Our Heritage

In the 150 years following European settlement, spanning 1803 to 1953, the importance of sea transport around the coast of Tasmania (Van Diemens Land until 1853) greatly exceeded land transport.
The major highways of the period were the coastal waterways.

Of great significance were the relatively sheltered waters of the D'Entrecasteaux Channel from Recherche Bay to the Derwent Estuary including the Lune River, the Esperance River, Dover, the Huon Estuary and Bruny Island.

For the whole of the 19th century wind on sail was the motive power.

Shallow draft vessels that could enter rivers and berth alongside shore based piers and jetties predominated.