# Scamander, Tasmania

Scamander is a small town at the mouth of the Scamander River between St Helens and St Marys on the north-east coast of Tasmania in Australia. The town is a popular holiday destination because of its wide, sandy beaches and views of the ocean. Recreational activities include surfing, swimming and fishing for bream in the river.

## History

The first European to travel through the area was surveyor John Helder Wedge in 1825. He named the river "Borthwick" and the position itself he named "Yarmouth" after the English port Great Yarmouth but both the river and town were both later renamed "Scamander".
The wide river mouth has been a challenge to bridge builders for many years. Richard Terry constructed a timber bridge in 1865, but it collapsed around May in 1875 while a large herd of cattle was being driven across it. A second and third bridge were successively washed away in floods in 1889 and 1911. Further bridges succumbed to flood and shipworms, the last timber bridge collapsing in 1929. A truss bridge was built in 1936 and still stands today, used by pedestrians and bicycles. The concrete bridge that currently carries the Tasman Highway was built on a better alignment nearby and officially opened on 26 June 1991.
Scamander Post Office opened on 1 October 1896 and closed in 1933. It reopened in 1950.
On the evening of 11 December 2006, 18 houses and a restaurant were razed by a bushfire that swept around the small town.

## Climate

Scamander possesses a mild oceanic climate (Köppen: Cfb); experiencing tepid summers and cool winters. Average maxima vary from 22.1 °C (71.8 °F) in February to 13.8 °C (56.8 °F) in July, while average minima fluctuate between 13.0 °C (55.4 °F) in February and 4.5 °C (40.1 °F) in July. Precipitation is moderate, averaging 699.9 mm (27.56 in) per annum. Rainfall is well-distributed through the year; occurring on 126.8 days. The town is not particularly sunny, experiencing 130.0 cloudy days and only 74.3 clear days per annum. Extreme temperatures have ranged from 42.2 °C (108.0 °F) on 30 January 2009 to −3.0 °C (26.6 °F) on 6 July 1990. This is also Tasmania's highest recorded temperature.
Climate data for Scamander (41°28′S 148°16′E﻿ / ﻿41.46°S 148.26°E﻿ / -41.46; 148.26) (3 m (9.8 ft) AMSL) (1974–2013) :
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 42.2 (108.0) | 39.8 (103.6) | 34.8 (94.6) | 29.3 (84.7) | 24.7 (76.5) | 20.1 (68.2) | 21.8 (71.2) | 24.9 (76.8) | 29.7 (85.5) | 31.7 (89.1) | 34.7 (94.5) | 35.6 (96.1) | 42.2 (108.0) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 22.1 (71.8) | 21.7 (71.1) | 20.7 (69.3) | 18.8 (65.8) | 16.6 (61.9) | 14.4 (57.9) | 13.8 (56.8) | 14.8 (58.6) | 16.3 (61.3) | 17.4 (63.3) | 19.0 (66.2) | 20.3 (68.5) | 18.0 (64.4) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 12.7 (54.9) | 13.0 (55.4) | 11.8 (53.2) | 9.8 (49.6) | 7.5 (45.5) | 5.5 (41.9) | 4.5 (40.1) | 5.3 (41.5) | 6.6 (43.9) | 8.1 (46.6) | 10.3 (50.5) | 11.3 (52.3) | 8.9 (47.9) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 5.1 (41.2) | 5.3 (41.5) | 2.6 (36.7) | 2.0 (35.6) | 0.0 (32.0) | −2.2 (28.0) | −3.0 (26.6) | −1.2 (29.8) | −0.2 (31.6) | 0.1 (32.2) | 1.8 (35.2) | 3.8 (38.8) | −3.0 (26.6) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 55.2 (2.17) | 45.3 (1.78) | 65.7 (2.59) | 69.0 (2.72) | 53.9 (2.12) | 54.0 (2.13) | 54.2 (2.13) | 63.4 (2.50) | 54.7 (2.15) | 61.9 (2.44) | 64.3 (2.53) | 59.1 (2.33) | 699.9 (27.56) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.2 mm) | 8.9 | 8.4 | 11.0 | 9.3 | 9.8 | 10.7 | 11.6 | 11.8 | 11.9 | 11.9 | 10.6 | 10.9 | 126.8 |
| Average afternoon relative humidity (%) | 64 | 67 | 67 | 66 | 67 | 68 | 67 | 64 | 62 | 64 | 66 | 64 | 65 |
| Average dew point °C (°F) | 12.2 (54.0) | 12.8 (55.0) | 12.1 (53.8) | 10.3 (50.5) | 8.7 (47.7) | 7.0 (44.6) | 6.1 (43.0) | 6.2 (43.2) | 6.7 (44.1) | 8.0 (46.4) | 10.0 (50.0) | 10.7 (51.3) | 9.2 (48.6) |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 241.8 | 206.2 | 189.1 | 174.0 | 142.6 | 129.0 | 158.1 | 173.6 | 192.0 | 223.2 | 210.0 | 229.4 | 2,269 |
| Percent possible sunshine | 53 | 53 | 49 | 53 | 46 | 47 | 54 | 53 | 54 | 54 | 48 | 49 | 51 |
| Source: Bureau of Meteorology (1974–2013) ||||||||||||||

## Services

Services in Scamander include:
* Resort Hotel
* Bottle Shop
* Two Caravan Parks
* Numerous Bed and Breakfasts
* Several small motels
* Supermarket/minimarket
* Petrol Station including mechanic
* Fast food store
* Surf Shop
* Post office
* Coffee, Book & Video store
* JCG Marine charter
* Local Handymen