 Coppin bought a hotel but, being quite inexperienced, lost his money and went to Hobart, Tasmania in January 1845.At Launceston he formed a company, recruited George Herbert Rogers, and in June 1845 took it to Melbourne and opened at the Queen's Theatre, recently built by John Thomas Smith.In August 1846, Coppin went to Adelaide, converted a billiard room into the New Queen's Theatre with a 700-seat capacity, and on 2 November 1846 began his season with "The King and the Comedian", Coppin playing the part of Stolbach (the comedian).