Essentials
Quick answers and what things cost
Quick answers
The questions people ask first about Zeehan, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.
- Cash or card?Currency is the Australian dollar (AUD, A$).Australia-wide
- SIM or eSIMTelstra has the widest outback coverage; Optus and Vodafone (TPG) are cheaper and fine in cities and along highways.Australia-wide
- Tap waterTap water is safe in cities and towns; in remote places use signed drinking taps.Australia-wide
- TippingRestaurants: Not expected; 10% for very good service in a nice restaurant if you wish.Australia-wide
- Plugs & powerSockets I. US/Canada (A/B): adapter · UK/Ireland (G): adapter · Australia/NZ (I): fits. 230 V: US 120 V-only devices (hair dryers) need a converter; most chargers are dual-voltage.Australia-wide
- SafetyZeehan itself is quiet and safe; the real risks are the drive in, wildlife on the road…
Show all 12 answers
- RestroomsFree public toilets in parks, beaches, shopping centres and petrol stations (servos); the National Public Toilet Map app lists them.Australia-wide
- Emergency numbers000 police, fire, ambulance · 112 From a mobile
- Sundays & holidaysChristmas Day, Good Friday and Anzac Day morning close most shops; many cafés close by 15:00; country towns close early on Saturday and all Sunday.Christmas Day, Good Friday and Anzac Day morning close most shops; many cafés close by 3:00 PM; country towns close early on Saturday and all Sunday.Australia-wide
- Your embassyFind your embassy's 24-hour line before you fly.
- AirportBWT Burnie Airport (Wynyard) (Smallest of the West Coast gateways; about 2 h 30 min by road via the A10 and Tullah.).
- Getting aroundThe town is small enough to walk end to end in about 20 minutes.
Cost cheat-sheet
Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.
- CoffeeA$5–7 (≈ US$4–5)
- SIM or eSIM, a weekeSIM or data SIM, about a weekA$20–40 (≈ US$14–30)
- Museum or sight ticketMuseum entryA$15–25 (≈ US$10–17) (check)
- Budget bedPowered caravan site, a night, per roomA$35 (≈ US$25)
- Mid-range bedCaravan-park cabin, a night, per roomA$150 (≈ US$100)
- High-end bedCaravan-park cabin, a night, per roomA$200 (≈ US$140)
A day, not counting the bed: Budget A$80 (≈ US$55) · Mid A$140 (≈ US$95) · High A$220 (≈ US$150)
Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →
DecideWhat it is known for, and when the weather works
Decide
What it is known for, and when the weather works
At a glance
What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.
- Airports
- BWT Burnie Airport (Wynyard) (Smallest of the West Coast gateways; about 2 h 30 min by road via the A10 and Tullah.) · HBA Hobart Airport (About 4 h 30 min by road via the Lyell Highway and Queenstown.) · LST Launceston Airport (About 3 h 30 min by road via the Bass and Murchison highways.)
Best months at a glance
From the guide's best and avoid lists
Jan
Best
21°C (70°F)70°F (21°C)
Feb
Best
21°C (70°F)70°F (21°C)
Mar
Best
19°C (66°F)66°F (19°C)
Apr
Best
16°C (61°F)61°F (16°C)
May
not flagged
13°C (55°F)55°F (13°C)
Jun
Avoid
11°C (52°F)52°F (11°C)
Jul
Avoid
11°C (52°F)52°F (11°C)
Aug
Avoid
12°C (54°F)54°F (12°C)
Sep
not flagged
14°C (57°F)57°F (14°C)
Oct
not flagged
16°C (61°F)61°F (16°C)
Nov
Best
18°C (64°F)64°F (18°C)
Dec
Best
20°C (68°F)68°F (20°C)
Best: Nov–Apr. Avoid: Jun–Aug. Month by month →
Warmest Jan (21°C (70°F)70°F (21°C)), coolest Jun (2°C (36°F)36°F (2°C) low), wettest Jul (19 rain days), driest Feb (10). Averages, not a forecast.
Weather and climate
Zeehan: next 7 days
Loading forecast…
Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.
Air quality
Loading…
Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.
Jan
21°C (70°F)70°F (21°C)
9°C (48°F)48°F (9°C)
12 rd
Feb
21°C (70°F)70°F (21°C)
9°C (48°F)48°F (9°C)
10 rd
Mar
19°C (66°F)66°F (19°C)
8°C (46°F)46°F (8°C)
13 rd
Apr
16°C (61°F)61°F (16°C)
6°C (43°F)43°F (6°C)
15 rd
May
13°C (55°F)55°F (13°C)
4°C (39°F)39°F (4°C)
17 rd
Jun
11°C (52°F)52°F (11°C)
2°C (36°F)36°F (2°C)
17 rd
Jul
11°C (52°F)52°F (11°C)
2°C (36°F)36°F (2°C)
19 rd
Aug
12°C (54°F)54°F (12°C)
2°C (36°F)36°F (2°C)
19 rd
Sep
14°C (57°F)57°F (14°C)
3°C (37°F)37°F (3°C)
18 rd
Oct
16°C (61°F)61°F (16°C)
5°C (41°F)41°F (5°C)
17 rd
Nov
18°C (64°F)64°F (18°C)
6°C (43°F)43°F (6°C)
14 rd
Dec
20°C (68°F)68°F (20°C)
8°C (46°F)46°F (8°C)
13 rd
High / low, both scales · rd = rain days
Arrive & moveAirports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in
Arrive & move
Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in
Getting around
The town is small enough to walk end to end in about 20 minutes. You need a car for everything else: there is no public transport on the West Coast, and the A10 junction is about 6.6 km east of town.
