Snug Cove

Why Live in Snug Cove?

History
Twofold Bay and its safe harbour, Snug Cove, was named and mapped by George Bass early in 1798 during his initial voyage of discovery. During Bass and Flinders later voyage to establish a route to Van Diemen’s Land, they sought shelter in Twofold Bay during adverse winds in September, 1798 and took the opportunity to survey the area. The initial attempt to survey a township on Twofold Bay in 1834 was not completed despite the increasing popularity of the port. It was not until 1843 when the newly arrived Scottish entrepreneur Benjamin Boyd proposed to base his Steamship Company at Twofold Bay that the survey was completed by the Government Surveyor, Mr. Thomas Townsend, who named the new town laid out around Snug Cove as Eden.
The fishing industry began in earnest around the turn of the century, initially by line and net then progressing to‘beam trawling’ by 1914. After salmon fishing began in 1920 a smoke house was opened and after this period tuna had become the main catch. Spotter planes were introduced in 1961 to more quickly locate the tuna schools. By 1970 Eden had become the largest supplier of fresh fish to the markets of both Sydney and Melbourne. By 1984, due to over-fishing, the tuna boats were ranging more than 200 miles to fill their holds and government restrictions were imposed. Although trawler numbers have significantly reduced, Eden remains the largest fishing port in NSW today but boats now range as far as South Australia to drop their nets. The fishing industry is one of the mainstays of Eden's economy and a large fleet operates out of Eden from Snug Cove. Here you'll see the catch arrive before it goes to processing for export and national consumption. Development of the port commenced in 1862, with a major expansion in 1987. It consists of a 330 metre long attached breakwater, two 100 metre long jetties, and a smaller breakwater sheltering the boat ramp.

Real Estate and Design
Many of the original houses in Snug Cove are traditional and simple. Due to the original, working nature of the area, the houses were built simply to accommodate the working class. The recently built houses, however, are modern in design and are in optimal locations that take in the views of the bay and Mount Imlay. The area has two major hills, and the houses are built using multi-level designs to adapt to the topography. Many houses are brick or weatherboard in construction; however a few have been renovated and are constructed from colour bond steel, giving the area a coastal feel.

Shopping
The locals call the area ‘the Wharf’, and there are art gallery’s, fish shops and smokehouses in the main wharf area. The must-see gallery in the Snug Cove area is Anna Warren’s Art Gallery. Local award-winning artist Anna Warren exhibits both nationally and internationally and has a range of her recent oil paintings on display at her gallery. Colourful, contemporary, marine and lanscapes with a twist of surreal, express some of the energy and stillness felt in nature.

Sports and Fitness
Similar to all of Eden, Snug Cove is a great place to cast a line. All sorts of water sports including swimming, sailing and diving can be enjoyed in the Snug Cove area. Most of the time, sailing conditions are ideal, the water is pristine and in Summer averaging around 22 degrees in temperature. It is not unusual during the Summer months to be accompanied on the bay by dolphins, seals and birds, after the whales have travelled south during September to November. Since 1990, The Cat Balou whale watching cruiser has operated from Snug Cove. As a family owned and operated business the business has gained the reputation of maintaining high safety standards, exceptional service, and value on all their cruises, as well as sharing their love of the area and nature with their passengers. They also assist various organizations with whale and dolphin research. The vessel has been designed for optimum viewing and comfort and can carry 72 passengers. Cat Balou offers two cruises- their popular 2 hour Twofold Bay Discovery Cruise which operate all year and whale watching cruises from mid September until late November.

Distance From Cities and Transportation
Eden is an approximate three hour drive from the city of Canberra and is located six to seven hours driving north of Melbourne or six hours south of Sydney. The local airport is located 20 minutes from Eden and is serviced by regular daily flights to Melbourne and Sydney. Interstate, Regional and local bus services are available.

Famous Landmarks
A spectacular headland next to Eden, Snug Cove is located near the Eagles Claw nature reserve. This is home to one of only two mainland colonies of fairy penguins on the east coast of Australia. The other is near Manly in Sydney Harbour.

Restaurants and Cafes
There are a handful of cafes and restaurants in Snug Cove, also a family owned fish and chip shop and fish smokehouse. The main street of Eden is a quick walk up the hill, and has more places to dine.

Schools, Education and Institutions
Eden offers both state primary and secondary schools, along with the Marine Discovery Centre. A variety of marine education programs are available at the centre in Snug Cove, and can be tailored to primary, secondary and curricula standards with programs available during school holidays too. Visit the centre to see the invertebrate in tanks, touch and feel the many sea sponges, different seaweeds and marine skins and skeletons, or view the shells and sea flora under the microscope. Engage with the marine animals in the touch-tank and learn about the wide variety of marine life that lives under sea level. The Discovery Centre promotes understanding of oceans and coasts by offering learning and knowledge experiences