Early in 1895 a Post Office was opened at Penghana, at the Queen River fork and crossing, about a kilometre north of present-day Queenstown on the road to Strahan; James Robertson was appointed the first postmaster.

The town, in its heyday, had a collection of hotels, theatres, churches and schools that have largely disappeared since the demise of the Mount Lyell company.

The Darwin and Crotty dams that comprise Lake Burbury (a popular fishing and recreation venue) were built during this period.

Typical of the successions that occur in fire affected areas in Western Tasmania, the low shrubbery that has revegetated adjacent to hillside creeks is a very early stage of a long recovery for the ecology of the region.

Although there are still large areas incapable of sustaining regrowth due to the acute slopes and lack of soil formation, revegetation projects have been stymied.

Today, the town and district attracts significant numbers of tourists, on either organised tours or the hire car 'circuit' around Tasmania.

The grand Empire Hotel overlooks the revived steam train station where rides to neighbouring Strahan are available through dense rainforest.

The recent addition of mountain bike trails and white water rafting add to the town's growth as a tourist destination.

Some older features continue to fascinate tourists, either the mountains, the slag heap, and the gravel football ground.

The Queenstown Oval was laid with gravel due to pollution from local mining and heavy rain making it difficult to grow grass.

[13][14] Queenstown has a very wet oceanic climate (Cfb), and is one of the wettest locations in Tasmania with an annual average rainfall of 2408.2 mm (94.8 in), spread throughout the year but especially concentrated in winter.