Location
Dover is located on the head of Port Esperance, which is near the southern end of the D’Entrecasteaux Channel.
It is an 80-minute drive south from Hobart.
Map view of Dover.
Climate
Because Dover is located in a southerly latitude, the weather there is mostly cool and cloudy. Sleet occasionally falls. Snow and frost are oddly uncommon.
The town is fairly sheltered from the Roaring Forties.
Population
Dover had a population of 486 in 2016. Of that, 53.6% were male and 46.4% were female. There were 137 families and 267 private dwellings.
Local economy
Crayfishing, abalone fishing, and Atlantic salmon farming serve as Dover’s economic backbone.
Accommodation and food
Dover has backpacker hostels, seaside hotels, bed and breakfasts, and a caravan park.
It also boasts two restaurants, an RSL club, and a pizza joint.
History
The township of Dover began shortly after the convict settlement at Port Esperance closed in 1847.
Saw mills quickly sprang up, and they were soon exporting a large amount of timber. Operations slowed after 1919, and only one large mill was still in use by 1973.
Orchards were planted as the land around Dover was cleared. They were important to the area until markets changed in 1970.
An orchard at Dover (1931).
The popular Dover Hotel was destroyed by an accidental fire in 2013.
The remains of Dover Hotel the day after the fire.
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