# Great Oyster Bay > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Great_Oyster_Bay > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Great_Oyster_Bay.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Oyster_Bay > Source revision: 1352275854 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Bay in Tasmania, Australia Great Oyster Bay, Freycinet Peninsula and Schouten Island seen from space (false colour). **Great Oyster Bay** is a broad and sheltered bay on the east coast of [Tasmania](/source/Tasmania), Australia which opens onto the [Tasman Sea](/source/Tasman_Sea). The [Tasman Highway](/source/Tasman_Highway) runs close to the West Coast of the bay with views of the granite peaks of [the Hazards](/source/The_Hazards) and [Schouten Island](/source/Schouten_Island) of the [Freycinet Peninsula](/source/Freycinet_Peninsula) which are incorporated in the [Freycinet National Park](/source/Freycinet_National_Park). Towns on the bay include [Swansea](/source/Swansea%2C_Tasmania) and [Coles Bay](/source/Coles_Bay%2C_Tasmania). At the north of the bay the floodplains of the Aspley and Swan rivers has created [Moulting Lagoon](/source/Moulting_Lagoon), an important [Ramsar-listed](/source/List_of_Ramsar_sites_in_Australia) wetland, much of which lies in the [Moulting Lagoon Game Reserve](/source/Moulting_Lagoon_Game_Reserve).[1] Nearby is the [Friendly Beaches Reserve](/source/Friendly_Beaches_Reserve) owned and managed by [Bush Heritage Australia](/source/Bush_Heritage_Australia) (BHA). ## History Great Oyster Bay on the [Freycinet Peninsula](/source/Freycinet_Peninsula) Prior to European settlement the area was occupied by [Tasmanian Aborigines](/source/Tasmanian_Aborigines). From autumn through winter various bands of the [Oyster Bay Tribe](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Oyster_Bay_Tribe&action=edit&redlink=1) congregated around the coastal areas to harvest shellfish and marine vegetables until the end of July, when swans and ducks arrived in the lagoons and riverine areas to lay their eggs and raise their young. In August most of the bands moved up the Little Swanport and [Prosser Rivers](/source/Prosser_River) to the Eastern Marshes to hunt birds, kangaroos and wallabies. The [Linetemairrener](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Linetemairrener&action=edit&redlink=1) people lived at the lagoon year round.[2] Shore-based bay whaling activity took place in [Coles Bay](/source/Coles_Bay%2C_Tasmania) and other locations in the area in the 19th century.[3] ## Activities Sea kayaking on Great Oyster Bay near [The Hazards](/source/The_Hazards) Activities include [sea kayaking](/source/Sea_kayak) in the sheltered waters on the east side of the bay from Coles Bay exploring the small and isolated beaches on the Freycinet Peninsula. [Recreational fishing](/source/Recreational_fishing) is also an activity in the bay with [flathead](/source/Flathead_(fish)), Australian [salmon](/source/Salmon), [trevally](/source/Trevally), [trumpeter](/source/Trumpeter) and [squid](/source/Squid) sometimes caught. [Dolphins](/source/Dolphin) and [Australian fur seals](/source/Arctocephalus_forsteri) can sometimes be seen and [whales](/source/Whale) often visit the bay in winter.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] [Aquaculture](/source/Aquaculture) has been practiced in the area since the early 1970s. Species cultivated commercially include [Pacific oysters](/source/Pacific_oyster), native oysters, [mussels](/source/Mussels), [scallops](/source/Scallops), [abalone](/source/Abalone) and [sea urchins](/source/Sea_urchins) in the Great Oyster Bay and Mercury Passage. An initial marine farming lease set up in 1978 in Pelican Bay, with additional leases granted for shellfish culture since then in the northern section of Great Oyster Bay and the Swan River.[4] ## Infestations Infestations of [rice grass](/source/Leersia_oryzoides) has been reported by oyster farmers from [Little Swanport](/source/Little_Swanport%2C_Tasmania) in 2008 with action being taken to eliminate this ecological threat in the area.[5] Access to most of the [Friendly Beaches Reserve](/source/Friendly_Beaches_Reserve) is restricted due to the threat of contamination by the soil pathogen [cinnamon fungus](/source/Phytophthora_cinnamomi).[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Parks and Wildlife Service Tasmania, *[Moulting Lagoon Game Reserve](http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/index.aspx?base=4319)*, Accessed October 27, 2008 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Parks and Wildlife Service Tasmania, *[Moulting Lagoon Game Reserve - Highlights](http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/index.aspx?base=5616)*, Cultural Values. Accessed October 27, 2008 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Michael Nash, *The bay whalers; Tasmania's shore-based whaling industry*, Naverine, Canberra, 2003, p.152. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Tasmanian Government, *[Review of the Great Oyster Bay and Mercury Passage Marine Farming Development Plan](https://web.archive.org/web/20120229185838/http://www.dpiw.tas.gov.au/inter.nsf/Attachments/SCAN-7AXUNA/$FILE/Review%20of%20the%20Great%20Oyster%20Bay%20and%20Mercury%20Passage%20MFDP%20October%201998.pdf)* OCTOBER 1998. Archived from [the original](http://www.dpiw.tas.gov.au/inter.nsf/Attachments/SCAN-7AXUNA/%24FILE/Review%20of%20the%20Great%20Oyster%20Bay%20and%20Mercury%20Passage%20MFDP%20October%201998.pdf) on February 29, 2012. Accessed October 26, 2008. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** *[Oyster farmers winning against water weeds](https://web.archive.org/web/20101028122748/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/05/06/2236335.htm)* ABC News, May 6, 2008. Accessed October 26, 2008. [42°11′S 148°09′E / 42.183°S 148.150°E / -42.183; 148.150](https://geohack.toolforge.org/geohack.php?pagename=Great_Oyster_Bay¶ms=42_11_S_148_09_E_region:AU_type:waterbody_source:GNS-enwiki) v t e East Coast region of Tasmania, Australia Settlements Bicheno Binalong Bay Coles Bay Dunalley Fingal Orford Scamander St Helens St Marys Swansea Triabunna Governance former Lyons (federal) Lyons (state) McIntyre (state, legislative council) Prosser (state, legislative council) Break O'Day Council Glamorgan–Spring Bay Council Sorell Council Mountains The Hazards Protected areas, parks and reserves Freycinet National Park‎ Maria Island National Park Mount William National Park Friendly Beaches Reserve Harbours, bays, inlets and estuaries Bay of Fires Great Oyster Bay Honeymoon Bay Marion Bay Landmarks Natural Forestier Peninsula Freycinet Peninsula Jocks Lagoon Orielton Lagoon Tasman Peninsula Man-made Denison Canal St Helens Airport People of note Nicolas Baudin John Henry Cox René Maugé Islands Maria Island Group Ile du Nord Lachlan Maria Schouten Island Group Governor des Phoques Picnic Schouten Taillefer Rocks Books and newspapers Tasmania's offshore islands Flora, fauna, and fishlife St Helens Important Bird Area Bioregions Ben Lomond (bioregion) South East (bioregion) Category Commons Authority control databases VIAF --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Great Oyster Bay](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Oyster_Bay) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Oyster_Bay?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.