Tumby Bay, South Australia
Encyclopedia
Tumby Bay is a coastal town situated on the Spencer Gulf
, on the eastern coast of Eyre Peninsula
in South Australia
, 45 km north of Port Lincoln
. The town
of Tumby Bay is the major population centre of the District Council of Tumby Bay
, and the centre of an agricultural district farming cereal crops and sheep, as well as having established fishing
and tourism
industries.
in 1802, after a parish
in Lincolnshire, England. In 1840 Governor Gawler
renamed the bay Harvey('s) Bay after one other district's early settlers. Then on November 15, 1900 the town of Tumby was proclaimed by Governor Tennyson
, and the name of the bay itself reverted to Tumby Bay. On June 14, 1984 the town officially became known as Tumby Bay.
The earliest settler
s to the district arrived in the 1840s, and farmed the area with wheat
and sheep predominantly. The town soon grew into an important grain storage and loading point, with a jetty
constructed in 1874, only the second to be built on the Eyre Peninsula
. This provided a much needed outlet for the copper
ore which was coming from the Burrowing Mine. The original jetty was taken down in 1999 due to safety concerns, and a new one constructed.
The town's first school
was opened in 1881 as 'Tumby', and the district's first hospital
opened in 1939.
In 2011, Tumby Bay hosted the popular event Triple J's One Night Stand
on the 2nd April 2011, featuring the bands Birds of Tokyo
, Art vs. Science
and The Jezabels
and locally "Unearthed" musician Joshy Willo . The town's population swelled from 1000 to over 12,000 for the event.
Tumby Bay lies on the large, sheltered bay
of the same name on the western side of Spencer Gulf
. Much of the land surrounding Tumby Bay is used for agriculture
. The coast is predominantly white, sandy beach
es, on which the town itelf is situated, as well as towering cliff
s to the south.
Inside the bay, Tumby Island is the only island
but further offshore lie the Sir Joseph Banks Group
, a small archipelago
that is easily accessed by boat
from Tumby Bay.
Like much of coastal South Australia, Tumby Bay experiences a Mediterranean climate with warm to hot summers and moderately wet winters.
commonly farmed at the present. As with many towns on the Eyre Peninsula
, Tumby Bay also has a well-established professional fishing industry.
Like many towns on the Eyre Peninsula, it is a popular holiday
destination during the summer months.
One of the major drawcards to the area is its fishing
, with a wide array of fish species available, including King George Whiting and Snapper. Fishing can be done from the town jetty
, the surrounding beach and rock areas, as well as from a boat, which allows access to the Sir Joseph Banks Group. In 2001, a marina
was constructed to allow easy all weather boat launching for a range of boat
sizes, as well as opening up new real estate options.
The safe, calm waters and the white sand of the bay lend themselves to a variety of watersports including swimming, snorkelling, scuba diving
and water skiing
for those with access to a boat.
The town has a caravan park and a number of hotel
s and apartments for tourists visiting the area, and has a large number of facilities and shops
.
Tumby Bay had a town population
of 1228 in the 2001 census
, with the vast majority being Australia
n born. Of those that immigrated (about 100 people), most are from the United Kingdom
, with others coming from a variety of Europe
an countries, the U.S. and New Zealand
.
The 2001 census by the Australian Bureau of Statistics found that the main religion followed in Tumby Bay was Christianity
, with the Anglican, Catholic
and Uniting denominations having the strongest followings. The overall religious affiliations are summed up in the chart, derived from the census data.
There are a number of churches in the town, including Anglican, Uniting and Lutheran Churches.
There are also a large number of sporting groups in the town, including football
, cricket
, netball
, basketball
, tennis
, bowls
and golf
clubs, with most of the clubs competing in local leagues.
