Lottah

Lottah is a rural locality in the local government area (LGA) of Break O'Day in the North-east LGA region of Tasmania, Australia. The locality is about 27 kilometres (17 mi) north-west of the town of St Helens. The 2016 census recorded a population of 13 for the state suburb of Lottah.^[1] It is a small town in Northeastern Tasmania. The closest settlement is Pyengana and the closest major town is St Helens.

Lottah Tasmania
Lottah
Coordinates	41°13′15″S 148°01′19″E
Population	13 (2016 census)[1]
Postcode(s)	7216
Location	27 km (17 mi) NW of St Helens
LGA(s)	Break O'Day Council
Region	North-east
State electorate(s)	Lyons
Federal division(s)	Lyons
Localities around Lottah: Weldborough Goulds Country Goulds Country Weldborough Lottah Goulds Country Pyengana Pyengana Goulds Country

History

Lottah was gazetted as a locality in 1969.^[2] It was historically known as Blue Tier Junction. A post office of that name was established in 1877 and renamed "Lottah" in 1895,^[3] supposedly an Aboriginal word for "gum tree".^[4]

Tin was discovered in Lottah in about 1875.^[5] The Anchor Mine became operational in 1880, and the town of Lottah grew up around the mine. At its peak, it had several hundred residents, and community facilities included a school, two hotels, two churches, a bakery, and a football club.^[6] Lottah supported a small Chinese community, and one of its more notable residents was Senator Thomas Bakhap, who had a Chinese stepfather and worked as an interpreter.^[7] People born in Lottah during its heyday include architecture professor Brian Lewis and RAAF officer Alan Charlesworth.^[8] The Anchor Mine closed in 1950, at which point the town's population had been in decline for several decades.^[6]

Geography

Almost all the boundaries are survey lines.^[9]

Road infrastructure

Route A3 (Tasman Highway) passes to the south. From there, several roads provide access to the locality.^[2][10]