At the confluence of the North and South Esk Rivers, the Tamar River is formed. The River begins its course near Launceston, and winds its way in a north-westerly direction towards Bass Strait. There is only one point at which traffic - both pedestrian and motorised - can cross the river, and that is at Whirlpool Reach where the Batman Bridge stands.

The Tamar River was first explored in 1798 by Bass and Flinders. They named the land at the mouth of the river Port Dalrymple, in honour of the Admiralty Hydrographer in the British Navy at that time.

The original name of the river itself was Dalrymple, and it was so named by William Collins when the first expedition of the river from Bass Strait was begun some years later.

The settlement of George Town, located on the river's estuary, was founded in 1804 by Lt. Colonel William Paterson, and it was Paterson who renamed the river the Tamar.

It was named after a river of the same name that flows between Cornwall and Devon in England, which was the birthplace of Governor King of New South Wales.

The town of Bell Bay was developed as a port for the river in the early 20th century, and in the 1950s it was targeted as a major port for the state. Today, Bell Bay is both an industrial town, and the deepwater port on the river.

0 of a possible 0 points from 0 votes