D'Entrecasteaux Channel

File:D'Entrecasteaux.jpg

South East Tasmania with D'Entrecasteaux Channel highlighted.

The D'Entrecasteaux Channel /ˌdɒntrəˈkæstoʊ/ is a region of water between Bruny Island and the south-east of the mainland of Tasmania. It extends between the estuaries of the Derwent and the Huon Rivers. It was sighted by Abel Tasman in 1642 and surveyed in 1792 by Bruni d'Entrecasteaux.

Towns on the D'Entrecasteaux Channel include Snug, Margate, Kettering, Woodbridge, Flowerpot, Middleton and Gordon.

History

In 1911, readers from the Mercury newspaper made the following comments about the history of the channel: "This was discovered on April 20. 1792, by the celebrated French "Vice-Admiral Bruny D'Entrecasteaux, who, in the ships Recherche and Esperance, was searching for ill-fated La Perouse. Visiting Van Diemen's Land for the first time, he was attempting to find an anchorage in Adventure Bay, when, being himself ill in bed, the ships' navigators entered the channel to the west of Bruny Island, instead of going to the eastward of it. Thus, the discovery of the great channel was due to an accident. This is Labillardiere's account of the matter. A wrong bearing taken of the Mewstone accounts for the French navigator's error."

Geography and Environment

The D'Entrecastaux Channel region sheltered by Bruny Island is increasingly affected by foreshore erosion, in some areas sandbagging aims to reduce the effects.

The channel is a breeding ground for scallops. Prior to 1969, fishing dredges were used to collect scallops from the seafloor. Damage caused by the dredging has led to collection by scuba divers.

• Kettering - Easter Sunrise 109.jpg

  D'Entrecasteaux Channel From Kettering