Burnie (Tasmania)

Burnie is a port city on Tasmania Island (Australia). It includes the city and its surrounding areas, although it doesn't include Somerset (a town usually classed as part of the metro area). The city has population around 30,000. Burnie and Devonport are northwestern Tasmania's largest seaports.

Port Burnie is the island's largest cargo port and also one of Australia's largest container ports. It is the nearest port to Melbourne Victoria (mainland Australia). The port is operated by the state-owned port authority company TasPorts. The port's main business is containerized cargoes, but also has a separate woodchip terminal.

Burnie is located on Emu Bay, at the mouth of Emu River on Tasmania Island's northern coast. The settlement was established in 1829 (as "Emu Bay Settlement") and in 1866 received its town status. Burnie is served by Sydney-Tasmania ferry and is also the commercial centre for northwestern Tasmania. Close by is Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park, which incorporates Cradle Mountain with its lava peak rising to 1545 m (5069 ft).

The city's economy is based mainly on heavy manufacturing, forestry and farming industries, with Port Burnie being among its main sources of revenue. Since its opening in 1897, the Emu Bay Railway and the seaport are the most important means of transportation in the island's northwestern part.

The forestry was a major factor for the city's development in the 20th century. In 1938 was built a pulp and paper mill, followed by the construction of a woodchip terminal. The paper mill was closed in 2010.

As transportation, the city is served by Burnie Airport (located in Wynyard Town, approx 20-minute drive distance from Burnie). The 4-lane Bass Highway and a railway link the city with Devonport (northern Tasmania). Murchison Highway links the city with the island's western part. Metro Tasmania is the inner city bus service, also providing transportation to the suburbs., Redline Coaches offers daily bus services to nearby towns and Hobart.

During season 2016-2017, Tasmania ports served a total of 236,794 cruise ship tourists, which was a 45% increase over season 2015-2016. TasPorts handled a total of 95 cruise ship calls, including 22 in Port Arthur, 17 in Burnie, 6 in Wineglass Bay (located near Hobart, ranked among the world's top 10 beaches) and 1 at Flinders Island (in Bass Strait, located to the northeast of Tasmania).

For season 2018-2019, a total of 125 cruise liner calls were scheduled at ports Hobart and Burnie, another 29 in Port Arthur, and 6 to anchor off the island's east coast (Wineglass Bay / Freycinet National Park).

Burnie cruise terminal