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Margate, Tasmania

Coordinates: 43°01′46″S 147°15′42″E / 43.02944°S 147.26167°E / -43.02944; 147.26167
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Margate
Tasmania
Aerial of Margate and North-West Bay, c. 2006
Margate is located in Tasmania
Margate
Margate
Coordinates43°01′46″S 147°15′42″E / 43.02944°S 147.26167°E / -43.02944; 147.26167
Population4,239 (2021 census)[1]
Established1866
Postcode(s)7054
Location
LGA(s)Kingborough
State electorate(s)Franklin
Federal division(s)Franklin

Margate is a coastal town and locality in southern Tasmania, Australia, situated on the Channel Highway between the D'Entrecasteaux Channel and the Snug Tiers, approximately 7 km (4.3 mi) south of Kingston and 20 km (12 mi) south of the Hobart CBD. It lies mostly within the Kingborough Council local government area, with a small portion extending into the Huon Valley Council. The town is part of the Greater Hobart statistical area.[2]

Margate developed historically around orcharding and coastal shipping. It was officially gazetted as a township in 1866,[3] and recorded a population of 4,239 at the 2021 census.[1] Today, many residents commute to Hobart or Kingston for employment. The town also supports local industries including retail, hospitality, and aquaculture, with nearby facilities such as Tassal’s salmon processing plant and the Crisp Bros & Haywards Margate Shipyard contributing to township employment.[4][5]

Margate features a mix of suburban and semi-rural landscapes, with access to the sheltered waters of North-West Bay. Its position along the Channel Highway makes it a regular stopping point for travellers heading south to destinations such as Snug, Kettering, and the Bruny Island ferry terminal. The town is home to visitor attractions including Dru Point Bicentennial Park and the Channel Heritage Centre, which documents the cultural and maritime history of the D'Entrecasteaux Channel region. A visible reminder of its industrious heritage is the Margate Train, a roadside attraction featuring a preserved locomotive and carriages repurposed as small businesses beside a former Henry Jones IXL apple packing shed.[6]

History

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Palawa history

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The Margate area lies within the traditional lands of the Nuenonne of Bruny Island, who maintained strong kinship and language ties with the neighbouring Muwinina (Hobart area) and Mellukerdee (Huon Valley) bands.[7][8] These South-East groups shared seasonal access to the D'Entrecasteaux Channel region, gathering for resources, trade, and ceremony under customary protocols of reciprocal custodianship.[7][9]

Early French exploration

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The first recorded European contact occurred in 1792 when French explorers under Bruni d'Entrecasteaux arrived aboard the frigates Recherche and Espérance. While anchored at North-West Bay in 1792, members of d’Entrecasteaux’s expedition observed signs of the Nuenonne's use and management of the area, including smoke, cut trees, and foot tracks.[10][11]

A decade later, in 1802, a scientific expedition led by French explorer Nicolas Baudin aboard the ships Géographe and Naturaliste (commanded by Jacques Hamelin) also anchored in North-West Bay.[11][12][13] Baudin’s crews established a short-term observatory at the mouth of the North West Bay River to monitor a solar eclipse, gathered provisions, and interacted with the Nuenonne.[11][12][14][15]

British settlement

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British settlement in the Margate district began in the mid-19th century. The town was officially gazetted in 1866, and the Margate Post Office opened on 1 July that year.[16] A government primary school was established in 1869. In the early 20th century, coal mining became an important local industry; the Sandfly Colliery Tramway operated between 1906 and 1922, transporting coal from the mines at Kaoota to a jetty in Margate for shipping.

In 2016, the town marked 150 years since its gazettal with a week-long series of community events and celebrations.[17]

Demographics

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Historical population
YearPop.±%
20063,397—    
20113,625+6.7%
20163,920+8.1%
20214,239+8.1%
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics census data.

At the 2021 census, Margate had a population of 4,239 people.[1] The median age was 44 years, slightly above the national median of 38. Children aged 0–14 years made up 18.4% of the population, while people aged 65 years and over accounted for 22.4%.

The majority of residents (83.3%) were born in Australia, with the next most common country of birth being England (5.1%).[1] Regarding religious affiliation, 53.5% of people stated they had no religion, 12.3% identified as Anglican, and 10.7% as Catholic. An additional 6.3% identified broadly as Christian (not further defined), and 4.1% did not state a religion.[1]

The population has grown steadily in recent decades, particularly during the early 2000s housing boom, as the town developed into a commuter hub for Kingston and Hobart. New residential subdivisions and infrastructure projects have accompanied this growth, while the town also supports local industries including aquaculture, hospitality, and small-scale agriculture.

Of those in the labour force aged 15 years and over, 52.7% of Margate residents were employed full-time, 37.6% worked part-time, and 3.7% were unemployed. These figures are similar to the broader Tasmanian labour force profile, although Margate recorded a slightly lower unemployment rate than the state average of 5.9%.[1]

The median weekly household income in Margate was A$1,937, which is above the Tasmanian state median (A$1,370).[1] In a 2009 lifestyle survey conducted by the Sunday Tasmanian, Margate residents were ranked among the happiest in the state.[18]

Geography

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Margate is surrounded by a mix of coastal bushland, vineyards, pasture, and residential development. Its location along the Channel Highway makes it a key transit point for travellers heading to destinations further south, such as Kettering, Snug, and the ferry to Bruny Island.

