Ansons Bay

Located 164 km east of Launceston via Pioneer and Gladstone, Ansons Bay is a tiny fishing haunt of the far north eastern coast of the island.

In The Centenary of Portland, an early guide to the area, the region is described in the following romantic terms:

'Only one old tree is standing, solid yet, but only one
Where the milking and the branding, and the slaughtering were done
A hundred years ago.'

Anson's Bay is within easy reach of St. Helens per a motor road. In the past it was nautically known as 'The Bay o' Fires'. Although isolated for many years, it has quite a story of antiquity, dating since about 1830. It has now, however, come within the sphere of modern circumstances. Famous since its inception as a premier bream fishing resort, it also enjoys all those advantages in climate for which the East Coast is proverbial. Campers and tourists flock here in the season, where homely accommodation and boats are provided. Here the remnants of all the fauna and flora tribes maintain their ways, but in greatly depleted numbers.

'From 'The She-oak Hills', which face the broad Pacific Ocean, an embracing scene is obtainable of the coastline, and within this vision also of the lower lands which flank the sea shore...The first motor car to journey to Anson's Bay was driven there by Dr Anderson in February, 1913.'

Things to see:

Eddystone Lighthouse
13 km north of Ansons Bay is the Eddystone Lighthouse which is located on the northern end of the Bay of Fires. The point, which is characterised by two rocks, was first sighted and named by Captain Tobias Furneaux, who, in spite of his French name, was an English naval officer from Plymouth. In 1772 Furneaux, captaining the HMS Adventure, accompanied Captain James Cook on his second voyage to the South Seas. Near Van Diemen's Land his vessel became separated from Cook and it was during this period of separation that he explored and chartered much of the eastern coast of Van Diemen's Land. He named the point after the famous Eddystone lighthouse which was a prominent landmark near his home town of Plymouth.

Accommodation and Eating
There is no accommodation or eating available at Ansons Bay.