Fortescue Bay or Baje Dolomien is a bay in southeast

Tasmania ) , nickname = , image_map = Tasmania in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Tasmania in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdi ...

, Australia. It is located east of

Port Arthur, Tasmania Port Arthur is a town and former convict settlement on the Tasman Peninsula, in Tasmania, Australia. It is located approximately southeast of the state capital, Hobart. The site forms part of the Australian Convict Sites, a World Heritag ...

, and makes up part of

Tasman National Park The Tasman National Park is a national park in eastern Tasmania, Australia, approximately east of Hobart. The park is situated on part of both the Forestier and Tasman peninsulas and encompasses all of Tasman Island. History Whaling a ...

. Within the bay are two smaller nested bays, Canoe Bay and Bivouac Bay.

History

Timber mill

During the early 1900s, a timber mill was started at Fortescue Bay by G. Albury and Turner Brothers. At the beginning of the 1920s, the Gathercole Brothers company began advertising for men to work at their mill. It is possible that the Gathercole Brothers carried on operation of the mill owned by G. Albury and Turner Brothers, as they owned several mills around Port Arthur.

Fish works

Until the early 1970s, Canoe Bay played host to a fish works.

Shipwreck

On 1 July 1953, a dredge named for William Pitt was towed from

Hobart Hobart ( ; Nuennonne/Palawa kani: ''nipaluna'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. Home to almost half of all Tasmanians, it is the least-populated Australian state capital city, and second-small ...

to Fortescue Bay and scuttled in the mouth of Canoe Bay at the request of the Minister for Agricultural and Sea Fisheries. The dredge was scuttled to act as a breakwater for the many fishing vessels using the area to shelter. Before it was scuttled, the dredge was used in the construction of the

Hobart Bridge The Hobart Bridge was a floating arch bridge that crossed the River Derwent, connecting the eastern and western shores of the city of Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. History Plans for a bridge to link the Derwent River’s two shores near Hoba ...

and in Devonport under ownership of the Netherlands Harbour Works Company. The ''William Pitt'' spent 14 years in Tasmania, owned by the

Melbourne Harbor Trust The Melbourne Harbor Trust was established in 1877 to improve and operate port facilities for the growing city of Melbourne. It was superseded by the Port of Melbourne Authority in 1978 and later by the Port of Melbourne Corporation. Creation ...

. Before its arrival to Australia in April 1907, it was known as the ''Andre Reboucas''. The dredge is thought to have spent time in Portugal conducting dredging operations after it launched in Bristol in 1904.

Walks

Fortescue Bay has become popular among those who enjoy

bush walking Hiking is a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century.AMATO, JOSEPH A. "Mind over Foot: Romantic Walking and Rambling." In ''On Foot: A Histor ...

. Walks include: * Canoe Bay: Starts at the northern end of the beach. * Bivouac Bay: Continue on from Canoe Bay. * Tasman Coastal Trail: Starts at the northern end of the beach. * Cape Hauy: Starts near the boat ramp. * Cape Pillar: Starts on Fortescue Road outside the camp entrance. * Three Capes Track: Starts at the Port Arthur Historic Site

References

{{reflist Bays of Tasmania