Derby, Tasmania
Encyclopedia
Derby is a small Australia
n town located in the north east of Tasmania
.
The area had been surveyed in 1855, but was not settled or inhabited until 1874, when George Renison Bell discovered tin
in the area. The Krushka brothers discovered a large lode of tin, and set up a mine (named The Brothers Mine) in the area, assuring the town's economic future. The town was known as Brother's Home, until 1897 when it was renamed Derby (believed to be after Edward Smith-Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby
the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
).
Derby reached its peak in the late 19th century, when its population reached over 3,000, and the Brothers Mine (renamed the Briseis Mine after the winner of the 1876 Melbourne Cup
) was producing upwards of 120 tonnes of tin per month.
On 4 April 1929, the dam used by the mine burst after heavy rains and flooded the town, killing 14 people. The mine was closed, but re-opened five years later although it never reached the same level of output as it had in the last century and closed in 1948.
Derby was served by a branch railway line which extended from Launceston
to Herrick, 4 km short of Moorina. The line through Derby station opened on 15 March 1919 and ran through the hills 2 km from the town. The railway closed in April, 1992.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n town located in the north east of Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
.
The area had been surveyed in 1855, but was not settled or inhabited until 1874, when George Renison Bell discovered tin
Tin
Tin is a chemical element with the symbol Sn and atomic number 50. It is a main group metal in group 14 of the periodic table. Tin shows chemical similarity to both neighboring group 14 elements, germanium and lead and has two possible oxidation states, +2 and the slightly more stable +4...
in the area. The Krushka brothers discovered a large lode of tin, and set up a mine (named The Brothers Mine) in the area, assuring the town's economic future. The town was known as Brother's Home, until 1897 when it was renamed Derby (believed to be after Edward Smith-Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby
Edward Smith-Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby
Edward George Geoffrey Smith-Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby, KG, PC was an English statesman, three times Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and to date the longest serving leader of the Conservative Party. He was known before 1834 as Edward Stanley, and from 1834 to 1851 as Lord Stanley...
the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
).
Derby reached its peak in the late 19th century, when its population reached over 3,000, and the Brothers Mine (renamed the Briseis Mine after the winner of the 1876 Melbourne Cup
Melbourne Cup
The Melbourne Cup is Australia's major Thoroughbred horse race. Marketed as "the race that stops a nation", it is a 3,200 metre race for three-year-olds and over. It is the richest "two-mile" handicap in the world, and one of the richest turf races...
) was producing upwards of 120 tonnes of tin per month.
On 4 April 1929, the dam used by the mine burst after heavy rains and flooded the town, killing 14 people. The mine was closed, but re-opened five years later although it never reached the same level of output as it had in the last century and closed in 1948.
Derby was served by a branch railway line which extended from Launceston
Launceston, Tasmania
Launceston is a city in the north of the state of Tasmania, Australia at the junction of the North Esk and South Esk rivers where they become the Tamar River. Launceston is the second largest city in Tasmania after the state capital Hobart...
to Herrick, 4 km short of Moorina. The line through Derby station opened on 15 March 1919 and ran through the hills 2 km from the town. The railway closed in April, 1992.