Taroona Beach

Last updated

Taroona Beach
Beach
Australia Hobart location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Taroona Beach
Coordinates: 42°57′09″S147°21′07″E / 42.95250°S 147.35194°E / -42.95250; 147.35194
Location Taroona, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
Offshore water bodies River Derwent
Dimensions
 • Length500 metres (1,600 ft) [1]
Hazard rating3/10 [1]
AccessTaroona Crescent, Niree Parade, Taroona Foreshore Track

Taroona Beach is a popular beach destination along the River Derwent in Taroona, Hobart, Tasmania. The south facing beach looks directly out to Storm Bay and the Tasman Sea, with views of the Derwent estuary, the City of Clarence on the eastern shore, Opossum Bay, South Arm, the Alum Cliffs and northern tip of Bruny Island. Taroona Beach is situated between Hinsby Beach and Crayfish Point, home of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Centre for the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies. [2] Taroona Beach contains a boat ramp and is backed by Taroona Park which contains bathroom facilities, [3] a skate park, scout hall, the Taroona Tennis Club, and the Taroona Bowls and Community Club.

Contents

History

Taroona Beach has historically been a popular staple of local activity, used for exercise, beach combing, kayaking, sailing, snorkelling, bodyboarding and swimming. Prior to the British colonisation of Tasmania, the land had been occupied for possibly as long as 35,000 years [4] by the semi-nomadic Mouheneener people, a sub-group of the Nuennone, or "South-East tribe". [5] The name Taroona is derived from the Mouheneener word for chiton, a marine mollusc found on rocks in the intertidal regions of Taroona Beach. [6] [7] Mouheneener shell middens can be found scattered all along Taroona's foreshores. [6]

On 28 January 1810, a young sailor named Joseph Batchelor died onboard the vessel Venus incoming from India. [8] Batchelor was brought ashore and buried at Taroona Beach; his is reputed to be the oldest European grave in Tasmania. [8] [9] [10] Batchelor's Grave was a declared historical site by the Tasmanian Heritage Register on 21 March 1978. [11] [12] A reenactment of Batchelor's body being brought to Taroona Beach was carried out to mark the 200th anniversary of the sailor's burial on Thursday 28th January 2010. [13]

During her time as a resident of Taroona, poet Gwen Harwood wrote popular beachside poems including At the Water's Edge, Last Meeting and Estuary which contain vivid descriptions of Taroona Beach and surrounds.

Horseriding on Taroona Beach was banned in 1950. [14] In 1952, the Kingborough Council requested financial aid from the Australian Government to build a swimming bath at Taroona beach as a means to protect children from sharks, although this never eventuated. [15] [16]

In 2018, the eastern section of the beach became an off-leash dog zone. [17] [18]

Marine life

The mouth of the River Derwent leading to Storm Bay was a major calving ground of the southern right whale (Eubalaena australis) until the 19th century when whaling in Australia became a lucrative industry. Southern right whales display strong maternal fidelity to their calving grounds, and their numbers were so great that early settlers complained that sounds of cavorting whales kept them awake at night. [19] In July 1804, clergyman Robert Knopwood claimed that in crossing the River Derwent, "we passed so many whales that it was dangerous for the boat to go up the river unless you kept very near the shore". [20] By the 1890s southern right whales had been brought to the brink of extinction, with over 25,000 recorded whales killed in Australia and New Zealand. [21] The whaling industry ended in Tasmania in 1900. [22] Southern right whales have only intermittently made appearances in the Derwent estuary since, during months in winter and spring when their migration takes place. [23] [24] In 2010, a southern right whale gave birth to a calf in the Derwent River just off the shore near Taroona Beach, the first birth recording in the estuary in approximately 190 years. [22] [25]

A large Wedgenose skate (Dipturus whitleyi) weighing 187 pounds (85 kg) was caught off Taroona Beach in 1952. [26] [27]

In the winter months of 2014, humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) and a minke whale (Balaenoptera bonaerensis) (being the first confirmed record of this species in the river) were recorded feeding in the River Derwent for the first time since the 1800s. [28]

Other marine life sighted from Taroona Beach include the Australian swellshark (Cephaloscyllium laticeps), bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus) and Burrunan dolphins (Tursiops aduncus australis), southern rock lobster (Jasus edwardsii) [29] and the rare spotted handfish (Brachionichthys hirsutus), whose only habitat is in the Derwent estuary and surrounds.

