Port Sorell is located on a low terminal end of a 3 km long, up to 800 m wide sandy spit complex, which includes Freers Beach. At the end of Freers Beach the shoreline turns at the groyne and trends to the southeast for 1 km as beach T 1163 and forms the western side of the narrowest part of the port entrance. The port settlement has been built on top of the approximately 15 low beach ridges that comprise the spit. The beach receives very low wave to calm conditions, however the tidal channel lies just off the 50-200 m wide sand flats with its deep water and strong currents (Fig. 4.258). The beach is backed by a 200 m wide coastal reserve containing a range of facilities and camping areas, a jetty across the centre and boats moored in the channel. The entire beach is very dynamic with shoreline oscillation induced by the tidal flow. As a consequence some primitive shore protection measures including groynes have been placed across the shoreline. On the southern side of Port Sorell, across 100 m wide Appleby Creek, lies a 2 km wide series of approximately 30 inner Pleistocene beach ridges. The ridges apparently formed when the entrance was more open and the Barkers Beach barrier system did not exist. read more

Beach Length: 1km