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Swansea accommodation, restaurants, history, things to do

Swansea was first explored Captain James Cox sailing from England to Sydney when he took his ship, the Mercury up the eastern coast of Tasmania. On 3 July 1789, having heard of vast colonies of seals in the area, he sailed along the western shore of Maria Island and into a stretch of water he named Oyster Bay.

He described the bay as 'being quite landlocked and sheltered from the wind in every direction.' Cox noted that the area was already inhabited by Aborigines who, from the evidence of their middens, were obviously living off the oysters and shellfish. They disappeared into the hinterland but Cox observed smoke from their fires.

By 1830 there were 150 free residents and 170 convicts and assigned servants. The most common access from Hobart at this time was via Campbell Town. Between 1835-45 convicts worked on a road north through the mountains to Avoca and on a road south to Hobart.

Swansea was named after Swansea un the UK and in 2007 was recognised as national Tidy Towns winner. In May the Bi-annual From France to Freycinet Festival is held to celebrate the voyage of Nicholas Baudin to the area in the early 1800s.

In 1831 the post office was established and in the late 1830s a number of substantial buildings - Morris's Store, Schouten House, the Black Swan Inn - were all built showing an increasing prosperity.

The land was developed and made suitable for seasonal crops and grazing stock and a tannery and flour mill were established by the Meredith River. Whaling stations were also set up on nearby islands to enable the export of whale oil.

Swansea has a population of 530, housed in colonial buildings, contemporary homes and classic beach side shacks.

Self-guided historic walks of Swansea pass Schouten House, Meredith House and Morris’s General Store and you can learn about leather staining at the Swansea Bark Mill and Tavern.

There is also an excellent winery here and to the north of the town 'Nine Mile Beach' forms a delicate promontory separating Moulting Lagoon from Great Oyster Bay.

Swansea is home to colonies of short tailed shearwaters (mutton birds) and fairy penguins. The nearby Freycinet National Park has quolls, wallabies, possums and Tasmanian Devils. Offshore, there are dolphins, whales and seals.

Swansea enjoys temperate weather all year round, with an average maximum of 22 degrees Celsius in January and 14 degrees Celsius in June.