- For other uses of the term Jervis Bay, please refer
to: Jervis Bay
.
Jervis Bay ( , locally ) is
a large bay bounded by the state of New South Wales
, the Jervis Bay Territory
and the Australian Capital Territory
. HMAS Creswell
is located in between Jervis Bay Village and Greenpatch in the Jervis Bay
Territory.
History
Jervis Bay is named after the
British
Admiral John Jervis, 1st Earl of St
Vincent; it was named in 1791 by Richard Bowen. George Bass
also entered the Bay when he surveyed the South East coast of
Australia in 1797. Jervis was believed to have pronounced his name
, but many residents of Jervis Bay (including his descendants)
pronounce it . Jervis Bay has been officially recorded as having
the whitest sand in the world.
In the
late 1960s Australia's first and only nuclear power
plant
was proposed for the area, and a site was prepared,
however the project did not proceed.
Geography
Jervis Bay
has to the south Greenpatch; Hyams
Beach
, and Bowen
Island in the Jervis Bay Territory. In New South Wales, it has Vincentia
to the west; Callala
Bay
and Hare Bay to
the north, and the Beecroft Peninsula
with bays like Perpendicular Bay. Parts of the Beecroft
Peninsula and most of the northern headland of the Bay (including
Longnose Point) are in the Australian Capital Territory, with the exception of the Point
Perpendicular
lighthouse and grounds, which form an enclave of
New South Wales within the ACT section of the Beecroft
Peninsula. To the south of the peninsula is Point Perpendicular which is a bombing range for the Royal Australian Navy. The bay
is noted for slab stones which were caused by an ancient
tsunami.
Recreation
Jervis Bay is a well known recreational fishing and
scuba diving destination, with tour operators
departing from Huskisson and amateurs using boat ramps at bayside
towns and camp sites. Popular diving sites include: The Labyrinths,
Gorgonian Wall, Point Perpendicular, a
Fairey Firefly aeroplane,
scallop beds, Middle Ground, Ten Fathom Reef, and
Bowen Island.
Jervis Bay is also known for Whale Watching, placed such that the
migration, both north and south can be observed as they pass the
entrance to the Bay, frequently entering the bay to rest. The
majority of whales sighted at Jervis Bay are the Humpback whales,
which migrate along the east coast from June to November, however
other species on occasions such as Southern Right Whales, False
Killer Whales, Orcas, Minke whales and on one occasion the Blue
Whale are seen.
Tourism
Tourism in Jervis Bay is one of the most important avenues of
income for many of the local residents, with many businesses
orienting themselves toward tourism in and around Jervis Bay.
Tourist information for Jervis Bay is provided by two local
not-for-profit community-based volunteer association Tourism Jervis
Bay and Jervis Bay Tourism Inc.The local Council managed Visitors
Information Centres are located at Nowra and Ulladulla.The
Huskisson Trading Post is the location of the only tourism
information centre at Jervis Bay. It contains a wealth of knowledge
for any visitor to the area.
Bordering towns (north to south)
New South Wales
Jervis Bay Territory
See also
Notes
- Macquarie Dictionary, Fourth
Edition (2005). Melbourne, The Macquarie Library Pty Ltd.
ISBN 1-876429-14-3
References
- Scuba Divers Guide to Jervis Bay, Tom Byron
- Barker, A. 1996. What Happened When. Allen and Unwin.
ISBN 1-86373-986-6
External links
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