Bay St. George was probably the first permanently settled area of Western Newfoundland. The fine natural harbour of St. George’s attracted the French fishing fleets in the 1600s and eventually settlers to Sandy Point, a small island a few hundred metres offshore. Sandy Point was the commercial centre of the West Coast of Newfoundland during the 1700s and 1800s, but declined in prominence with the completion of the Trans-Island Railway in 1897. The island is presently uninhabited.

St. George’s began to grow rapidly and soon became a major centre for the surrounding area as well as the Port au Port Peninsula. The community also became the seat of the magistrate for the area and a courthouse was constructed. St. George’s was the most prominent town in the Bay St. George area until the early 1900's. With the coming of the Ernest Harmon Air Force base in Stephenville in 1941, Stephenville replaced St. Georges as the regional centre. Stephenville Crossing gradually became the transhipment point for goods to Stephenville by rail.

The Bay St. George South area encompasses the communities of Heatherton, Robinsons, Cartyville, McKay’s, Jeffery’s, St. David’s, St. Fintan’s, Loch Leven, and Highlands situated along the southeast shore of St. George’s Bay. Early settlers in the area engaged in fishing and farming. Today there are three major activities in the area: forestry, fishing and agriculture.