Cape Leeuwin (IPA: /ˈluːwɪn/ — pronunciation ) is the most south-westerly mainland point of the Australian Continent, in the state of Western Australia. A few small islands and rocks, the Saint Allouarn Islands, extend further to the south. The nearest settlement, north of the cape, is Augusta. In Australia, the Cape is considered the point where the Indian Ocean meets the Southern Ocean; however, the International Hydrographic Organization's definition places the northern limit of the Southern Ocean much further south.
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Use of name
Cape Leeuwin is often grouped with the next headland north, Cape Naturaliste, to identify the geography and ecology of the region. One example is in the name Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park. Another is in the use of the phrases Cape to Cape or the Capes in tourist promotional materials. The Royal Australian Navy's Leeuwin class survey vessel HMAS Leeuwin is named after the cape.
History
The cape appeared on early Dutch maps as 't landte Leeuwin (circa 1622) suggesting a sighting from the Dutch ship De Leeuwin (Dutch for The Lioness). Since then and until 1830 (when the area was settled) it was sighted by many Dutch, French and British maritime explorers. Including the following: -
- 1627 Francois Thijssen in the Gulden Zeepaard
- 1772 Louis Francois Marie Alesno de St Allouarn in the Gros Ventre
- 1791 George Vancouver
- 1801 27 May Nicolas Baudin the French named Cape Leeuwin as Cape Gosselin, but it was not adopted.
Lighthouse
Located on headland of the cape is the Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse and the buildings that were used by the lighthouse keepers. Opened with great ceremony by John Forrest in 1895, the lighthouse has since been automated. The lighthouse, besides being a navigational aid, serves as an important automatic weather station. The lighthouse's buildings and grounds are now vested in the local tourism body and the single (1960s) and double (1980s) communications towers that were north-west of the lighthouse, seen in older photographs of Cape Leeuwin, have been removed. The nearest functioning lighthouse north of Cape Leeuwin is the much smaller Cape Hamelin lighthouse, just south of the Hamelin Bay camping area.
National Park
The hillside to the north of the lighthouse, and the land nearby is now part of Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park. It has extensive heath vegetation and thick scrub which supports a very high number of plant species and also bird species that utilise this habitat. The bay just east of Cape Leeuwin is Flinders Bay, named after Matthew Flinders, the circumnavigating explorer of the early 1800s.
Wrecks
Shipwrecks within sight of this location include the SS Pericles an Iron Screw steamer built in Belfast in Northern Ireland, which sank after hitting an uncharted rock on a clear calm day in 1906. The wreck was found by Tom Snider in 1957 at - 34º 25. 33'S 115º 08.24'E. He dived on the wreck to recover the lead that was being carried by the ship. Some shipwrecks are identified as being within the vicinity of Augusta, Cape Leeuwin or Hamelin Bay that might not be within visual distance of the lighthouse.
International Lighthouse Day 2004
Was celebrated at Cape Leeuwin
References
- CALM/DOLA 1996. Land Management Series Map Sheet 1929-3 Leeuwin Edition 11:50000.
- Eakin,Morgan (2003)Very Much on Watch - The Percy Willmott Photos Thornlie, W.A. Blackwood Publishing. ISBN 0-646-49939-4
- Fornasiero, Jean; Monteath, Peter and West-Sooby, John. Encountering Terra Australis: the Australian voyages of Nicholas Baudin and Matthew Flinders, Kent Town, South Australia,Wakefield Press,2004. ISBN 1-86254-625-8
- Fyfe, Christopher (1999) Uncharted end : the Pericles disaster An address to the Royal Western Australian Historical Society on 23 June 1999.
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