Tasmanian Field Naturalists* Club 
1924 Easter Camp at “The Narrows/’ 
Marion Bay, Forestier’s Peninsula. 
GENERAL ACCOUNT 
By CLIVE E. LORD, F.L.S. 
I lie wei.lieth Easter camp ot' the* Tas¬ 
manian Field Naturalists’ (Tub was held, 
at "Tile Nat rows, - ’ which are situated at 
the head of Marion Bay, and which serve 
to mark the entrance to the East Bay 
Neck Canal, at the north end of Forest¬ 
ier’s Peninsula, so named by Baiulin in 
1802. Last year our camp was situated 
in the Western Highlands, but this Eas¬ 
ter the lure of the coastal bays again 
claimed our attention. 
The exact site of the camp was in a 
sheltered hay on the southern side of 
“The Narrows.’’ Across a narrow strip 
of swift riming water was -Marion Bay 
(or Bream Creek) beach, at the end of 
which ro-e the hills which terminated in 
the hold outline of Cape Jh rnicr the 
“Hell-fire Bluff” of the fishermen. To 
the north-east was Maria Island, whilst 
to the south stretched the Peninsula, 
with its stretches of forest, broken by 
lagoons and coastal bays. Many of the 
latter possess historical interest as well 
as scellie charm, for it was in close pro¬ 
ximity to the camp site that the Dutch 
sailors under Tasman first set foot on 
Tasmanian soil in 1 (142, and a day later 
the Dutch flag was planted on the shores 
of a small hay a few miles to the east. 
The 'Dutch came in search of trade but. 
found nothing of value. The golden 
lands and spice islands appeared not to 
exist in those more southern seas. Lack 
of trade, inhospitable coasts, and wester¬ 
ly gales discouraged further exploration 
in the far south. Moreover, the proces¬ 
sion of history was advancing through 
the 17th and 18th centuries. As the Dutch 
had captured the Spanish eastern trade 
SO they in turn began to feel the pres¬ 
sure of the French and the English. The 
former were the first to reach Tasma¬ 
nia. and the name Marion Bay recalls 
that fact. 
Members generally appreciated the 
choice of the locality for the camp, and 
attended in fair numbers, 40 being the 
complement of the camp. More than a 
quarter of these left with the advance 
party <n Wednesday morning. April lti, 
in the motor yacht Arcadia. Town was 
left at S am., and after a smooth trip 
Dunalley was reached about four hours 
later. After the bridge was opened we 
proceeded on our way. and soon arrived 
at the camp site at the eastern end of 
Blackman's Bay—the true Frederick 
Henry Bay of Tasman. 
It took some time to convey (lie camp 
impedimenta ashore by means of several 
small boats, and after a welcome cup of 
tea a start was made to set out (lie 
camp and erect the tents. 
Darkness arrived all too soon. Inn the 
work had been fairly well advanced, and 
after tlx? evening meal, a camp lire drew 
togethor a tired but happy party, who 
were prepared to rest a her their work 
and make plans for completing the camp 
the following day. As the Easter moon 
rose above the eucalyptus on the hills to 
the east of the camp the scene recalled 
memories of previous camps, more par¬ 
ticularly the camp site at Thoii.ni or 
Wineglass Bay on the Schoutens, where 
the camp site was protected, in a similat 
way. by a low range of hills to the east 
--occupying the country between the 
camp and the ocean. 
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