Scamander, Tasmania
Encyclopedia
Scamander is a small town situated at the mouth of the Scamander River between St Helens
and St Marys
on the northeast coast of Tasmania
in Australia
. The town is a popular holiday destination because of its wide, sandy beaches and views of the ocean. Recreational activities include surfing, swimming and fishing for bream in the river.
in 1825. He named the river "Borthwick" and the locality itself he named "Yarmouth" after the English port Great Yarmouth
but both the river and town were both later renamed "Scamander".
The wide river mouth has been a challenge to bridge builders for many years. Richard Terry
constructed a timber bridge in 1865 but it later collapsed when a large mob of cattle was driven across it. A second and third bridge were successively washed away in floods in 1889 and 1911. Further bridges succumbed to flood and shipworm
s, the last timber bridge collapsing in 1929. A truss bridge
was built in 1936 and still stands today. The concrete bridge that currently carries the Tasman Highway
was built alongside this bridge.
On the evening of 11 December 2006, 18 houses and a restaurant were razed by a bushfire that swept around the small town. In 2009, the town recorded Tasmania's highest ever temperature of 42.2 °C (108 °F) on January 30.
St Helens, Tasmania
St Helens is the largest town on the north-east coast of Tasmania, Australia, on Georges Bay. It is located on the Tasman Highway, about 160 km east of Tasmania's second largest city, Launceston. In the early 2000s, the town was one of the fastest growing areas of Tasmania, and reached a population...
and St Marys
St Marys, Tasmania
St Marys is a small township nestled at the junction of the Tasman Highway and the Esk Highway on the East Coast of Tasmania, Australia just 10 kilometres from the coast....
on the northeast coast of Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
in 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 town is a popular holiday destination because of its wide, sandy beaches and views of the ocean. Recreational activities include surfing, swimming and fishing for bream in the river.
History
The first European to travel through the area was surveyor John Helder WedgeJohn Helder Wedge
John Helder Wedge was a surveyor, explorer and politician in Van Diemen's Land .Wedge was the second son of Charles Wedge of Shudy Camps, Cambridge, England. John Wedge learned the basics of surveying from his father...
in 1825. He named the river "Borthwick" and the locality itself he named "Yarmouth" after the English port Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth, often known to locals as Yarmouth, is a coastal town in Norfolk, England. It is at the mouth of the River Yare, east of Norwich.It has been a seaside resort since 1760, and is the gateway from the Norfolk Broads to the sea...
but both the river and town were both later renamed "Scamander".
The wide river mouth has been a challenge to bridge builders for many years. Richard Terry
Richard Terry
Richard Terry may refer to:*Richard Benjamin Terry , Australian cricketer and umpire*Sir Richard Runciman Terry , English organist, choir director and musicologist...
constructed a timber bridge in 1865 but it later collapsed when a large mob of cattle was driven across it. A second and third bridge were successively washed away in floods in 1889 and 1911. Further bridges succumbed to flood and shipworm
Shipworm
Shipworms are not worms at all, but rather a group of unusual saltwater clams with very small shells, notorious for boring into wooden structures that are immersed in sea water, such as piers, docks and wooden ships...
s, the last timber bridge collapsing in 1929. A truss bridge
Truss bridge
A truss bridge is a bridge composed of connected elements which may be stressed from tension, compression, or sometimes both in response to dynamic loads. Truss bridges are one of the oldest types of modern bridges...
was built in 1936 and still stands today. The concrete bridge that currently carries the Tasman Highway
Tasman Highway
The Tasman Highway is a highway in Tasmania, Australia. Like the Midland Highway, it connects the major cities of Hobart and Launceston — however it takes a different route, via the north-eastern and eastern coasts of the state. The Highway also acts as a major commuter road to Hobart...
was built alongside this bridge.
On the evening of 11 December 2006, 18 houses and a restaurant were razed by a bushfire that swept around the small town. In 2009, the town recorded Tasmania's highest ever temperature of 42.2 °C (108 °F) on January 30.
Services
Services in Scamander include:- Resort Hotel
- Bottle Shop
- Caravan Park
- Numerous Bed and Breakfasts
- Several small motels
- Supermarket/minimarket
- Petrol Station including mechanic
- Fast food store
- Surf Shop
- Post office
- Video store
- Local Handyman