Caused by microscopic plankton, a bioluminescence phenomenon intermittently occurs in the beach's waters in the evening. [30]

Environment

The steep and narrow 500-metre (1,600 ft) beach has waves averaging .5 metres (1 ft 8 in) swells and is bookended by clusters of large boulder rocks. [1] The beach can be viewed from beachside homes along Niree Parade. Taroona Park contains native flora including Tasmanian blue gum (Eucalyptus globulus subsp. globulus), black gum (Eucalyptus aggregata), sheoak (Casuarinaceae), Tasmanian Blackwood (Acacia melanoxylon), hopbush, banksia, coast wattle, and saltbush. [7] [31]

Access

Taroona Beach is accessible from the Hobart City Centre via the Channel Highway. It is a two hour walk from the CBD, or a 25 minute metro bus ride. There is dedicated parking at the beach directly off Niree Parade and at Taroona Park. The beach can be accessed on foot via the Taroona Foreshore Track. [7] [32] [33]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hobart</span> Capital city of Tasmania, Australia

Hobart is the capital and most populous city of the island state of Tasmania, Australia. Home to almost half of all Tasmanians, it is the southernmost and least-populated Australian state capital city, and second-smallest if territories are taken into account, before Darwin, Northern Territory. Hobart is located in Tasmania's south-east on the estuary of the River Derwent, making it the most southern of Australia's capital cities. Its skyline is dominated by the 1,271-metre (4,170 ft) kunanyi/Mount Wellington, and its harbour forms the second-deepest natural port in the world, with much of the city's waterfront consisting of reclaimed land. The metropolitan area is often referred to as Greater Hobart, to differentiate it from the City of Hobart, one of the seven local government areas that cover the city. It has a mild maritime climate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">River Derwent (Tasmania)</span> River in south east Tasmania, Australia

The River Derwent is a river located in Tasmania, Australia. It is also known by the palawa kani name timtumili minanya. The river rises in the state's Central Highlands at Lake St Clair, and descends more than 700 metres (2,300 ft) over a distance of more than 200 kilometres (120 mi), flowing through Hobart, the state's capital city, before emptying into Storm Bay and flowing into the Tasman Sea. The banks of the Derwent were once covered by forests and occupied by Aboriginal Tasmanians. European settlers farmed the area and during the 20th century many dams were built on its tributaries for the generation of hydro-electricity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taroona High School</span> School in Australia

Taroona High School is a government co-educational comprehensive junior secondary school located in Taroona, a suburb of Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. Established in 1958, the school caters for approximately 1,100 students from Years 7 to 10. The school is administered by the Tasmanian Department of Education.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taroona</span> Suburb of Hobart, Tasmania, Australia

Taroona is a major residential suburb approximately 15 minutes drive from the centre of Hobart, Tasmania on the scenic route between Hobart and Kingston. Although on the edges of the City of Hobart, Taroona is actually part of the municipality of Kingborough. Taroona is bounded on the east by the Derwent River, and has several beaches along the shore, the main beaches with public access are Taroona Beach, Hinsby Beach and Dixons Beach. Past Hinsby Beach, the Alum Cliffs form a section of cliffed coast to the neighbouring suburb of Bonnet Hill.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Whaling in Australia</span> Industry

Whaling in Australian waters began in 1791 when five of the 11 ships in the Third Fleet landed their passengers and freight at Sydney Cove and then left Port Jackson to engage in whaling and seal hunting off the coast of Australia and New Zealand. The two main species hunted by such vessels in the early years were right and sperm whales. Humpback, bowhead and other whale species would later be taken.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rosetta, Tasmania</span> Suburb of Hobart, Tasmania, Australia

