Tamar River

This article is about the river in Tasmania. For the river in England, see River Tamar.

Tamar River (kanamaluka)
River
256px
Country	Australia
Region	Tasmania
City	Launceston, Tasmania
Coordinates
Source
- location	North Esk River and South Esk River
Mouth	Low Head
Length	70 km (43 mi)
Location in Tasmania, Australia
Wikimedia Commons: Tamar River

The Tamar River (indigenous name: kanamaluka) is a 70-kilometre (43-mile) estuary in northern Tasmania formed by the merging of the North Esk River and South Esk Rivers at Launceston (the largest settlement) to its mouth at Low Head, north of the second largest settlement George Town and into the Bass Strait. Low Head Lighthouse is located at the tip of a peninsula, on the east side of the mouth of the Tamar River.

The Tamar River was named after the River Tamar in South West England by Colonel William Paterson in December 1804. Despite its name it is not actually a river as it is saline and tidal over its entire length. The only full crossing of the Tamar is the Batman Bridge in the relatively remote area of Sidmouth, around halfway up the river.

Although the Port of Launceston is now used very little in comparison to the past and the SeaCat Tasmania ferry no longer docks at George Town, the Tamar still is used for shipping, with light and heavy industries at George Town (including aluminium smelters) as well as commercial boat cruises.

See also

• Tamar Wetlands Important Bird Area

External links

• History of the Tamar River Conservation Area