Towns, Cities, Mountains & Lakes in Tasmania, Australia includes some history plus Bays & Islands Acknowledgement to C J Dennison for his contribution SANDY BAY: This is a southern suburb of Hobart on the shores of the Derwent River. Australias first legal casino is situated there. Named by the Reverend Robert (Bobby) Knopwood, who is said to have applied the name descriptively. He first mentioned it in his diary in 1804. Lower Sandy Bay is on the southern side of Sandy Bay and takes in the beach from which the name originated. It has always been a popular place for recreation from the earliest times. First named Lower Sandy Bay then it changed to Beachside, then in 1968 it was changed again to its' present name. Refer Map SASSAFRAS: A rich farming district on the Bass Highway 19 Km south of Devonport. Settled about 1857 it was very thick with sassafras trees and it is thought that this gave it its' name. Refer Map SCAMANDER: This is a popular resort town at the mouth of the Scamander River. Situated on the east coast 19 Km north of St Marys on the Tasman Highway. It is a place suited to all types of recreation. Believed to have been named by George Franklin who was a scholar with an interest in Greek culture. Upper Scamander is 9 Km west of Scamander on the banks of the Scamander River. Situated where the Upper Scamander Road crosses the river and becomes Eastern Creek Road. Refer Map SCOTTSDALE: A substantial town on the Tasman Highway 63 Km east of Launceston. Scottsdale is regarded as the centre of the north east and named after Government Surveyor, James Scott, who explored the north east in 1855. First known as Coxs Paradise after a farmer selected a large area to farm there. The first official name was Ellesmere. However it changed to its' present name in 1893. Refer Map - Scottsdale North is 5 Km north east of Scottsdale at the northern end of the North Scottsdale Road. Formerly known as Bungana an Aboriginal word for "chief". The name was changed to Scottsdale North in 1957. - Scottsdale West is a small farming community 8 Km west of Scottsdale. Situated on the Koomeela Road and the western side of the Bird River. Formerly known as Koomeela, the name changed in 1957. SHEARWATER: A resort area at the northern end of Port Sorell halfway between Port Sorell and Hawley Beach. It became prominent when the Shearwater Country Club was built there. Refer Map SHEFFIELD: A country town in the north west area 11 Km west of Railton. It is the administrative centre for the Kentish District. The town started in 1862 and, although there are several versions, it seems most likely named by Edward Curr, the Tasmanian Manager for the Van Diemens Land Company. Refer Map SMITHTON: A town on the north west coast it is the commercial and industrial centre of the Circular Head district. It is situated 86 Km west of Burnie at the mouth of the Duck River. Named by Bass and Flinders in 1798 the early settlement was known as Duck River. One of the largest hardwood mills in Australia is at Smithton. It specialises in blackwood timbers, once very thick in the area. The town name changed to Smithton before 1900 and this was after an early settler named Peter Smith. Refer Map SNUG: A town situated on the Channel Highway 25 Km south of Hobart. It was proclaimed a town in 1908. The name is believed to have come from sailors who found 'snug' anchorage for their ships. Blocks of freestone cut from the quarry nearby were used in the building of the Melbourne G.P.O. The mountainous range west of Snug is named Snug Tiers. It is a heavily timbered area of rain forest vegetation. At the southern end of the tiers are the Snug Falls. Refer Map SOMERSET: A town situated on the Bass Highway 6 Km west of Burnie and the Cam River. At one time it was a town in its' own right but is now a satellite town of Burnie. Named in 1856 after the Earl of Somerset in England. The junction of the Bass Highway and the Murchison Highway is in the centre of Somerset. The postal authorities had the name River Cam on the Post Office until 1933. Refer Map SORELL: A country town 27 Km east of Hobart on the Arthur Highway, where the Arthur Highway and the Tasman Highway meet. It was named after Lieutenant Governor Sorell who founded the town in 1821. In 1824 the whole town was captured by the bushranger Matthew Brady. From 1816 until 1860 it was the granary of Tasmania (20 years of that for New South Wales). When the Sorell Causeway was completed in 1866 it became even more important as it gave an alternative route to the one through Richmond. Refer Map SOUTH ARM: This is a small village on the peninsula from which it takes it's name and is 19 Km from Lauderdale. It was an important place when there was a lot of trading on the water ways in the south east region. One of the ferries, which was common on the Derwent