Rosetta is a residential suburb about 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) northwest of Glenorchy, located in local government area (LGA) of City of Glenorchy. In the 2021 census, Rosetta had a population of 2,833. This suburb is part of the Hobart LGA Region, nestled between Berriedale and Montrose and roughly a 15-minute drive from Hobart. Rosetta features a primary school and a high school and is bordered by the Brooker Highway along the east, adjacent to the Derwent River.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Montrose, Tasmania</span> Suburb of Hobart, Tasmania, Australia

Montrose is a residential locality in the local government area (LGA) of Glenorchy in the Hobart LGA region of Tasmania. The locality is about 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) north of the town of Glenorchy. The 2016 census recorded a population of 2152 for the state suburb of Montrose. It is a suburb of Hobart. The suburb is situated in close proximity with Rosetta. Montrose is the suburb directly north of Glenorchy. It is also in Montrose where the Montrose Foreshore Community Park is located.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">D'Entrecasteaux Channel</span> Water between Bruny Island and Tasmania

The D'Entrecasteaux Channel is a body of water located between Bruny Island and the south-east of the mainland of Tasmania, Australia. The channel is the mouth for the estuaries of the Derwent and the Huon Rivers and empties into the Tasman Sea of the South Pacific Ocean. It was sighted by Abel Tasman in 1642 and surveyed in 1792 by Bruni d'Entrecasteaux.

Cornelian Bay is a small suburb in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. It lies just north of the urban parkland, the Queens Domain. The bay itself is a safe anchorage for yacht owners.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rose Bay, Tasmania</span> Suburb of Hobart, Tasmania, Australia

Rose Bay is a suburb of the City of Clarence in greater Hobart, capital city of Tasmania, Australia. Rose Bay is a small suburb, making up only approximately 0.9 square kilometres with nearly one fourth of that area (23.2%) being parkland. At the 2016 Census the suburb recorded a population of 1,102 people.

Bonnet Hill is a residential locality in the local government area (LGA) of Kingborough in the Hobart LGA region of Tasmania, Australia. The locality is about 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) east of the town of Kingston. The 2016 census recorded a population of 505 for the state suburb of Bonnet Hill.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kingston Beach, Tasmania</span> Suburb of Hobart, Tasmania, Australia

Kingston Beach is a residential locality in the local government area (LGA) of Kingborough in the Hobart LGA region of Tasmania. The locality is about 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) south-east of the town of Kingston. The 2021 census recorded a population of 2305 for the state suburb of Kingston Beach.

Howrah Beach is a 1.2 km (1 mi) stretch of recreational beach situated along the River Derwent in Howrah, a suburb of Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. The south-facing beach neighbours Bellerive Beach to the west and is bookended by Howrah Point to the east. The beach has views of the Derwent estuary, the neighbouring suburb of Tranmere, Sandy Bay on the western shore, and southern views of South Arm, Tinderbox and the northern tip of Bruny Island. Howrah Beach is backed by a narrow tree-lined reserve and private properties, the Clarence Foreshore Trail, Clarence High School adjoining Wentworth Park, Howrah Community Centre, Howrah Men's Shed and the Sunshine Tennis Club.

Rugby league is a spectator sport in Tasmania, administered by the Tasmanian Rugby League. Prior to folding in 2015, the Tasmanian Rugby League Premiership was the highest tier of the sport in Tasmania. There are no rugby league competitions currently operating in Tasmania.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Risdon Zinc Works</span> Zinc refinery in Lutana, Tasmania, Australia

Risdon Zinc Works is a major zinc refinery located in Lutana, a suburb of Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. The smelter is one of the world’s largest in terms of production volume, producing over 280,000 tonnes annually of high-grade zinc, primarily as die-cast alloys and continuous galvanising-grade alloys. These products are exported for global markets and utilised in a wide range of industries and products, from building and infrastructure to transportation, business equipment, communications, electronics, and consumer goods. The facility produces zinc using the Roast, Leach, Electrowinning (RLE) method, creating leach byproducts, including cadmium, gypsum, copper sulphate, lead sulphate, sulphuric acid, paragoethite and leach concentrate. The refinery has been owned and operated by the global multi-metals business Nyrstar since 2007. Nyrstar Hobart works closely with the Nyrstar Port Pirie multi-metals smelter in South Australia. The facility is Tasmania's largest exporter, contributing 25% of the state's overall export value in 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nutgrove Beach</span> Suburban beach in Sandy Bay, Tasmania