Tumby bay has an Area School to serve educational needs, as well as a public library
located on school grounds. A hospital
is also in place to serve the health needs of the town.
local government area with Graeme Stirling as mayor. The town is also incorporated in the South Australian House of Assembly
electoral district of Flinders
and the Australian House of Representatives
Division of Grey
.
via the Port Lincoln Highway
that runs along the coastline of the Eyre Peninsula. Although the town does have an unsealed airfield, it is not usually used for private flights, but for the Flying Doctor and crop
spraying aircraft.
The town is serviced daily by Premier Stateliner coach
es.
sized ships for export of iron ore in particular. A rail connection to the Eyre Peninsula Railway
at Ungarra 27 km away would be required. The port would be located 20 km northeast of Tumby Bay at Sheep Hill, South Australia
.
Spencer Gulf
The Spencer Gulf is the westernmost of two large inlets on the southern coast of Australia, in the state of South Australia, facing the Great Australian Bight. The Gulf is 322 km long and 129 km wide at its mouth. The western shore of the Gulf is the Eyre Peninsula, while the eastern side is the...
, on the eastern coast of Eyre Peninsula
Eyre Peninsula
Eyre Peninsula is a triangular peninsula in South Australia. It is bounded on the east by Spencer Gulf, the west by the Great Australian Bight, and the north by the Gawler Ranges. It is named after explorer Edward John Eyre who explored some of it in 1839-1841. The coastline was first explored by...
in South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
, 45 km north of Port Lincoln
Port Lincoln, South Australia
- Transport :Port Lincoln is the port for the isolated narrow gauge Eyre Peninsular Railway.There is also a subsidiary port at Proper Bay which may be restored to use for iron ore traffic. The export of iron ore through Port Lincoln has been approved by the South Australian Government. Port...
. The town
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
of Tumby Bay is the major population centre of the District Council of Tumby Bay
District Council of Tumby Bay
The Tumby Bay District Council is a local government area of South Australia covering an area of the North Eastern Eyre Peninsula. Established in 1906, only six years after the town of Tumby Bay was established, the district was annexed from the former District Council of Port Lincoln to form the...
, and the centre of an agricultural district farming cereal crops and sheep, as well as having established fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
and tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
industries.
History
The bay was first explored and given the name Tumby Bay by Captain Matthew FlindersMatthew Flinders
Captain Matthew Flinders RN was one of the most successful navigators and cartographers of his age. In a career that spanned just over twenty years, he sailed with Captain William Bligh, circumnavigated Australia and encouraged the use of that name for the continent, which had previously been...
in 1802, after a parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
in Lincolnshire, England. In 1840 Governor Gawler
George Gawler
-External links: – Memorials and Monuments in Portsmouth, Hampshire, UK...
renamed the bay Harvey('s) Bay after one other district's early settlers. Then on November 15, 1900 the town of Tumby was proclaimed by Governor Tennyson
Hallam Tennyson, 2nd Baron Tennyson
Hallam Tennyson, 2nd Baron Tennyson, GCMG, PC , the second Governor-General of Australia, was born at Chapel House, Twickenham, in Surrey, England. Named after his father's late friend Arthur Hallam, he was the elder son of Alfred Tennyson, the most popular and prominent poet of late Victorian...
, and the name of the bay itself reverted to Tumby Bay. On June 14, 1984 the town officially became known as Tumby Bay.
The earliest settler
Settler
A settler is a person who has migrated to an area and established permanent residence there, often to colonize the area. Settlers are generally people who take up residence on land and cultivate it, as opposed to nomads...
s to the district arrived in the 1840s, and farmed the area with wheat
Wheat
Wheat is a cereal grain, originally from the Levant region of the Near East, but now cultivated worldwide. In 2007 world production of wheat was 607 million tons, making it the third most-produced cereal after maize and rice...
and sheep predominantly. The town soon grew into an important grain storage and loading point, with a jetty
Jetty
A jetty is any of a variety of structures used in river, dock, and maritime works that are generally carried out in pairs from river banks, or in continuation of river channels at their outlets into deep water; or out into docks, and outside their entrances; or for forming basins along the...
constructed in 1874, only the second to be built on the Eyre Peninsula
Eyre Peninsula
Eyre Peninsula is a triangular peninsula in South Australia. It is bounded on the east by Spencer Gulf, the west by the Great Australian Bight, and the north by the Gawler Ranges. It is named after explorer Edward John Eyre who explored some of it in 1839-1841. The coastline was first explored by...
