Bathurst Channel

The Bathurst Channel is a narrow offshore stretch of water that links Port Davey with Bathurst Harbour in the South West region of Tasmania, Australia.[2][3][4] The Bathurst Channel is contained within the Port Davey/Bathurst Harbour Marine Nature Reserve,[5] and the Southwest National Park, part of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area.

Bathurst Channel
Bathurst Channel Location on the south west coast of Tasmania
Location	South Western Tasmania
Coordinates	43°20′24″S 146°01′12″E
Type	Channel
Etymology	3rd Earl Bathurst, Secretary of State for War and the Colonies
Part of	Port Davey/Bathurst Harbour Marine Nature Reserve
Primary inflows	Bathurst Harbour
Primary outflows	Port Davey
Basin countries	Australia
References	[1]

Features and location

The channel has been studied for estuarine and introduced marine species.[6][7][8]

The channel's water is stained red and provides a low light; this allows deeper-water creatures to live in the shallow water. The water is pitch black 6 metres (20 ft) below the surface. The channel attracts researchers and divers because they can observe deep underwater life without traveling thousands of feet with expensive equipment.

References

1. "Bathurst Channel (TAS)". Gazetteer of Australia online. Geoscience Australia, Australian Government.
2. Australian Hydrographic Service (2008), Port Davey including Bathurst Channel, Australia - Tasmania (2nd ed.), Australian Hydrographic Service, retrieved 20 January 2013
3. Australia. Royal Australian Navy. Hydrographic Service (1980), Bathurst Channel (Sheet 1), Tasmania - west coast, Port Davey, Hydrographic Service, R.A.N, retrieved 11 July 2015
4. Australia. Royal Australian Navy. Hydrographic Service (1983), Bathurst Channel (sheet 2), Tasmania-west coast, Port Davey from a survey by Lieut.-Comm.r Kenneth Mackenzie, R.N., assisted by Lieutenants T. Nixson, R.A.N., D.M. Branson, R.N., G.P. Dixon, R.N., H.M. Australian Surveying Ship "Geranium", 1922, Hydrographic Service, R.A.N, retrieved 11 July 2015
5. "Port Davey/Bathurst Harbour Marine Nature Reserve". Sea Fishing & Aquaculture: Area Restrictions: Marine Reserves. Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment, Tasmanian Government. 3 September 2014. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
6. Hirst, AJ; Barrett, NS; Meyer, L; Reid, C (2007), NRM Final Report: A detalied benthic faunal and introduced marine species survey of Port Davey, Bathurst Channel and Bathurst Harbour in SW Tasmania, NRM South, retrieved 20 January 2013
7. Barrett, N. S.; Oh, E.; Meyer, L.; Jones, D.; Edgar, G. J. (2 November 2010), A biological monitoring survey of reef biota within Bathurst Channel, Southwest Tasmania, University of Tasmania, retrieved 20 January 2013
8. Barrett, Neville; Tasmanian Aquaculture and Fisheries Institute; Barrett, Neville; Edgar, Graham; Lawler, Miles; Halley, Vanessa (2007), A quantitative video baseline survey of reef biota and survey of marine habitats within Bathurst Channel, SW Tasmania 2002, Tasmanian Aquaculture and Fisheries Institute, ISBN 978-1-86295-372-7, ISSN 1441-8487

Further reading

• Gee, Helen; Fenton, Janet, eds. (1978). The South West Book: A Tasmanian Wilderness. Hawthorn, Vic.: Australian Conservation Foundation. ISBN 0-85802-054-8. 1983 edition, published by NSW: William Collins Pty. Ltd., Sydney ISBN 0-00-217305-0
• Kelly, James (1791-1859) (24 December 1920). First discovery of Port Davey and Macquarie Harbour. Royal Society of Tasmania: Papers and Proceedings, 1920 (Microfiche). Canberra: National Library of Australia, 2004. pp. 160–181.
• Bathurst Harbour – Old River catchment (Working paper). Sandy Bay, Tas: Steering Committee, South West Tasmania Resources Survey. 1981. ISBN 0-7246-1010-3.
• Southwest National Park: Marine Zones: Vicinity of Port Davey (Map). 1:250,000. Tasmanian Government. 12 May 2004.
• "Port Davey Marine Reserve: Commercial Visitor Guidelines". Department of Environment, Parks, Heritage and the Arts. Tasmanian Government.