Nutgrove Beach is a popular beach destination along the River Derwent in Sandy Bay, Hobart, Tasmania. The north facing beach has views of kunanyi / Mount Wellington, Lords Beach, Wrest Point Hotel Casino, the Tasman Bridge, and the City of Clarence on the eastern shore. Nutgrove Beach neighbours Long Beach and Red Chapel Beach, and is within close proximity to the Sandy Bay Sailing Club and Lower Sandy Bay shops. The beach is dog-friendly and has bathroom facilities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Long Beach, Tasmania</span> Suburban beach in Sandy Bay, Tasmania

Long Beach is a popular beach destination along the River Derwent in Sandy Bay, Hobart, Tasmania. The east facing beach has views of the City of Clarence on the eastern shore and Blinking Billy Point. Long Beach neighbours Nutgrove Beach and is within close proximity to the Long Beach Reserve Playground, Sandy Bay Sailing Club, Sandy Bay Regatta Association, Hobart Pétanque Club and Lower Sandy Bay shops. Long Beach has a sea pontoon for swimmers and bathroom facilities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bellerive Beach, Tasmania</span> Suburban beach in Bellerive, Tasmania

Bellerive Beach is a popular beach destination along the River Derwent in Bellerive, Hobart, Tasmania. The south facing beach neighbours the historic Kangaroo Battery coastal defences to the west and Howrah Beach to the east. The beach has views of the Derwent estuary, Howrah, Tranmere and Sandy Bay on the western shore. Bellerive Beach has an adjoining parkland with play equipment, barbecues and bathroom facilities and is backed by the Bellerive Oval, a narrow tree-lined reserve and private properties.

Hinsby Beach is a beach along the River Derwent in the Hobart suburb of Taroona, Australia. The south facing beach looks directly out to Storm Bay and the Tasman Sea, with views of the Derwent estuary, the Alum Cliffs, Taroona Shot Tower, the City of Clarence on the eastern shore and Opossum Bay, South Arm. Hinsby Beach is situated between the Alum Cliffs and Taroona Beach. A naturally secluded section of the beach, beyond the rocky south-western outcrop is a zoned naturist beach.

