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Marion Bay, Tasmania

Coordinates: 42°47′49″S 147°55′23″E / 42.797°S 147.923°E / -42.797; 147.923
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Marion Bay
HobartTasmania
Marion Bay is located in Tasmania
Marion Bay
Marion Bay
Map
Coordinates42°47′49″S 147°55′23″E / 42.797°S 147.923°E / -42.797; 147.923
Population72 (2016 census)[1]
Postcode(s)7175
Location
LGA(s)Sorell
RegionSouth-east
State electorate(s)Lyons
Federal division(s)Lyons
Suburbs around Marion Bay:
Bream Creek Bream Creek Marion Bay
Bream Creek Marion Bay Marion Bay
Boomer Bay Blackman Bay Blackman Bay

Marion Bay is a rural / residential locality in the local government area (LGA) of Sorell in the South-east LGA region of Tasmania. The locality is about 27 kilometres (17 mi) east of the town of Sorell. The 2016 census recorded a population of 72 for the state suburb of Marion Bay.[1] Marion Bay is also a large bay on the south-east coast of Tasmania. Its south-western shore is contained by the Marion Bay Important Bird Area.

History

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Marion Bay is a confirmed locality.[2]

European discovery

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Abel Tasman first anchored just north of a small island in the southern part of this large bay in 1642, and landed in the area he named Frederick Henricx Bay (made up of what is now called Blackman Bay, Marion Bay and North Bay).[3] The name Frederick Henry Bay was mistakenly moved to its present location by Captain Tobias Furneaux. Subsequently, Frederick Henricx Bay was later named Marion Bay after the Breton navigator Marion du Fresne, who arrived in his ship Mascarin with Marquis de Castries in March 1772. Marion recorded that "One sailor found numbers of crayfish, lobsters and huge crabs, and the oysters there are good and abundant".[4]

Marion's landing is the first recorded sighting and description of the Aboriginal people of Tasmania/lutruwita by Europeans. One of the Aboriginal men was shot dead by Marion's men. Marion then sailed to New Zealand where he was killed by Māori in the Bay of Islands.

Geography

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The waters of Blackman Bay and Marion Bay form the eastern to southern boundaries.[5]

Road infrastructure

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Route C337 (Marion Bay Road) runs through from west to south.[2][6]

Festivals

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Marion Bay was home to the Tasmanian edition of the Falls Festival, first held in December 2003. The Marion Bay Festival was the second Falls Festival location, after Lorne, Victoria commenced in 1993. It became an annual New Year's Eve event, being held for 17 years until 2019, when COVID-19 led to the festival's postponement, and ultimately cancellation.[7] The Festival was run simultaneously alongside other Falls Festivals held in Lorne, Victoria and Byron Bay, New South Wales, with the Byron Bay festival commencing in 2013.

The Bream Creek Show has been taking place in Marion Bay for more than a century. Noted for a display of large pumpkins, the show was first hosted in 1897 in the pavilion at Coppington. It is held every year in March and includes rides for children, wood chopping and other family entertainment.[8]

Army worm infestation

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In December 2008, an infestation of army worms in Marion Bay was reported in the national media. Despite the problems residents encountered, infestations of this sort are apparently common wherever the worms are.[9] In October 2008 a general alert was sounded that such an infestation was likely to occur.[10]

References

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  1. ^ a b "2016 Census Quick Stats Marion Bay (Tas.)". quickstats.censusdata.abs.gov.au. Australian Bureau of Statistics. 23 October 2017. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
  2. ^ a b "Placenames Tasmania – Marion Bay". Placenames Tasmania. Select "Search", enter "38057X", click "Search", select row, map is displayed, click "Details". Retrieved 2 April 2021.
  3. ^ The Tasman Map (1644), The Mitchell Library, Sydney
  4. ^ R.W.Giblin, The Early History of Tasmania, <date?> p. 37-40
  5. ^ "Marion Bay, Tasmania" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
  6. ^ "Tasmanian Road Route Codes" (PDF). Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water & Environment. May 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 August 2017. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
  7. ^ Humphries, Alexandra (4 November 2021). "Falls Festival ends Tasmanian event after 17 years, with no plans to return to Marion Bay". ABC News. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  8. ^ "Tourism". Sorell Council.
  9. ^ (Video)
  10. ^ News report, TAS Country Hour, ABC Rural Archived 26 August 2003 at the Wayback Machine