Ralphs Bay
Encyclopedia
Ralphs Bay is a body of water in south east Tasmania
, Australia
. It is surrounded by the Tranmere
and South Arm
peninsulas. Sea access to the bay is from the Derwent River
.
Ralphs Bay is a shallow, windy bay, situated on the south east of the Derwent Estuary, about 12 kilometres from the south east of Hobart in Tasmania, Australia. The bay is sheltered by the low, grassy hills of Droughty Point to the northwest and the “spit” of South Arm and Opossum Bay to the southwest.
The bay is part of the South Arm Important Bird Area
(IBA), identified as such by BirdLife International
because of its importance for the conservation of Pied Oystercatcher
s and of the migratory
wader
s, or shorebirds, of the East Asian – Australasian Flyway.
. The proposal included a canal
development and a marina
, to be known as "Lauderdale Quay". It was heavily protested by the local community who were concerned that the development would destroy the habitat of native wildlife in the area and would reduce public access to the foreshore.
On October 22, 2009, the Tasmanian Planning Commission released its Draft Integrated Assessment Report which highlighted significant planning issues that seem to indicate that approval will not be given for the proposal. On 23 June 2010 the Greens announced the legal confirmation of the Ralphs Bay Conservation Area as being 171 hectares and therefore preventing proposed canal housing estates.
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. It is surrounded by the Tranmere
Tranmere, Tasmania
Tranmere is a suburb of Hobart, capital of Tasmania, Australia. The suburb is in the Local Government Area of City of Clarence, and lies in close proximity to Howrah....
and South Arm
South Arm, Tasmania
South Arm is a town located on the South Arm Peninsula on the outskirts of Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. It is part of the City of Clarence.-Sources:...
peninsulas. Sea access to the bay is from the Derwent River
Derwent River (Tasmania)
The Derwent is a river in Tasmania, Australia. It was named after the River Derwent, Cumbria by British Commodore John Hayes who explored it in 1793. The name is Brythonic Celtic for "valley thick with oaks"....
.
Ralphs Bay is a shallow, windy bay, situated on the south east of the Derwent Estuary, about 12 kilometres from the south east of Hobart in Tasmania, Australia. The bay is sheltered by the low, grassy hills of Droughty Point to the northwest and the “spit” of South Arm and Opossum Bay to the southwest.
Ecology
The Red-necked Stint migrates from Siberia every year and most of the birds, which do that, find themselves in Ralphs Bay. It is also an important area for the Spotted Handfish. They are critically endangered and, because of the pollution in the Derwent River, live in majority at Ralphs Bay and its surrounding waters.The bay is part of the South Arm Important Bird Area
South Arm Important Bird Area
The South Arm Important Bird Area is a disjunct tract of mainly intertidal land on the eastern outskirts of Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.-Description:...
(IBA), identified as such by BirdLife International
BirdLife International
BirdLife International is a global Partnership of conservation organisations that strives to conserve birds, their habitats and global biodiversity, working with people towards sustainability in the use of natural resources...
because of its importance for the conservation of Pied Oystercatcher
Pied Oystercatcher
The Pied Oystercatcher, Haematopus longirostris, is a species of oystercatcher. It is a wading bird native to Australia and commonly found on its coastline. The similar South Island Pied Oystercatcher The Pied Oystercatcher, Haematopus longirostris, is a species of oystercatcher. It is a wading...
s and of the migratory
Bird migration
Bird migration is the regular seasonal journey undertaken by many species of birds. Bird movements include those made in response to changes in food availability, habitat or weather. Sometimes, journeys are not termed "true migration" because they are irregular or in only one direction...
wader
Wader
Waders, called shorebirds in North America , are members of the order Charadriiformes, excluding the more marine web-footed seabird groups. The latter are the skuas , gulls , terns , skimmers , and auks...
s, or shorebirds, of the East Asian – Australasian Flyway.
Recent history
Since 2004, Ralphs Bay has been the focus of a local development debate. Walker Corporation had planned a major development in the bay near LauderdaleLauderdale, Tasmania
Lauderdale is a town on the outskirts of Hobart, capital of Tasmania, Australia. The population of Lauderdale is approximately 2,388 . It is in the local government area of City of Clarence. The town is situated on the eastern side of a thin Isthmus that connects the South Arm peninsula to the...
. The proposal included a canal
Canal
Canals are man-made channels for water. There are two types of canal:#Waterways: navigable transportation canals used for carrying ships and boats shipping goods and conveying people, further subdivided into two kinds:...
development and a marina
Marina
A marina is a dock or basin with moorings and supplies for yachts and small boats.A marina differs from a port in that a marina does not handle large passenger ships or cargo from freighters....
, to be known as "Lauderdale Quay". It was heavily protested by the local community who were concerned that the development would destroy the habitat of native wildlife in the area and would reduce public access to the foreshore.
On October 22, 2009, the Tasmanian Planning Commission released its Draft Integrated Assessment Report which highlighted significant planning issues that seem to indicate that approval will not be given for the proposal. On 23 June 2010 the Greens announced the legal confirmation of the Ralphs Bay Conservation Area as being 171 hectares and therefore preventing proposed canal housing estates.