Fingal Bay is the easternmost suburb of the
Port Stephens local government area
A local government area (LGA) is an administrative division of a country that a local government is responsible for. The size of an LGA varies by country but it is generally a subdivision of a State (administrative division), state, province, divi ...
in the
Hunter Region
The Hunter Region, also commonly known as the Hunter Valley, is a region of New South Wales, Australia, extending from approximately to north of Sydney. It contains the Hunter River and its tributaries with highland areas to the north and so ...
of
New South Wales,
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
.
[ The only population centre is the township of the same name, which itself is named after the adjacent, small, semi-circular bay.]
2021 census
the population of the town was 1,635.[
Except for the township, most of Fingal Bay is included in the ]Tomaree National Park
Tomaree is a national park located in New South Wales, Australia, northeast of Sydney in the Port Stephens local government area. It is located on the shores of the Tasman Sea, extending north from Fishermans Bay to Shoal Bay passing through ...
, which includes forested areas, coastal scrubland, beaches and most of the Fingal headland. The suburb does not include the bay itself.
Fingal Bay
Fingal Bay is about across at its widest point and from the mouth to the beach.[ The northeastern head of the bay is the Fingal headland, which is connected to the mainland via Fingal Spit, a sand spit about long.][ Waters to the northeast of the spit are known as "Fly Roads". Crossing between the mainland and the headland along the spit is considered dangerous. According to a sign on the beach, people have died crossing the spit, which is covered by breaking waves at high tide. The south-western head of the bay is Fingal Head, which is located southeast of the town. Between the two heads, the mouth is over wide.][ The bay includes a sandy beach about long.][
]
History
The bay was originally known as "False Bay", because it could be mistaken for the entrance to Port Stephens. The name "Fingal Bay" appeared on an 1845 map prepared by Captain Phillip Parker King.[
]
Heritage listings
Fingal Bay has a number of heritage-listed sites, including Point Stephens Light
The Point Stephens Light is a heritage-listed active lighthouse located on Point Stephens, a point on an unnamed headland at the east of Fingal Bay, south of the entrance of Port Stephens, New South Wales, Australia. The light serves to ass ...
on Shark Island.
Tourism campaign
Fingal Spit was a location for the 2006 "So where the bloody hell are you?
So where the bloody hell are you? was a A$180 million advertising campaign launched by Tourism Australia in 2006. It was created by the Sydney office of advertising agency M&C Saatchi, under the approval of Scott Morrison (the future Prime M ...
" advertising campaign filmed for Tourism Australia and appears at the end of the advertisement.
Headland and Point Stephens
The irregularly shaped headland, which is sometimes mistakenly called "Fingal Island", covers an area of approximately , most of which is part of the Tomaree National Park, and reaches in height.[ Point Stephens was connected to the mainland prior to the "Maitland gale" in 1891. The southeasternmost point of the headland was named "Point Stephens" by Captain Cook when he passed on 11 May 1770, honouring Sir Philip Stephens who was Secretary to the Admiralty. Stephens was a personal friend of Cook and had recommended him for command of the voyage. It seems Cook's initial choice had actually been Point Keppel (named after Augustus Keppel, a Lords Commissioner of the Admiralty), but instead he used Keppel later when he named Keppel Bay. The name first appeared on chart 1070, prepared by Captain Phillip Parker King in 1845.][
]
Lighthouse
As early as 1857, the need for a lighthouse on Point Stephens was identified, due to the proximity to the entrance of Port Stephens, and the dangers of the local coastline to ships. A high stone lighthouse was subsequently constructed in 1862.
Transport
Port Stephens Coaches operate local services to Newcastle as well as an express service to Sydney
Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...
.Bus Timetables
Port Stephens Coaches
Notes
References
External links
Coastal Explorer Pacific Touring Route Sydney to Brisbane, Cartoscope, 4th edition, 2004
{{Bays of New South Wales , state=autocollapse
Bays of New South Wales
Headlands of New South Wales
Suburbs of Port Stephens Council
Towns in the Hunter Region
Beaches of New South Wales