Orford is a village on the east coast of Tasmania, Australia 73 kilometres north-east of Hobart.
Orford is a village on the east coast of Tasmania, Australia 73 kilometres north-east of Hobart. The village is centred on the mouth of the Prosser River, on the southern margin of a substantial coastal inlet called Prosser Bay. Beyond this bay are the waters of the Mercury Passage. At the 2006 census, Orford had a population of 553.
History
The town was named by Edward Walpole, who was granted 1,000 acres (4 km2) in the area in 1831.He named his grant "Strawberry Hill", after the London residence of his relative Horace Walpole who was the Third Earl of Orford. The town was first established as a mainland port for the convict settlement on Maria Island. However, the marine infrastructure never consisted of more than a few short jetties in shallow waters just inside the mouth of the river which still remain today. The narrow channel at the river's mouth is flanked by a substantial sandbar, rendering the river unsuitable for larger vessels. The larger township of Triabunna approximately 6 km north is the main port in the area, and is home base for the region's fishing and timber industries, as well as the ferry service operating to and from Maria Island.
Shore-based bay whaling stations are believed to have operated in Prossers Bay in the 1830s.Orford Post Office opened on 1 September 1870.A quarry situated between Orford and Spring Beach provided sandstone for use in buildings in Hobart and Melbourne, including the Melbourne General Post Office. A quarry still operates at the nearby town of Buckland.
Weather
Orford has an oceanic climate, with temperatures and rainfall similar to Hobart. Like most of Tasmania's east coast, Orford is prone to heatwaves in summer and may reach temperatures as high as 38 °C. Snow is very rare, however frost will be experienced several times each winter when it is not overcast or drizzling.
Things to do
Orford has several clean, picturesque beaches - including Raspins, Millingons, Spring and Rheban - with a campsite at Raspins Beach. Nearby is the well-regarded 9-hole Orford Golf Course and the Darlington Vineyard. There are several walks, including the Convict Trail along the Prosser River, the coastal walk along the cliff tops between East Shelly Beach and Spring Beach, and the scenic Thumbs lookout in the nearby Wielangta Forest, which offers views of the region. Prosser Bay and the Mercury Passage provide fishing areas, with flathead, trevally, trumpeter, abalone and southern rock lobster (crayfish) sought-after species.
There are views of Maria Island from parts of Orford and nearby Spring Beach.
Sanda House. the oldest house in Orford operates as a B and B with numerous other accommodation available.
In February 2007 an artificial reef and dive site was created from the scuttling of the ship the Troy D in the Mercury Passage approximately 1 km off Maria Island, to further bolster the area's reputation as a premier location for scuba diving, thanks to its unpolluted water and abundant sea life.
