Dawlish is an English seaside resort town and civil parish in Teignbridge on the south coast of Devon, 12 miles (19 kilometres) from the county town of Exeter as well as the bigger resort of Torquay. Its population of 12,345 in 2001 rose to around 16,000 by 2018, and also was anticipated to grow highly in coming years, as numerous huge housing estates were unfinished, generally in the north and eastern of the town. It had actually expanded in the 18th century from a tiny angling port into a well-known seaside resort, as had its near neighbour, Teignmouth, in the 19th century. Dawlish is located at the outlet of a tiny river, Dawlish Water (also called The Brook), between Permian red sandstone cliffs, and is fronted by a sandy beach with the South Devon Railway sea wall and the Riviera Line railway above. Behind this is a main public park, The Lawn, through which Dawlish Water flows. Promptly to the south-west of Dawlish is a cliff, Lea Mount, with Boat Cove at its foot and Coryton Cove, the outermost part of the beach available by the seawall path behind it. There is a food stand there. To the north-east, using the coastline or seawall, the coast can be followed for some 2 km to Langstone Rock and the hotel of Dawlish Warren beyond. Dawlish is also recognized for its black swans (Cygnus atratus), introduced from Western Australia, which cope with other exotic waterfowl in a little city refuge on Dawlish Water. There are several tourist attractions around the community, such as coastlines, safari mini-golf, a waterfowl centre, a recreation centre with a pool, a countryside park, and the Dawlish Museum.