St Helens, Tasmania

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

St Helens Tasmania
Population:	2049^[1]
Postcode:	7216
Location:	18 km (11 mi) from Scamander 36 km (22 mi) from St Marys 89 km (55 mi) from Scottsdale 148 km (92 mi) from Launceston
LGA:	Break O'Day Council
State District:	Lyons
Federal Division:	Lyons

St Helens is a town on Georges Bay, on the north-east coast of Tasmania, Australia. It lies on the Tasman Highway, about 150 km east of Launceston. It has a population of 2049, and in the early 2000s it was one of the fastest growing areas of Tasmania. The town is part of the Break O'Day Council. The locality usually includes the surrounding areas of Binalong Bay and Stieglitz.

The town was first used as a whaling base in the early 19th century. When tin was discovered in the surrounding area in the 1870s, St Helens became the shipping port for the mines. This was the first time a coach service had been introduced to the town; previous access had only been by sea.

Today St Helens is a popular resort for fishing, swimming and other aquatic activities. Its economy is based largely on tourism, fishing and timber.

The town was named after St Helens, Isle of Wight.