The Alum Cliffs are a section of cliffed coast facing the Derwent Estuary and Storm Bay along the suburbs of Taroona, Bonnet Hill, and Kingston Beach, Tasmania, Australia. Composed of Permian mudstone, the cliff formation stretches for 3.5 kilometres (2.2 mi) between Hinsby Beach and Tyndall Beach at Kingston Beach. The cliff face reaches heights of up to 30 metres (98 ft) above sea level and has vistas of the Derwent Estuary, Storm Bay, South Arm and Bruny Island.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Taroona Beach, Taroona, Hobart, Tasmania". beachsafe.org.au. Retrieved 9 July 2022.
  2. ↑ "IMAS Taroona". tasfisheriesresearch.org. Retrieved 10 July 2022.
  3. ↑ "National Public Toilet Map - Taroona Beach, Niree Parade". toiletmap.gov.au. Retrieved 9 July 2022.
  4. ↑ "History of Tasmania". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 21 June 2022.
  5. ↑ Horton, David, ed. (1994). The Encyclopedia of Aboriginal Australia. Canberra: Aboriginal Studies Press. (See: Vol. 2, pp.1008–10 [with map]; individual tribal entries; and the 'Further reading' section on pp.1245–72).
  6. 1 2 "Taroona - About". taroona.tas.au. Retrieved 9 July 2022.
  7. 1 2 3 "Taroona Foreshore track, Taroona, Kingborough". greaterhobarttrails.com.au. Retrieved 9 July 2022.
  8. 1 2 "Historic Grave at Taroona". The Mercury (Hobart) . 17 February 1940. p. 10. Retrieved 10 July 2022– via National Library of Australia.
  9. ↑ "Taroona, Tasmania". ourtasmania.com.au. Retrieved 9 July 2022.
  10. ↑ "Grave at Taroona". The Mercury (Hobart) . 22 February 1940. p. 5. Retrieved 10 July 2022– via National Library of Australia.
  11. ↑ Tasmanian Heritage Register Permanent and Provisional Registrations as at 22 Jan 2021 (PDF), Tasmanian Heritage Register, p. 10, retrieved 10 July 2022
  12. ↑ Lord, Richard, Taroona 1808-1986 Farm Lands to a Garden Suburb - Bachelor's Grave - The Oldest Known Grave in Tasmania (PDF), Taroona Historical Group, p. 32, retrieved 10 July 2022
  13. ↑ Gee, Peter (29 January 2010). "Remembering Tasmania's 200yo mystery man". Australian Broadcasting Corporation . Retrieved 4 July 2022.
  14. ↑ "Ban on Beach Horse Riding". The Mercury (Hobart) . 18 April 1950. p. 10. Retrieved 10 July 2022– via National Library of Australia.
  15. ↑ "Protection Wanted From Sharks". The Mercury (Hobart) . 15 January 1952. p. 6. Retrieved 10 July 2022– via National Library of Australia.
  16. ↑ "Baths at Taroona Desired". The Mercury (Hobart) . 9 February 1952. p. 6. Retrieved 10 July 2022– via National Library of Australia.
  17. ↑ Mather, Anne (14 October 2018). "Battle on the beaches: Tensions brewing over Taroona off-leash zone". The Mercury . Retrieved 4 July 2022.
  18. ↑ "Taroona Beach east". dogwalkingtas.org.au. Retrieved 9 July 2022.
  19. ↑ Hosier, Phoebe (21 March 2019). "The history of our whales and how whaling brought species 'to brink of extinction'". Australian Broadcasting Corporation . Retrieved 9 July 2022.
  20. ↑ Evans, Kathryn (2006). "Whaling". utas.edu.au. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
  21. ↑ "Whales in the Derwent" (PDF). derwentestuary.org.au. Retrieved 4 April 2022.
  22. 1 2 Raabus, Carol (19 August 2010). "Return of the whales seen as the right move for the Derwent". Australian Broadcasting Corporation . Retrieved 10 July 2022.
  23. ↑ "Came to Life". The Mirror (Western Australia) . 18 October 1941. p. 3. Retrieved 10 July 2022– via National Library of Australia.
  24. ↑ "Whales in Derwent". The Mercury (Hobart) . 29 September 1941. p. 5. Retrieved 10 July 2022– via National Library of Australia.
  25. ↑ Skvortsova, Tanya (19 August 2010). "Whale gives birth to calf in Hobart's Derwent River". The Australian . Retrieved 10 July 2022.
  26. ↑ "Hooked Off Taroona". The Mercury (Hobart) . 25 March 1952. p. 5. Retrieved 10 July 2022– via National Library of Australia.
  27. ↑ "Species of the Derwent - Skate". derwentestuary.org.au. Retrieved 10 July 2022.
  28. ↑ "It's mighty mouth: Whales feeding in River Derwent". Archived from the original on 26 August 2014. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
  29. ↑ Commercialising translocation of Southern Rock Lobster (PDF), Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, p. 10, retrieved 12 May 2022
  30. ↑ Howarth, Carla (3 May 2019). "Bioluminescence chasers capture elusive phenomenon". Australian Broadcasting Corporation . Retrieved 4 July 2022.
  31. ↑ Brown, Michael J., Taroona 1808-1986 Farm Lands to a Garden Suburb - Flora (PDF), Taroona Historical Group, p. 4, retrieved 10 July 2022
  32. ↑ "Taroona - About". alltrails.com. Retrieved 9 July 2022.
  33. ↑ Hepper, John; Hobart Metropolitan Councils' Association, (issuing body.) (1990), Down by the Derwent : 21 foreshore parks to enjoy, Hobart Metropolitan Councils Association, retrieved 16 July 2022
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.