Hawke's Bay - Newfoundland and Labrador

Route 430

Coordinates: 50.6068° N, 57.1711° W

The town of Hawke's Bay is situated at the mouth of the mighty Torrent River, nestled at the end of a beautiful inland bay protected from the cold wind and fog often experienced along the coast. Hawke's Bay was named in 1766 by Captain James Cook to honor British Admiral Edward Hawke and his great navel victory over the French fleet at Quiberon Bay in 1759.

With its two major rivers and excellent sport fishing, Hawke's Bay became a favoured enclave for tall ships from both the British & French navies during the early struggle for control of North America. The first known permanent settler was Michael Walsh in the early 1900s.

There was no resident population until then because it was too far inland from the coast for fishing and was considered remote. A whaling factory was established in 1903 on the north side of the bay, but due to the decline in whale oil it closed the following year.

Hawke's Bay also played a part in early aviation as one of the stops on the "First Round the World Flight" by U.S. Army Air Service in 1924. The first Air Mail service in Newfoundland was run from Hawke's Bay, by Major Sydney Cotton who operated a seaplane base as well as a small hotel catering to American sportsmen.

Hawke's Bay is historically a logging town. with the first major economic activity and growth coming in 1933, when the International Pulp and Paper Company established pulpwood harvesting in the area.

Hawke's Bay was incorporated as a town in 1956, and despite the many "boom and bust" periods during the past seven decades, many residents of Hawke's Bay still work today in the forestry. During the 1970's & early 1980's, all the zinc mined at Daniel's Harbour was shipped from here creating employment in trucking and stevedoring.

Today the community boasts having two unique natural attractions including the Torrent River Nature Park & The Hogan trail boardwalk, which leads hikers to a fantastic view of Torrent River Falls and Fishway and the all new Atlantic Salmon Interpretation Centre where Atlantic Salmon can be seen heading upriver to spawn.

A little-known Newfoundland geological treasure is the Glacier Striae, right in the middle of the community of Hawke's Bay. There are three sets of striae that show the directions of glacial flow in the flat rock limestone beachfront of Hawke's Bay.

Miles of inland roads link countless lakes and ponds, where anglers challenge the large speckled brook trout, well known in this region and where you can expect to encounter many local species of wildlife and unforgettable scenery. Nature lovers will enjoy a visit to this area.