Frank Long was a trackcutter and prospector. In 1882 he discovered the
Zeehan
Zeehan is a town on the west coast of Tasmania, Australia south-west of Burnie. It is part of the West Coast Council, along with the seaport Strahan and neighbouring mining towns of Rosebery and Queenstown.
History
The greater Zeehan a ...
-Dundas silver-lead field on the
West Coast 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 ...
.
Life and career
Frank Long was Tasmanian, born to ex-convicts in
Launceston around 1844. He spent his early years in
Campbell Town. Long was a member of Charles Sprent's
Mount Heemskirk
Mount Heemskirk is a mountain in Western Tasmania, west of the West Coast Range. It has an elevation of above sea level. The closest town is Zeehan, about 14 kilometres (9 mi) away.
History
The indigenous Peerapper name for the mountain ...
expedition in 1876 and was known as a hardy and strong bushman.
Discovery of the Zeehan-Dundas Silver-Lead Field
Long discovered deposits of silver and lead in the Zeehan-Dundas silver-lead field. A nearby encampment grew, and the Mount Zeehan Post Office opened on 1 August 1888. Although Long's mineral discoveries generated wealth for many people, his later years were affected by
rheumatism
Rheumatism or rheumatic disorders are conditions causing chronic, often intermittent pain affecting the joints or connective tissue. Rheumatism does not designate any specific disorder, but covers at least 200 different conditions, including a ...
and
alcoholism
Alcoholism is the continued drinking of alcohol despite it causing problems. Some definitions require evidence of dependence and withdrawal. Problematic use of alcohol has been mentioned in the earliest historical records. The World He ...
. The community of Zeehan helped Long secure a government pension so he could live out his days in dignity. Long was known as "the father of Zeehan" when he died in 1908.
Legacy
The Frank Long Memorial at Zeehan received $5,000 upgrade in 2018.
Further reading
*
* Haygarth, N. ''Frank Long'' in Alexander (ed.) The Companion to Tasmanian History. 2005. p. 220
See also
*
Thomas Bather Moore
Thomas Bather Moore (1850 1919) was a pioneer explorer of Western and South West, Tasmania, Australia.
Biography
He was born at New Norfolk, Van Diemen's Land and died at Queenstown. He was buried at the graveyard Strahan overlooking Macquar ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Long, Frank
History of Tasmania
Zeehan