Torbay, Western Australia
Encyclopedia
Torbay is a small township in the Great Southern
region of Western Australia
, 25 kilometres west of Albany
. There is a crater
on Mars
named after it.
The town is named after a bay on the coast that is south of the town, believed to be named by Governor James Stirling
in 1831 after Torbay
in Devon
.
The area was initially utilised for its timber and had a number of sawmills operating close by; in 1889 a railway was constructed and one of the stations was named Torbay. By 1889 most of the timber had been felled and removed and the government acquired the land from its owners, Millars Karri
and Jarrah
Forests Ltd.
The land was subdivided and sold for agricultural purposes in 1900 but some was set aside for a townsite.
The town of Torbay was gazetted in 1910.
Industries in the area include dairy farming
, beef cattle
, some specialist horticulture
and arts and crafts, along with rural businesses that service farmers (mechanic
s, lime
supply, machinery and labour hire etc). There is a regular market at the Torbay Hall. Torbay has an active Bush Fire Brigade unit, located also by the Torbay Hall. Children in the area usually attend schools in Albany
, travelling there on regular school bus routes. There is a postal mail service to the area, delivered from Albany directly to driveway mailboxes three times a week. The postcode for Torbay is 6330.
Politically, Torbay is within the City of Albany
local government area
. At state government level it is in the South West
region and the Albany
electoral district.
The Torbay area is in the eastern fringe of the karri
forest region, and several farms have notable blocks of remnant tall forest. Large granite
outcrops are also common. Beaches on the bay tend towards fine white sand. Where streams occur, they are often clear but dark brown in colour from high-tannin-content vegetation.
The bay also called Torbay is located between the West Cape Howe National Park
(where there is a point named Torbay Head) - and the Torndirrup National Park
. Popular beaches on the bay include Perkins Beach, Torbay Inlet and Cosy Corner. Cosy Corner is the most well known, a popular family beach with picnic facilities and a nearby store. Children's swimming lessons are held there in summertime. These beaches are all accessible by normal car, and there are more beaches that are 4WD access only. The Bibbulmun Track
passes around the edge of the bay, coming down long steps from the steep hills above Cosy Corner and following the beach around the curve of the bay and across Torbay Inlet
to near Muttonbird Island
.
, without commemorating the town.
Great Southern region of Western Australia
The Great Southern region is one of the nine regions of Western Australia. It is a section of the larger South Coast of Western Australia and neighbouring agricultural regions....
region of Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
, 25 kilometres west of Albany
Albany, Western Australia
Albany is a port city in the Great Southern region of Western Australia, some 418 km SE of Perth, the state capital. As of 2009, Albany's population was estimated at 33,600, making it the 6th-largest city in the state....
. There is a crater
Impact crater
In the broadest sense, the term impact crater can be applied to any depression, natural or manmade, resulting from the high velocity impact of a projectile with a larger body...
on Mars
Mars
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun in the Solar System. The planet is named after the Roman god of war, Mars. It is often described as the "Red Planet", as the iron oxide prevalent on its surface gives it a reddish appearance...
named after it.
The town is named after a bay on the coast that is south of the town, believed to be named by Governor James Stirling
James Stirling (Australian governor)
Admiral Sir James Stirling RN was a British naval officer and colonial administrator. His enthusiasm and persistence persuaded the British Government to establish the Swan River Colony and he became the first Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Western Australia...
in 1831 after Torbay
Torbay
Torbay is an east-facing bay and natural harbour, at the western most end of Lyme Bay in the south-west of England, situated roughly midway between the cities of Exeter and Plymouth. Part of the ceremonial county of Devon, Torbay was made a unitary authority on 1 April 1998...
in Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
.
The area was initially utilised for its timber and had a number of sawmills operating close by; in 1889 a railway was constructed and one of the stations was named Torbay. By 1889 most of the timber had been felled and removed and the government acquired the land from its owners, Millars Karri
Karri
Eucalyptus diversicolor, commonly known as the Karri, is a eucalypt which is native to the wetter regions of south west of Western Australia.-Description:...
and Jarrah
Jarrah
Eucalyptus marginata is one of the most common species of Eucalyptus tree in the southwest of Western Australia. The tree and the wood are usually referred to by the Aboriginal name Jarrah...
Forests Ltd.
The land was subdivided and sold for agricultural purposes in 1900 but some was set aside for a townsite.
The town of Torbay was gazetted in 1910.
Industries in the area include dairy farming
Dairy farming
Dairy farming is a class of agricultural, or an animal husbandry, enterprise, for long-term production of milk, usually from dairy cows but also from goats and sheep, which may be either processed on-site or transported to a dairy factory for processing and eventual retail sale.Most dairy farms...