Tourism

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Margate includes several sites of historical and recreational interest, and serves as a stopping point for travellers heading south along the Channel Highway.

Margate Train

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Main article: Margate Train
The Margate Train

Located near the northern entrance to the town, the Margate Train is a roadside attraction featuring the preserved locomotive MA3. A number of former passenger carriages are positioned behind the locomotive and have been adapted for commercial use, housing small retail outlets and a café. The display sits adjacent to a former Henry Jones IXL apple packing shed, referencing the area's fruit-growing history.

Channel Heritage Centre

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The Channel Heritage Centre presents exhibitions on the cultural, social, and maritime history of the D'Entrecasteaux Channel region. Its collections include photographs, documents, and objects relating to shipbuilding, agriculture, and domestic life in the Channel district.[19]

Dru Point Bicentennial Park

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Dru Point Bicentennial Park

Situated on the foreshore of North-West Bay, Dru Point Bicentennial Park includes walking trails, picnic areas, play equipment, and a coastal reserve. It functions as a public recreation space for residents of the Channel region and visitors passing through Margate.

Nandroya Vineyard

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Nandroya Vineyard is a small cool-climate vineyard established in the early 1990s on sloping ground above the North West Bay River. Covering approximately 1.5 ha (3.7 acres), it is planted with pinot noir and sauvignon blanc and oriented north-east to maximise sunlight during the growing season. The vineyard operates on a small scale and is representative of the boutique viticulture found throughout the Channel region.[20]

Amenities

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Margate provides a range of essential services for residents of the Channel region, including supermarkets, medical clinics, community facilities, and recreational spaces.

Margate Primary School is the town’s main government primary school. In 2009, the school received A$3 million in federal government funding for new buildings under the national economic stimulus plan.[21]

A childcare centre in Margate formerly operated by ABC Learning narrowly avoided closure during the company’s national collapse in the same year.[22]

The town also includes churches, sports facilities, and public open spaces such as Dru Point Bicentennial Park, which features walking trails, playgrounds, and picnic areas.

Notable people

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Margate". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 15 June 2025. Edit this at Wikidata
  2. ^ "2021 Greater Hobart, Census All persons QuickStats". Australian Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  3. ^ "Margate History". Our Tasmania. Retrieved 15 June 2025.
  4. ^ "Tassal, Fish Processing Facility, Margate". EPA Tasmania. 25 March 2024. Retrieved 16 June 2025.
  5. ^ "Crisp Bros. & Haywards". Tasmania Maritime Network. 13 December 2023. Retrieved 16 June 2025.
  6. ^ "Margate - Orcharding Activity". Historypin. Retrieved 15 June 2025.
  7. ^ a b "Aboriginal History". Botanical Gardens Tasmania. Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens. Retrieved 18 June 2025.
  8. ^ Berk, Christopher D. (January 2017). "Palawa Kani and the Value of Language in Aboriginal Tasmania". Oceania. 87 (1): 2–20. doi:10.1002/ocea.5148.
  9. ^ Ryan, Lyndall (2012). "Tasmanian Aborigines: A History Since 1803". Allen & Unwin. Crows Nest, NSW: 5–8.
  10. ^ Duyker, Edward (2003). Citizen Labillardière: A Naturalist’s Life in Revolution and Exploration. Melbourne University Publishing. pp. 246–248. ISBN 0522850502.
  11. ^ a b c MacFie, Peter H.; Marie Giblin (2013). A History of North West Bay & Margate, Tasmania, 1792–2000 (Print) (First ed.). Dulcot, Tasmania: Peter MacFie. pp. 105, [36]. Retrieved 18 June 2025.
  12. ^ a b "Timeline – The Baudin Legacy Project". University of Sydney. Retrieved 17 June 2025.
  13. ^ Jose, A. W. (1934). "Nicolas Baudin". Journal and Proceedings (Royal Australian Historical Society). 20 (4): 337–396.
  14. ^ Péron, F.; Freycinet, L. (1807–1816). Voyage de Découvertes aux Terres Australes: Exécuté par ordre de Sa Majesté, l’Empereur et Roi, sur les corvettes Le Géographe, Le Naturaliste et la goelette Le Casuarina, pendant les années 1800, 1801, 1802, 1803 et 1804. Vol. 1–2. Paris: Imprimerie Impériale.
  15. ^ "Margate: A Short History". Margate Online Access Centre. Tasmanian Community Online. Archived from the original on 20 April 2013. Retrieved 12 January 2013.
  16. ^ "Post Office List". Premier Postal Auctions. Retrieved 16 June 2012.
  17. ^ Design, UBC Web. "150th Anniversary of the Naming of Margate". Monument Australia. Retrieved 15 June 2025.
  18. ^ "All smiles at Margate". Sunday Tasmanian. 10 May 2009. Archived from the original on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 15 June 2025.
  19. ^ Rääbus, Carol (6 October 2016). "Channelling the good life in the D'Entrecasteaux". ABC News. Retrieved 15 June 2025.
  20. ^ "Vineyard with Cellar Door Sales and Tastings". Nandroya Wines Margate. 1 November 2023. Retrieved 15 June 2025.
  21. ^ Killick, David (4 May 2009). "Margate child care centre to close". The Mercury. Archived from the original on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 15 June 2025.
  22. ^ "New owner steps up to save child care centre". ABC News. 29 April 2009. Archived from the original on 12 July 2009. Retrieved 15 June 2025.
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