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St Helens accommodation, restaurants, history, things to do

St Helens was named after St Helens on the Isle of Wight and was first used as a whaling base in the early 19th century.

Captain Tobias Furneaux was the first European to explore St Helens and by the 1830s the coastal town was occupied by sealers and whalers. Official land grants were provided during this time and the town grew rapidly in 1874 when tin was discovered in the Blue Tier Mountains and St Helens became the shipping port for the mines.

When the mines closed the miners moved to the coast and many of them settled in St Helens.

It is the largest town on the north-east coast with a population of about 2,000. The town is known as the game fishing capital of Tasmania, and each March the St Helens Game Fishing Classic is the highlight of the year for locals and an increasing number of interstate visitors.

Good beaches are located near to St. Helens, and there are several surf beaches along the coast. It is possible to charter boats for marlin and tuna fishing. South of St. Helens, Skyline Road provides a good coastal lookout.

From St Helens you can explore stunning Binalong Bay and the Bay of Fires, which extend to Eddystone Point. The Bay of Fires (named by British Captain Tobias Furneaux, who only saw the smoke from the fires of the local Kunnara Kuna tribe) is a coast of white sandy beaches dotted with giant granite boulders.

Fair Lea stands on the hill south of the main beach area in St Helens and was built in 1897. The retaining wall across the front was built from bricks which had been in the tower of the Anchor Tin Smelters at the site of Queechy today. This house was originally known as The Peach Trees and was a favourite picnic spot. In 1915 the name Fair Lea was given to this fine house. It is not open to the public.

St Helens is approximately two-hours’ drive east of Launceston (163 kilometres) and 265 kilometres from Hobart.

St Helens has a mild temperate climate, with four distinct seasons. Summers are warm and sunny and winters are quite cool. Rainfall throughout the year is very consistent, with an average of 54.2mm in February and 76.2mm in June. Being on the East Coast, St Helens winter temperatures are warmer than most parts of Tasmania.