, beef cattle
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
, some specialist horticulture
Horticulture
Horticulture is the industry and science of plant cultivation including the process of preparing soil for the planting of seeds, tubers, or cuttings. Horticulturists work and conduct research in the disciplines of plant propagation and cultivation, crop production, plant breeding and genetic...
and arts and crafts, along with rural businesses that service farmers (mechanic
Mechanic
A mechanic is a craftsman or technician who uses tools to build or repair machinery.Many mechanics are specialized in a particular field such as auto mechanics, bicycle mechanics, motorcycle mechanics, boiler mechanics, general mechanics, industrial maintenance mechanics , air conditioning and...
s, lime
Agricultural lime
Agricultural lime, also called aglime, agricultural limestone, garden lime or liming, is a soil additive made from pulverized limestone or chalk. The primary active component is calcium carbonate...
supply, machinery and labour hire etc). There is a regular market at the Torbay Hall. Torbay has an active Bush Fire Brigade unit, located also by the Torbay Hall. Children in the area usually attend schools in Albany
Albany, Western Australia
Albany is a port city in the Great Southern region of Western Australia, some 418 km SE of Perth, the state capital. As of 2009, Albany's population was estimated at 33,600, making it the 6th-largest city in the state....
, travelling there on regular school bus routes. There is a postal mail service to the area, delivered from Albany directly to driveway mailboxes three times a week. The postcode for Torbay is 6330.
Politically, Torbay is within the City of Albany
City of Albany
The City of Albany is a Local Government Area in the Great Southern region of Western Australia, about SSE of Perth, the capital of Western Australia. It covers an area of , including the Greater Albany metropolitan area and the Port of Albany, as well as the surrounding agricultural district and...
local government area
Local Government Areas of Western Australia
The Australian state of Western Australia is divided into 141 local government areas...
. At state government level it is in the South West
Electoral region of South West
The electoral region of South West is a multi-member electoral region of the Western Australian Legislative Council, located in the South West, Peel and part of the Great Southern regions of the state...
region and the Albany
Electoral district of Albany
The Electoral district of Albany is a Legislative Assembly electorate in the state of Western Australia. Albany is named for the port and regional city of Western Australia which falls within its borders. It is one of the oldest electorates in Western Australia, with its first member having been...
electoral district.
The Torbay area is in the eastern fringe of the karri
Karri
Eucalyptus diversicolor, commonly known as the Karri, is a eucalypt which is native to the wetter regions of south west of Western Australia.-Description:...
forest region, and several farms have notable blocks of remnant tall forest. Large granite
Granite
Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...
outcrops are also common. Beaches on the bay tend towards fine white sand. Where streams occur, they are often clear but dark brown in colour from high-tannin-content vegetation.
The bay also called Torbay is located between the West Cape Howe National Park
West Cape Howe National Park
West Cape Howe National Park is a national park in Western Australia , southeast of Perth. The park is found between Albany and Denmark within the City of Albany and in the Great Southern region....
(where there is a point named Torbay Head) - and the Torndirrup National Park
Torndirrup National Park
Torndirrup National Park is a national park in the Great Southern region of Western Australia , southeast of Perth and south of Albany. Torndirrup National Park has many impressive rock formations on the coast. These include the Gap, Natural Bridge and the Blowholes all shaped from the local...
. Popular beaches on the bay include Perkins Beach, Torbay Inlet and Cosy Corner. Cosy Corner is the most well known, a popular family beach with picnic facilities and a nearby store. Children's swimming lessons are held there in summertime. These beaches are all accessible by normal car, and there are more beaches that are 4WD access only. The Bibbulmun Track
Bibbulmun Track
The Bibbulmun Track is a long distance walk trail in Western Australia. It runs from Kalamunda, east of Perth to Albany and is almost 1000 km long...
passes around the edge of the bay, coming down long steps from the steep hills above Cosy Corner and following the beach around the curve of the bay and across Torbay Inlet
Torbay Inlet
Torbay Inlet is an estuarine inlet in the Great Southern region of Western Australia situated approximately East of Denmark.Torbay Inlet is a wave dominated estuary that functions primarily as a result of wave energy...
to near Muttonbird Island
Shelter Island (Western Australia)
Shelter Island is an island located approximately due west of Albany, Western Australia, the island is often mistakenly referred to as Muttonbird Island. The island is approximately off-shore from Muttonbird Beach separated by a channel that has an average depth of it is regarded as a suitable...
.
Mars
The name Torbay has been used as a name for a crater on the planet MarsMars
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun in the Solar System. The planet is named after the Roman god of war, Mars. It is often described as the "Red Planet", as the iron oxide prevalent on its surface gives it a reddish appearance...
, without commemorating the town.