The Burgeo area offers a variety in seascape scenery - from steep-sided bays and inlets to low lying sandy beaches. East of the town the scenery is dominated by rugged cliffs and protected bays. Camping sites are limited to sheltered coves nestled along the coast and fresh water is abundant as brooks flow from coastal barrens and plummet into the sea. Mussels can be collected at many spots along this shoreline.
West of the town the barrens slope gently to the ocean and white sandy beaches trim much of the coastline. The sands begin at Sandbanks Provincial Park. This scenic park has 25 campsites, drinking water, and a friendly informative staff to answer any questions or concerns. Just west of the part these sandy stretches continue and run into Little Barachois and Big Barachois - two sandy lagoons that offer paddling routes protected from the open ocean. There are several attractive islands in this area with sandy coves that beckon you ashore for a boil up or a photo shoot.
The coastal barrens in the Burgeo area remain undisturbed and caribou can be seen feeding on kelp at the ocean's edge - especially during late winter to late spring. Visitors may also see eagles, ducks, seals, whales, and other wildlife that thrive in this ecologically rich area.
European settlement around Burgeo occured during the 1700s. Some of the many islands near the town still show evidence of the original small communities that later congregated to form Burgeo. If you look closely along the silent coves you may even find small stone tools used by prehistoric eskimo and indian cultures that occupied the area long before Europeans.
For those not planning to camp at the many great coastal locations, Burgeo offers a Bed and Breakfast and a hotel. There are three resturants in town and a lounge - Seaview Lounge - for those seeking a cold beverage.
(inc. 1950; pop. 1976, 2474). A town on the south coast of Newfoundland about 95km (60mi) east from Port Aux Basques. It is situated on an island about 30m (100 ft) from the mainland, to which it is connected by a causeway. The first settlers came in the late 1700s and Burgeo Islands had a population of 23 in 1802 and eleven or twelve families by 1822. By 1836 there were 143 people there and by 1911 Burgeo had 1,039 people.
The first merchant was John B. Cox in 1835. Before this time business was conducted by trading vessels from Jersey Harbour and Lapoile. In 1840 Nicolle and Company of La Poile came to Burgeo and shortly afterwards the firm of Robert Newman (of Dartmouth) came from Harbor Breton,. Newman Company built four large stores, a shop, an office and two cookrooms and employed forty four people in 1859. By 1865 Nicolle and Company had failed and Newman Company had moved to Gaultois. They were succeeded by De Gruchy, Renouf, Clement and Company. A Co-operative store was started by Joseph Dicks in 1878. Other business establishments of the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries included the trading business of McCourt and Matthews, later known as Matthews and Samways and the business established by Robert Moulton in the 1890s which later became known as Burgeo & La Poile Export Company.It was the fishery which brought the first people to Burgeo and was responsible (directly or indirectly) for the business that were set up there. The cod fishery was slow in developing in the Eighteenth Century but in the Nineteenth is expanded rapidly, reaching a peak in 1857 when about 3556 lbs. were produced. The herring fishery also peaked in 1857. In the 1860s vessels from Nova Scotia visited the area for herring and this made it difficult for the local fishermen to obtain bait, which in turn resulted in a lower cod catch. The situation improved again in the 1870s but stabilized or declined for the rest of the century. Some salmon fishing was carried on but it never appeared to be very important to the economy. In the 1880s and 1890s the lobster fishery was important but it declined after c.1900.
The population of Burgeo declined in the Twentieth Century until about 1945. In that year a fresh fish filleting plant was built by Fishery Products Limited. This plant was sold in 1955 to Burgeo Fish Industries, whose president, Spencer Lake, operated it until June 1971 when a strike lasting ten and one half months began. At the end of this strike the plant was sold to the Government of Newfoundland, and National Sea Products took over the management with an option to buy after five years. In 1968, 310 people were employed in the plant and another 100 on its four steel side draggers. The inshore fishermen also regularly landed their catches at the plant. National Sea Products at this time were also operating a herring meal plant, but by the mid 1970s plans were under was for a new fish plant to be built of the premises occupied by the herring meal plant; over fishing by seiners had made the latter unprofitable and unproductive productive. This new plant, which replace the old fresh fish filleting plant, was built and owned by the Newfoundland Government and National Sea Products Limited with the latter having the option to buy after five years. It was opened in 1978.
The population increase from a 1,454 total in 1961 to 2,474 in 1976 reflects increased employment opportunities, better services and easier contacts with the outside. A new elementary and a new high school were constructed in the 1960s and in 1978-79 they accommodated 524 and 265 pupils respectively. In the intervening years people had moved in from place like Rencontre West, Fox Island, Cape La Hune, Parsons Harbour and Francois. In 1962 electricity was brought in and in the late 1960s water and sewerage had ;been extended to 75% of the town and this was extend to the whole town by 1980. Throughout most of the 1970s there was no road connection between Burgeo and the outside world; the residents had to rely mainly on the coastal boat service, although several small charter companies were providing air service to the area. By 1979, however, a road had been opened connecting the town with the Trans-Canada Highway at South West Brook, 156 km away. The road has since been completely paved and is only a short 2 hour drive to Corner Brook.