The bay at Southport

Southport
Australia's southernmost settlement
Located 104 km southwest of Hobart, Southport can claim to be the southernmost settlement in Australia. It can, however, hardly claim to be a settlement of much significance any more a far cry from the early 1800's when it was Tasmania's second largest town and it was proposed as the capital of the colony. Two hundred years and several bushfires have left little of the former convict station or bustling mill town and international port taking timber to Europe. For the past fifty years it has consisted of shacks for families from Hobart and south, and home for a couple of farmers and a few fishermen. Only a handful of houses have survived, the most notable being The Jetty House, a heritage listed building built in 1875.

Like most of the southwest coast, Southport was first explored by Admiral Bruni D'Entrecasteaux. On the 7th of February 1793, Beautemps-Beaupre from the Esperance (D'Entrecasteaux's ship) mapped Southport Bay and named it 'Baie des Moules' (Mussel Bay) an event now celebrated annually with a regatta in the first weekend of February.

in the nineteenth century Southport prospered as a port serving whalers, sealers and the local timber industry. There was a time when there were a number of substantial wharves and jetties dotted around the bay. Today Southport's only industries are tourism and fishing.

Things to see:  

Attractions in the Area
Local attractions include coastal walks, swimming, surfing, the Hastings Caves and Thermal Springs (swim in the pool in the rain forest but be warned, the spring water is a tepid 28 degrees), Adamsonšs Falls and Adamson's Peak, the Mystery Creek Caves, and Lunaris Gemstone Museum shop, a comprehensive display of fossils and agates from the local gem fields as well as minerals , rocks and fossils from around the world. There is a road around the coast which leads to Roaring Beach (the local Surf Beach) and on to Sisters Bay and Lady Bay, also former mill towns now all but abandoned but very pretty. Heading south towards Australia's southernmost point and the end of the road at Cockle Creek, is Lune River (the post office is recognised as the southernmost in Australia), Ida Bay (where a 6 km railway line once used to transport limestone now transports tourists).

There is a monument on Southport Bluff (a healthy 40 minute walk from the road) to the convict ship George III which was wrecked off the coast in 1835 with the loss of 94 passengers. It is said that the guards on the ship, fearful that the convicts would panic if the ship went down, shot indiscriminately into the ship's hold. This is supported by the peculiar death toll which saw 81 convicts lose their lives while only 13 passengers and crew were drowned.

	Hotels
	Southport Settlement Tavern & Caravan Park Main Rd Southport TAS 7109 Telephone: (03) 6298 3144 Facsimile: (03) 6298 3268
	Bed & Breakfast/Guesthouses
	Southern Forest Bed & Breakfast 30 Jager Rd Southport TAS 7109 Telephone: (03) 6298 3306
	The Jetty House Main Rd Southport TAS 7109 Telephone: (03) 6298 3139
	Holiday Homes & Units
	Southport Holiday Units Lady Bay Rd/Kingfish Beach Rd Southport TAS 7109 Telephone: (03) 6298 3124 or 0409 983 124 Facsimile: (03) 6298 3124
	Cottages & Cabins
	Summertime Cottage Kingfish Beach Rd Southport TAS 7109 Telephone: (03) 6298 3226 or 0410 583 218
	Restaurants
	Southport Tavern Main Rd Southport TAS 7109 Telephone: (03) 6298 3144 Facsimile: (03) 6298 3268