River, bore the Aboriginal name for the area and that was "Reemere". Refer Map SPREYTON: A satellite town of Devonport 6 Km south on the Mersey Main Road and runs parallel with the North-Western railway line. The Figure of Eight Creek flows through the town. Where the creek flows into the Mersey River at Flour Mill Bay there once stood a tidal-powered flour mill. Refer Map STANLEY: A classified historic town on the north west coast 78 Km west of Burnie. It is chiefly a fishing village. The Van Diemens Land Company once had its' headquarters in the area and it is also the birth place of former Australian Prime Minister, Joseph Lyons. Over the years the village has not changed very much. Named after Lord Stanley, who was the Secretary of State for the Colonies. Map Image STAVERTON: A little farming community on the Staverton Road 15 Km south west of Sheffield. It overlooks the section of Lake Barrington known as Weeks Reach. An isolated settlement, an early settler reported that in 1906 it took 3 hours to get to Railton. He travelled by horse to Roland and then by rail. Refer Map ST HELENS: - CONTRIBUTION FROM ST HELENS HISTORY ROOM - Situated on Georges Bay. Aboriginal name, Kunnara Kunna meaning "easy walking place", St. Helens is the largest major holiday and fishing town on the east coast. It is 164 km. east of Launceston and 245 km. north-east of Hobart. The town had its beginning as a small farming area, but grew into a very important port for tin mining. When the mining closed, St. Helens became a major fishing port and holiday destination.    Image provided by Garry Richardson Image Visit the award winning History Room, go sailing on the catamaran, "Electra", or walk the long, white, sandy beaches and forest reserves. See the beautiful St. Columba Falls, and Ralph Falls, the Pyengana cheese factory; walk and explore the Historic Blue Tier - one walk with wheel chair access. Go deep sea and game fishing, scuba diving, swimming, surfing, windsurfing, skiing, gem fossicking and play golf. There is dinghy hire, marina facilities, bicycle and fishing gear hire and to top it off the weather is just great. Refer Map ST LEONARDS: This is now a suburb of Launceston on the eastern side of the North Esk River. First opened up in 1806 for pasture it was named Pattersons Plains. In 1866, it was proclaimed a town and named after Lord St Leonards. Refer Map ST MARYS: A sleepy little country town on the east coast 129 Km from Launceston. Once it was a very busy place. It is the eastern terminus for the busy Fingal Railway and is where the junction of the Esk Highway and Tasman Highways are situated. Refer Map STRAHAN: A town on the west coast at the western end of the Lyell Highway. The port town for the west coast region caters for tourists doing boat trips to parts of Macquarie Harbour. Although the town is only an echo if its' former self it is still a busy little town. A fishing fleet operates out of Strahan. Named in honour of Major Sir George C Strahan, who was Governor of Tasmania in 1881. Map  Image  Photo Gallery - FRANKLIN RIVER: In the heart of the south-west Tasmanian wilderness lies the Franklin River which flows 125 kms to the Gordon River. From tranquil pools to roaring, rock-strewn rapids it is a must visit for the rafting enthusiast. - GORDON RIVER: Your visit to the West Coast of Tasmania would not be complete without an adventure into the heart of the wilderness that is the Gordon River. Cruises are world renowned and take in the endless untouched rainforest as well as Hells Gates, Macquarie Harbour, Heritage Landing and the Gordon River. STRATHGORDON: A village built by the Hydro Electric Commission to house the workers on the Gordon River Power Scheme. It still houses maintenance personnel and also caters for tourists. Situated 159Km west of Hobart on the Gordon River Road, on the shores of the magnificent Lake Pedder. Refer Map - LAKE PEDDER: A large lake in the south west this is a companion lake for Lake Gordon. Pedder acts as a feeder lake. Together they form the largest, inland, freshwater storage in Australia, able to hold 27 times the volume of water in Sydney Harbour. A popular lake with anglers, record size fish have been caught there. SULPHUR CREEK: A quiet little village on the Bass Highway facing out into Bass Strait 5 Km west of Penguin. Originally known as Penguin Creek it was changed when the Penguin township came into being. Refer Map SWANSEA: A country town on the east coast it is on the Tasman Highway 152 Km from Hobart. Originally named Great Swanport it developed from about the 1820s. It was near the Rocky Hills Probation Station where over 400 convicts were held. The town still has many old buildings of historic value and is a popular calling place for tourists. Refer Map

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