See & doDay-trips, door to door
See & do
Day-trips, door to door
Day-trips
Door to door: About 45 min
B27 west, about 40 min
Gordon River cruises and the harbour; the natural pairing with Zeehan.
Door to door: About 35 min
A10 southeast, about 30 min
Mining town with the gravel moonscape of the old Mount Lyell workings.
Door to door: About 50 min
A10 north, about 45 min
Small lakeside stop; worth it only if you are already driving the A10.
Corinna and the Pieman River
cautionDoor to door: About 1 h 45 min
C249 northwest, partly unsealed, about 1 h 30 min
Rainforest and a ferry crossing; check road and ferry conditions first.
Eat & sleepWhich area to sleep in
Eat & sleep
Which area to sleep in
Where to sleep
Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.
Main Street
The only real choice: the motor hotel and the caravan park sit within a few minutes' walk of the museum and the takeaway.
Zeehan Caravan Park, Hurst Street
Cabins, powered sites and caravans, close to the centre. Book ahead in summer; the town has very few beds.
PracticalWhat a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card
Practical
What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card
Cost per day
- Budget
- A$80–130 (≈ US$55–90) excl. bed
- Mid
- A$130–200 (≈ US$90–140) excl. bed
- High
- A$200 (≈ US$140)+ excl. bed
Trip budget
| Motor-hotel double room1 × 1 night × A$170 | A$170 |
| Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × A$140 | A$280 |
| West Coast Heritage Centre entry2 × A$20 · check | A$40 |
| Fuel top-up, 40 L1 × A$80 · check | A$80 |
| eSIM, about a week of data2 × A$25 | A$50 |
| Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge | A$62 |
| Trip total≈ A$341 per person per day, bed included | A$682≈ US$450 |
2026 estimate in Australian dollars; fuel and car hire excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.
Prices of common things
| Coffee | A$5–7 (≈ US$4–5) |
| Takeaway burger or fish and chips | A$15–25 (≈ US$10–17) |
| Museum entry | A$15–25 (≈ US$10–17) (check) |
| Unleaded fuel, per litreWest Coast prices run above the state average. | A$2.00–2.30 (≈ US$2) (check) |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | A$20–40 (≈ US$14–30) |
2026 estimate; check locally.
Watch out
Safety
- Fuel up in Queenstown, Strahan or Rosebery before you arrive; do not count on a pump being open in Zeehan.
- Mobile coverage is patchy on the A10 and the B27. Download offline maps before you leave the coast.
- Wildlife on the road at dawn and dusk, and black ice on the A10 in winter.
- Most businesses are small and keep short hours; the museum and the takeaway are the reliable ones.
Emergency numbers
- Police, fire, ambulance
- 000
- From a mobile
- 112
Pocket card
Fill in, then print or save as PDF
Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.
ZeehanZeehan
Pocket card · Voykit
My bed tonight
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Can you take me to this address?To this address, please
Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance000
- From a mobile112
Embassy
No consulates on the West Coast; the nearest are in Hobart. US, UK, Canadian and Irish travellers should register with their Hobart mission before heading west.
My embassy: —
Fare anchors (2026 estimate)
- Zeehan → Strahan by road: about 40 min via the B27
- Zeehan → Queenstown by road: about 30 min via the A10
- Fuel, Zeehan or Rosebery: limited hours; fill up in Queenstown or Strahan if unsure
Say or show
- Thank you — Thank you
- Where's the servo? — Where is the fuel station?
- Are you open today? — Is it open today?
- Do you take card? — Can I pay by card?
Fuel, phone signal and opening hours are the three things to check before you commit to Zeehan.
Deep diveWhat this guide covers so far, and its sources
Deep dive
What this guide covers so far, and its sources
Not a trip line yet
This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Zeehan. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.
What we know, and what is coming
On this page
- Best months: Nov–Apr · avoid Jun–Aug (cold, wet, ice on the A10) · month by month →
- 3 airports and 2 areas to sleep in
- Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
- Cost per day in 3 bands
- 4 day-trips, door to door
- 4 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers
Coming as the guide grows
- Airport-to-bed contract for BWT, HBA and LST: last departures, hire-car desks and a Queenstown or Strahan fallback if Zeehan is full.
- Walking cluster for the town: West Coast Heritage Centre, Main Street, Spray Tunnel, caravan park.
- Place pages with verified hours for the heritage centre and the takeaway, and a fuel-availability note for the A10.
- Winter and hostile-weather fixtures so the A10 and B27 can be flagged red.