. This provided a much needed outlet for the copper
Copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
ore which was coming from the Burrowing Mine. The original jetty was taken down in 1999 due to safety concerns, and a new one constructed.
The town's first school
School
A school is an institution designed for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is commonly compulsory. In these systems, students progress through a series of schools...
was opened in 1881 as 'Tumby', and the district's first hospital
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
opened in 1939.
In 2011, Tumby Bay hosted the popular event Triple J's One Night Stand
Triple J's One Night Stand
Triple J's One Night Stand is a concert hosted in a remote town or city in Australia annually. It is promoted and organised by national radio station Triple J. In previous years, the host town was selected in the form of a competition where residents of the town must gain approval from local...
on the 2nd April 2011, featuring the bands Birds of Tokyo
Birds of Tokyo
Birds of Tokyo is a four-piece alternative rock band from Perth, Western Australia. Their debut album Day One, gained them domestic success with it reaching No. 3 on the AIR Independent Album charts, spending a total of 36 consecutive weeks in the top 10.In 2008, the band released Universes,...
, Art vs. Science
Art vs. Science
Art vs. Science are a three-piece dance band from Sydney, Australia formed early in 2008. The group consists of Jim Finn on vocals and keyboards; Dan McNamee on vocals, guitars and keyboards; and Dan Williams on drums and vocals.In 2010, the group toured the United Kingdom in support of La Roux...
and The Jezabels
The Jezabels
The Jezabels are a four-piece musical group from Sydney. They formed after meeting at the University of Sydney. Their music is hard to define into one specific genre, and has been described as a blend of indie pop, indie rock, rock, and disco pop...
and locally "Unearthed" musician Joshy Willo . The town's population swelled from 1000 to over 12,000 for the event.
Geography
Bay
A bay is an area of water mostly surrounded by land. Bays generally have calmer waters than the surrounding sea, due to the surrounding land blocking some waves and often reducing winds. Bays also exist as an inlet in a lake or pond. A large bay may be called a gulf, a sea, a sound, or a bight...
of the same name on the western side of Spencer Gulf
Spencer Gulf
The Spencer Gulf is the westernmost of two large inlets on the southern coast of Australia, in the state of South Australia, facing the Great Australian Bight. The Gulf is 322 km long and 129 km wide at its mouth. The western shore of the Gulf is the Eyre Peninsula, while the eastern side is the...
. Much of the land surrounding Tumby Bay is used for agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
. The coast is predominantly white, sandy beach
Beach
A beach is a geological landform along the shoreline of an ocean, sea, lake or river. It usually consists of loose particles which are often composed of rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles or cobblestones...
es, on which the town itelf is situated, as well as towering cliff
Cliff
In geography and geology, a cliff is a significant vertical, or near vertical, rock exposure. Cliffs are formed as erosion landforms due to the processes of erosion and weathering that produce them. Cliffs are common on coasts, in mountainous areas, escarpments and along rivers. Cliffs are usually...
s to the south.
Inside the bay, Tumby Island is the only island
Island
An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...
but further offshore lie the Sir Joseph Banks Group
Sir Joseph Banks Group
The Sir Joseph Banks Group is an archipelago of about 20, mostly small, islands, with a collective land area of 1275 ha, lying in Spencer Gulf about 20 km off the eastern coast of the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia...
, a small archipelago
Archipelago
An archipelago , sometimes called an island group, is a chain or cluster of islands. The word archipelago is derived from the Greek ἄρχι- – arkhi- and πέλαγος – pélagos through the Italian arcipelago...
that is easily accessed by boat
Boat
A boat is a watercraft of any size designed to float or plane, to provide passage across water. Usually this water will be inland or in protected coastal areas. However, boats such as the whaleboat were designed to be operated from a ship in an offshore environment. In naval terms, a boat is a...
from Tumby Bay.
