Colinet: Harricott is not the only community in the area considered to be particularly beautiful.

The following passage was written in 1940 by a Miss Carew:
" Eden lay between two rivers-So, at least, tradition tells. And methirks a scatter'd fragment of The Garden' ronnd me dwells- Fragments still untouch'd, untainted-Like a dream we can't forget. Spots of earth akin to Eden On the road to Colinet." From The Newfoundland Quarterly, volume 40, no. 3 (December 1940)

Located to the west of Trepassey, in the northwest arm of St. Mary's Bay, is the charming town of Colinet.

Two rivers, the Colinet and the Rocky, enter the ocean at that location creating a natural harbor that was known by French fishermen as a place of shelter as far back as the mid 1600s.

According to Seary, cited in the ENL, the name of the community comes from the nearby island that was known by a number of variations: Great Colinet Island, Collinett, Colonet Isle and Collemot.

The community was at that time recorded as Collonett.

Seary is of the belief that the name either originated from a French surname, Colinet or from a place by the same name in the Channel Islands. The ENL presents a couple of rather odd citations regarding its possible derivation:

According to an anonymous writer, Colinet is supposedly the English corruption of the French family name Colenet (pronounced Cole-nay), and he advances the theory that Colinet is possibly named after one Andre Colenet, the master of a French vessel named I Montaran that fished in Newfoundland in the 1760s (ET. June 27, 1961).

Local tradition maintains that Colinet was called Curnett by the French, meaning "place of little hills" Josephine Davis: 1978). [ET refers to The St. John's Evening Telegram; Davis is listed as a "Consultant"]

The town is connected by road (albeit a very rough road that was built in the 1850s) to Placentia (42 km or 26.1 mi) to the west, and by paved highway (rt. #91 and the Trans-Canada #1) to St. John's (88 km or 54.7 mi) to the northeast, and in the area there are two very interesting parks that can be visited:

the Salmonier Nature Park on the way to St. John's where one can visit the Atlantic salmon scale, the man-made salmon ladder on the rocky river falls, and Cataracts Provincial Park, where a deep river gorge with two cascading waterfalls provides a scenic setting for photographs.

On the TripAdvisor website, the falls are described as follows "a hidden gem"; "well worth the detour!" And an "amazing sight!"

Whatever the exact derivation of "Colinet", undoubtedly the origin is French. At one point the population was recorded to be as high as 165 residents, but with the decline in the fishery, the lack of employment and its relative isolation from large hubs, the town has seen a steady decline in population.

In the 2016 census, t there were 80 residents, down 27.3% from 2011 when there were 110. However, if one goes back one more five-year period, the percentage decrease is again very large, as at that time there were 165 residents, most likely its recorded maximum.

With the approval of a proposed Zipline/Adventure Park, however, that downward trend may change. Approved as recently as January 2019, the Rocky River Zip Line and Adventure Park may put Colinet back on the map as a "tourist destination":

"It's a beautiful area that we have here," said Trevor Linehan, the man behind the project. "It's certainly a great backdrop for this, and our whole theme is eco- friendly."

Trevor Linehan plans to have 14 zip lines, log cabins, a pub and more at his ecotourism site. (Rocky River Zipline and Adventure Park/Facebook).

His initial proposal to build 14 zip lines, a 5,000-square foot chalet and restaurant, and authentic log cottages

CATARACTS PROVINCIAL PARK:

Located on the Avalon Peninsula south east of Placentia, Cataracts Provincial Park has a deep river gorge with two cascading waterfalls provide a scenic setting for photographs.

Stairs and walkways enable the visitor to descend the gorge and cross the river. Thirty five of the known mosses and liverworts in Newfoundland have been identified in this park.

Picnic sites and pit toilets are available for day users.

Used with permission from "Uncovering the Origin of 1001 Unique Place Names in Newfoundland and Labrador" 2021 Jennifer Leigh Hill

Address of this page: http://nl.ruralroutes.com/Colinet