St Helens

St Helens is the largest town on Tasmania's north-east coast, located on Georges Bay within the Break O'Day local government area. It is the main service centre and fishing port for the region and the primary gateway to the Bay of Fires. Notable for its sheltered bay, fishing fleet, oyster farms and access to white-sand beaches, coastal reserves and nearby national parks.

Visitors can expect a working fishing town set on the sheltered waters of Georges Bay with a waterfront, marina, shops, cafes and accommodation. The town provides access to beaches, boat ramps, walking tracks and lookouts. Surroundings include Georges Bay, St Helens Point, Peron Dunes and the Bay of Fires coastline to the north. Visitors can explore the foreshore, visit the history room, take boat tours, fish, swim and use the town as a base for coastal and nature excursions.

The area was traditionally inhabited by Aboriginal people of the north-east. European settlement began in the 1830s, with the town named after St Helens on the Isle of Wight. It developed as a port for tin mining on nearby islands and later as Tasmania's major fishing port, particularly for rock lobster and scallops, with Georges Bay supporting commercial and recreational fishing since the late 19th century.

St Helens is the commercial and community centre of the Break O'Day region, known for its fishing and aquaculture heritage, particularly oyster farming in Georges Bay. It serves as a cultural hub for the east coast and as the main access point for visitors to the Bay of Fires, which is valued for its natural coastal landscape and recreational use.