Like much of coastal South Australia, Tumby Bay experiences a Mediterranean climate with warm to hot summers and moderately wet winters.
Economy
Since it was first settled, Tumby Bay has predominantly been an agriculturally driven town, with cereal crops, sheep and beefBeef
Beef is the culinary name for meat from bovines, especially domestic cattle. Beef can be harvested from cows, bulls, heifers or steers. It is one of the principal meats used in the cuisine of the Middle East , Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Europe and the United States, and is also important in...
commonly farmed at the present. As with many towns on the Eyre Peninsula
Eyre Peninsula
Eyre Peninsula is a triangular peninsula in South Australia. It is bounded on the east by Spencer Gulf, the west by the Great Australian Bight, and the north by the Gawler Ranges. It is named after explorer Edward John Eyre who explored some of it in 1839-1841. The coastline was first explored by...
, Tumby Bay also has a well-established professional fishing industry.
Holiday
A Holiday is a day designated as having special significance for which individuals, a government, or a religious group have deemed that observance is warranted. It is generally an official or unofficial observance of religious, national, or cultural significance, often accompanied by celebrations...
destination during the summer months.
One of the major drawcards to the area is its fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
, with a wide array of fish species available, including King George Whiting and Snapper. Fishing can be done from the town jetty
Jetty
A jetty is any of a variety of structures used in river, dock, and maritime works that are generally carried out in pairs from river banks, or in continuation of river channels at their outlets into deep water; or out into docks, and outside their entrances; or for forming basins along the...
, the surrounding beach and rock areas, as well as from a boat, which allows access to the Sir Joseph Banks Group. In 2001, a marina
Marina
A marina is a dock or basin with moorings and supplies for yachts and small boats.A marina differs from a port in that a marina does not handle large passenger ships or cargo from freighters....
was constructed to allow easy all weather boat launching for a range of boat
Boat
A boat is a watercraft of any size designed to float or plane, to provide passage across water. Usually this water will be inland or in protected coastal areas. However, boats such as the whaleboat were designed to be operated from a ship in an offshore environment. In naval terms, a boat is a...
sizes, as well as opening up new real estate options.
The safe, calm waters and the white sand of the bay lend themselves to a variety of watersports including swimming, snorkelling, scuba diving
Scuba diving
Scuba diving is a form of underwater diving in which a diver uses a scuba set to breathe underwater....
and water skiing
Water skiing
thumb|right|A slalom skier making a turn on a slalom waterski.Waterskiing is a sport where an individual is pulled behind a boat or a cable ski installation on a body of water, skimming the surface.-History:...
for those with access to a boat.
The town has a caravan park and a number of hotel
Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
s and apartments for tourists visiting the area, and has a large number of facilities and shops
Retailing
Retail consists of the sale of physical goods or merchandise from a fixed location, such as a department store, boutique or kiosk, or by mail, in small or individual lots for direct consumption by the purchaser. Retailing may include subordinated services, such as delivery. Purchasers may be...
.
Community
Population
A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...
of 1228 in the 2001 census
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
, with the vast majority being Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n born. Of those that immigrated (about 100 people), most are from the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, with others coming from a variety of Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an countries, the U.S. and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
.
The 2001 census by the Australian Bureau of Statistics found that the main religion followed in Tumby Bay was Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
, with the Anglican, Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
and Uniting denominations having the strongest followings. The overall religious affiliations are summed up in the chart, derived from the census data.
There are a number of churches in the town, including Anglican, Uniting and Lutheran Churches.
There are also a large number of sporting groups in the town, including football
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
, cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
, netball
Netball
Netball is a ball sport played between two teams of seven players. Its development, derived from early versions of basketball, began in England in the 1890s. By 1960 international playing rules had been standardised for the game, and the International Federation of Netball and Women's Basketball ...
, basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
, bowls
Bowls
Bowls is a sport in which the objective is to roll slightly asymmetric balls so that they stop close to a smaller "jack" or "kitty". It is played on a pitch which may be flat or convex or uneven...
and golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
clubs, with most of the clubs competing in local leagues.
Tumby bay has an Area School to serve educational needs, as well as a public library
Library
In a traditional sense, a library is a large collection of books, and can refer to the place in which the collection is housed. Today, the term can refer to any collection, including digital sources, resources, and services...
located on school grounds. A hospital
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
is also in place to serve the health needs of the town.
Government
Tumby Bay is encompassed in the District Council of Tumby BayDistrict Council of Tumby Bay
The Tumby Bay District Council is a local government area of South Australia covering an area of the North Eastern Eyre Peninsula. Established in 1906, only six years after the town of Tumby Bay was established, the district was annexed from the former District Council of Port Lincoln to form the...
local government area with Graeme Stirling as mayor. The town is also incorporated in the South Australian House of Assembly
South Australian House of Assembly
The House of Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of South Australia. The other is the Legislative Council. It sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Adelaide.- Overview :...
electoral district of Flinders
Electoral district of Flinders
Flinders is an electoral district of the House of Assembly in the Australian state of South Australia. It is named after explorer Matthew Flinders, who was responsible for charting most of the state's coastline. It is a 55,260.6 km² coastal rural electorate encompassing the Eyre Peninsula and...
and the Australian House of Representatives
Australian House of Representatives
The House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the Parliament of Australia; it is the lower house; the upper house is the Senate. Members of Parliament serve for terms of approximately three years....
Division of Grey
Division of Grey
The Division of Grey is an Australian Electoral Division in South Australia.The division was created in 1903 and is named for Sir George Grey, who was Governor of South Australia 1841-45 ....
.
Transport
Tumby Bay is normally reached by private carČar
Čar is a village in the municipality of Bujanovac, Serbia. According to the 2002 census, the town has a population of 296 people.-References:...
via the Port Lincoln Highway
Flinders Highway, South Australia
Flinders Highway connects the South Australian towns of Ceduna and Port Lincoln, a distance of 410 kilometres. The highway was formerly designated as National Route Alternate 1 and currently signed as B100...
that runs along the coastline of the Eyre Peninsula. Although the town does have an unsealed airfield, it is not usually used for private flights, but for the Flying Doctor and crop
Crop
Crop may refer to:* Crop, a plant grown and harvested for agricultural use* Crop , part of the alimentary tract of some animals* Crop , a modified whip used in horseback riding or disciplining humans...
spraying aircraft.
The town is serviced daily by Premier Stateliner coach
Coach (vehicle)
A coach is a large motor vehicle, a type of bus, used for conveying passengers on excursions and on longer distance express coach scheduled transport between cities - or even between countries...
es.
Port and Rail
Land has been bought by the CXM mining company for potetential development of a port capable of taking PanamaxPanamax
Panamax and New Panamax are popular terms for the size limits for ships traveling through the Panama Canal. Formally, the limits and requirements are published by the Panama Canal Authority titled "Vessel Requirements"...
sized ships for export of iron ore in particular. A rail connection to the Eyre Peninsula Railway
Eyre Peninsula Railway
The Eyre Peninsula Railway is a railway on the Eyre Peninsula of South Australia. The system is isolated from the rest of the South Australian railway network.- Overview :The network consists of about 600km of route and carries mainly wheat and gypsum...
at Ungarra 27 km away would be required. The port would be located 20 km northeast of Tumby Bay at Sheep Hill, South Australia
Sheep Hill, South Australia
Sheep Hill is a proposed port in South Australia for the export of iron ore. The port would be built by Centrex Metals.- Transport :It is located about 20km northeast of Tumby Bay and would be served by a 27km narrow gauge branchline from Ungarra on the Eyre Peninsular Railway. The port would...
.