The Town of Hawke's Bay is situated at the mouth of the Torrent River, nestled at the end of beautiful inland Ingornachoix Bay. Combined with the towns of Port Saunders and Hawkes Bay the Ingornachoix Region is a major service centre for the central area of the Great Northern Peninsula.

Hawke's Bay was named in1766 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 two major rivers and excellent sports fishing, Hawke's Bay became a favored enclave for tall ships from both the British and French navies during the struggle for control of North America.

The first known permanent settler was Michael Walsh in the early 1900's. There was no resident population until then due to the proximity of the coast for fishing purposes. In addition the area was considered remote. A whaling factory was established in 1903 on the north side of the bay, but due to decline in whale oil it closed the following year. Today, a municipal park, the Torrent River Nature Park and Salmon Interpretation Centre is located in that vicinity.

Hawke's Bay played a part in early aviation circles as one of the stops on the "First Round the World Flight" by US Army Services 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.

Today, Hawke's Bay is remembered as a logging town, with the first major economic activity and growth beginning 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 eight decades, many residents of Hawke's Bay still work today in the forest with new employment opportunities in tourism.

During the 1970's and 1980's the zinc mined at Daniel's Harbour was shipped from the town creating employment in trucking and stevedoring. Today the town boasts having two unique natural attractions, the Torrent River Nature Park & the John Hogan Trail. The Hogan Trail takes hikers to view Torrent River Falls and the new fishway/Salmon Interpretation Centre where Atlantic salmon can be seen heading upriver to spawn.

Community and business services for Hawkes Bay include a K-12 school, French Shore Academy and a public library with public internet access – Community Access Centre (located 10 kms north in Port Saunders). In addition, recreational services that are available include a ballfield, playground, community hall and trails. Health care is provided in Port Saunders (10 kms north). Other community services include a post office and fire services. Business services include coffee shop, grocery/convenience stores, beauty salon and accommodations. Additional business services are found in the near by towns of Port Saunders and Port au Choix.

A little known Newfoundland geological treasure is the glacier striae and it can be found right in the middle of the town. There are three sets of striae that show the directions of glacial flow in the flat limestone beachfront of Hawke's Bay. The town through its Salmon Interpretation Centre is working to promote its nature assets to the region's growing tourism sector. There are kilometers of inland road that can link visitors and residents to countless lakes and ponds, where anglers can challenge the large speckled brook trout and where you can expect to encounter many local species of wildlife and unforgettable scenery. Nature lovers well enjoy a visit to Hawkes Bay and area.