Smoky Bay

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Smoky Bay
State : AustraliaAustralia Australia
State : Flag of South Australia.svg South Australia
Founded : 1913
Coordinates : 32 ° 22 ′  S , 133 ° 56 ′  E Coordinates: 32 ° 22 ′  S , 133 ° 56 ′  E
Height : 1  m
Area : 1.0  km²
Residents : 217 (2016)
Population density : 217 inhabitants per km²
Time zone : ACST (UTC + 9: 30)
LGA : District Council of Ceduna
Smoky Bay (South Australia)
Smoky Bay
Smoky Bay

Smoky Bay is a small town on the west coast of the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia. The place, which is 40 kilometers southeast of Ceduna and 60 kilometers north of Streaky Bay , can be reached on the Flinders Highway .

history

Smoky Bay was discovered and mapped by Matthew Flinders in 1802. He named the bay after the rising smoke of the fires of the Aborigines who lived there . European whalers got there first, as witnessed by ruins of their camps with whale bones and abandoned implements. The first permanent buildings were built in 1905, a post office in 1911 and residential buildings; a school and a hall opened in 1909. Construction began on a ship landing stage in the bay in 1908 and it was completed in 1913. This pier was connected to the railroad, but in the middle of the 19th century the importance of the port declined and as a result the population decreased and the remaining people farmed mainly sheep.

In 1988 oyster farming began in the bay , which is of great importance for the city in addition to agriculture and tourism. The city lies on a long sandy beach that ends at the boat ramp.

bay

In the bay is the Eyre Island, a small sand island, 10 kilometers from the town. Furthermore, there are small granite islands in the bay on which sea birds nest and poisonous tiger otters live. Part of the small islands can be reached and when the tide is low there are deeper lanes for boats. Mangroves grow on the shores of the bay and the grasses typical of the area grow on the sand dunes . There are numerous species of birds and fish in the bay, as well as the great white shark .

economy

The port was of great economic importance and this changed especially in 1988 when aquacultures for oysters were established, which now cover an area of ​​more than 100 hectares in Smoky Bay. The bay's oysters are very popular in South Australia, along with those from Coffin Bay .

Tourism is the fastest growing economic sector. Growing occupancy figures for the caravan park and the sandy beaches are evidence of this. The tourists come for fishing, boating, swimming and snorkeling, but the oyster farms are also a subject of tourist interest. The beaches are secured against shark attacks by bars. Swimming outside of the sheltered beaches can be risky because of the sharks .
The place usually has 200 inhabitants, which increases to 1000 in the summer. In the place there are catering facilities, fuel and equipment for recreational sports. A sports club is located north of the caravan park with tennis courts.

The place can be reached by bus, but also from the airports of Streaky Bay or Ceduna .

Web links

Commons : Smoky Bay, South Australia  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Australian Bureau of Statistics : Smoky Bay (L) ( English ) In: 2016 Census QuickStats . June 27, 2017. Retrieved April 8, 2020.