Turners Beach facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Turners Beach Tasmania
Turners Beach (Photo taken from the Leith side of the River Forth)
Turners Beach Location in Tasmania
Postcode(s)	7315
LGA(s)	Central Coast Council
State electorate(s)	Braddon
Federal Division(s)	Braddon

Turners Beach is a small town on the north coast of Tasmania. It is located almost halfway between the cities of Devonport and Ulverstone. The town sits at the western entrance of the Forth River into Bass Strait. Across the river, you will find the village of Leith. In 2021, about 1,966 people lived here.

History of Turners Beach

A special stone monument marks the spot where the first European settlers arrived in 1840. This was James Fenton's home. He was a pioneer and historian. The monument is about 100 metres from the Forth Bridge in Turners Beach.

An old house called The Gables was built around 1850. It was first known as The Sailors Return Inn. This building was only a hotel for about ten years. In 1853, two bushrangers named Dalton and Kelly robbed the inn. They stole the landlord's whale boat. They then sailed across the Bass Strait to Victoria. They were later caught and brought back to Tasmania.

Turners Beach used to be called Scott's Beach. This name came from the Scott family. They ran a flour mill on Claytons Rivulet. The town's post office opened on December 15, 1956.

The town was later developed and renamed in honor of Harry Vincent Glengyle (Glen) Turner. This happened on March 21, 1961. Glen Turner was a member of the Ulverstone Council and the Town Planning Committee.

Local Businesses and Shops

Turners Beach has a few local businesses. There used to be two small supermarkets. One of them has now closed. The other is now a cafe and a shop that sells local food.

You can also find a service station on Forth Road. It also offers takeaway food.

In the past, there were two caravan parks for people on holiday. One of these has closed. It was turned into new homes. For many years, a garden nursery also operated on Forth Road.

A special Twilight Market is held once a month. It takes place on the last Sunday of every month. This market features local producers and artists. It is a great way to support the community.

Exploring the Beach

The beach at Turners Beach is very wide when the tide goes out. Sometimes, there was even an annual beach sprint held on the hard sand. The waves here create very fine white sand. It is much softer than the sand at Ulverstone.

The Forth River meets the ocean at one end of the beach. This area can be dangerous for surfers. The Forth River used to have many fish, like Cocky Salmon and mullet. At the other end of the beach is Claytons Rivulet. This rivulet is known to have amazing wildlife. You might see platypus, eels, and brown trout there.

Sports and Recreation

Turners Beach has several sports clubs for different activities.

Football Fun

The Turners Beach Football Club plays in the North Western Football Association.

Cricket Games

The Turners Beach Cricket Club competes in the Mersey Valley Cricket Association.

Bowls Club

The Turners Beach Bowls Club has teams for both men and women. They also have social bowls games.

Tennis Matches

The Turners Beach Tennis Club is part of Tennis North West.

Community Groups and Services

Local groups help make Turners Beach a great place to live.

Cubs and Scouts

The 1st Turners Beach Scouts group meets at the local hall on the Esplanade. They are part of the Leven District Scouting Association.

Volunteer Fire Brigade

Until 2016, Turners Beach had its own Volunteer Fire Brigade. Their base was on Turners Avenue. They had a siren that could be heard all over town. This brigade has now joined with the Forth Valley Brigade.