Fingal Bay, New South Wales
Encyclopedia
Fingal Bay is the eastern-most suburb of the Port Stephens Local Government Area in the Hunter Region of New South Wales
, Australia
. The only population centre is the township of the same name, which itself is named after the adjacent, small, semi-circular bay. At the 2006 census, the population of the town was 1,473.
Except for the township, most of Fingal Bay is included in the Tomaree National Park
, which includes forested areas, coastal scrubland, beaches and most of the Fingal headland. The suburb does not include the bay itself.
approximately 900 m (2,953 ft) long. Waters to the northeast of the spit are known as "Fly Roads". Crossing between the mainland and the headland along the spit is considered dangerous. According to a sign on the beach, people have died crossing the spit, which can be covered by breaking waves at times. The south-western head of the bay is Fingal Head, which is located southeast of the town. Between the two heads, the mouth is over 1 km (0.621372736649807 mi) wide. The bay includes a sandy beach approximately 1.9 km (1.2 mi) long.
. The name "Fingal Bay" appeared on an 1845 map prepared by Captain Phillip Parker King.
" advertising campaign filmed for Tourism Australia
and appears at the end of the advertisement.
when he passed on 11 May 1770, honouring Sir Philip Stephens who was Secretary to the Admiralty. Stephens was a personal friend of Cook and had recommended him for command of the voyage. It seems Cook's initial choice had actually been Point Keppel (named after Augustus Keppel
, a Lords Commissioner of the Admiralty), but instead he used Keppel later when he named Keppel Bay
. The name first appeared on chart 1070, prepared by Captain Phillip Parker King in 1845.
and has a range of 28 kilometres (15 nmi).
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. The only population centre is the township of the same name, which itself is named after the adjacent, small, semi-circular bay. At the 2006 census, the population of the town was 1,473.
Except for the township, most of Fingal Bay is included in the Tomaree National Park
Tomaree National Park
Tomaree is a national park in New South Wales, Australia, 145-155 km northeast of Sydney in the Port Stephens Local Government Area. It is located on the shores of the Tasman Sea, extending north from Fishermans Bay to Shoal Bay passing through Boat Harbour, One Mile, Nelson Bay and Fingal Bay.Most...
, which includes forested areas, coastal scrubland, beaches and most of the Fingal headland. The suburb does not include the bay itself.
Fingal Bay
Fingal Bay is approximately 1.75 km (1.1 mi) across at its widest point and 1.3 km (0.807784557644749 mi) from the mouth to the beach. The northeastern head of the bay is the Fingal headland, which is connected to the mainland via Fingal Spit, a sand spitSpit (landform)
A spit or sandspit is a deposition landform found off coasts. At one end, spits connect to land, and extend into the sea. A spit is a type of bar or beach that develops where a re-entrant occurs, such as at cove's headlands, by the process of longshore drift...
approximately 900 m (2,953 ft) long. Waters to the northeast of the spit are known as "Fly Roads". Crossing between the mainland and the headland along the spit is considered dangerous. According to a sign on the beach, people have died crossing the spit, which can be covered by breaking waves at times. The south-western head of the bay is Fingal Head, which is located southeast of the town. Between the two heads, the mouth is over 1 km (0.621372736649807 mi) wide. The bay includes a sandy beach approximately 1.9 km (1.2 mi) long.
History
The bay was originally known as "False Bay", because it could be mistaken for the entrance to Port StephensPort Stephens
Port Stephens is a large natural harbour located about north-east of Sydney in New South Wales, Australia. It lies wholly within the Port Stephens Local Government Area although its northern shoreline forms the boundary between the Port Stephens and Great Lakes LGAs...
. The name "Fingal Bay" appeared on an 1845 map prepared by Captain Phillip Parker King.
Tourism campaign
Fingal Spit was a location for the 2006 "So where the bloody hell are you?So where the bloody hell are you?
So where the bloody hell are you? is a A$180 million advertising campaign launched in 2006 by Tourism Australia created by the Sydney office of the London advertising agency M&C Saatchi....
" advertising campaign filmed for Tourism Australia
Tourism Australia
Tourism Australia is a statutory authority of the Government of Australia, with responsibility for tourism marketing within Australia and internationally, as well as research and forecasting of domestic and global tourism trends...
and appears at the end of the advertisement.
Headland and Point Stephens
The irregularly shaped headland, which is sometimes mistakenly called "Fingal Island", covers an area of approximately 1 km² (0.386102158592535 sq mi), most of which is part of the Tomaree National Park, and reaches 75 m (246 ft) in height. The southeastern most point of the headland was named "Point Stephens" by Captain CookJames Cook
Captain James Cook, FRS, RN was a British explorer, navigator and cartographer who ultimately rose to the rank of captain in the Royal Navy...
when he passed on 11 May 1770, honouring Sir Philip Stephens who was Secretary to the Admiralty. Stephens was a personal friend of Cook and had recommended him for command of the voyage. It seems Cook's initial choice had actually been Point Keppel (named after Augustus Keppel
Augustus Keppel, 1st Viscount Keppel
Admiral Augustus Keppel, 1st Viscount Keppel PC was an officer of the Royal Navy during the Seven Years' War and the War of American Independence...
, a Lords Commissioner of the Admiralty), but instead he used Keppel later when he named Keppel Bay
Keppel Bay
Keppel Bay is a broad bay in Central Queensland, Australia at the mouth of the Fitzroy River. Cape Keppel is at the Eastern end of the bay.The bay and the nearby Keppel Islands were named by Captain Cook when he was there on 27 May 1770, after Admiral Augustus Keppel of the British Royal...
. The name first appeared on chart 1070, prepared by Captain Phillip Parker King in 1845.
Lighthouse
As early as 1857, the need for a lighthouse on Point Stephens was identified, due to the proximity to the entrance of Port Stephens, and the dangers of the local coastline to ships. A 21 m (69 ft) high stone lighthouse was subsequently constructed in 1862. The light is 38 m (125 ft) above mean sea levelAbove mean sea level
The term above mean sea level refers to the elevation or altitude of any object, relative to the average sea level datum. AMSL is used extensively in radio by engineers to determine the coverage area a station will be able to reach...
and has a range of 28 kilometres (15 nmi).