Cape Sorell is a
headland
A headland, also known as a head, is a coastal landform, a point of land usually high and often with a sheer drop, that extends into a body of water. It is a type of promontory. A headland of considerable size often is called a cape.Whittow, John ...
located in the
Southern Ocean
The Southern Ocean, also known as the Antarctic Ocean, comprises the southernmost waters of the World Ocean, generally taken to be south of 60° S latitude and encircling Antarctica. With a size of , it is regarded as the second-small ...
outside
Macquarie Harbour
Macquarie Harbour is a shallow fjord in the West Coast region of Tasmania, Australia. It is approximately , and has an average depth of , with deeper places up to . It is navigable by shallow-draft vessels. The main channel is kept clear by the ...
on the
West Coast West Coast or west coast may refer to:
Geography Australia
* Western Australia
*Regions of South Australia#Weather forecasting, West Coast of South Australia
* West Coast, Tasmania
**West Coast Range, mountain range in the region
Canada
* Britis ...
of
Tasmania
)
, nickname =
, image_map = Tasmania in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of Tasmania in AustraliaCoordinates:
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdi ...
, Australia. The cape and the
Cape Sorell Lighthouse
The Cape Sorell Lighthouse is a heritage-listed lighthouse that is located on Cape Sorell in the West Coast region of Tasmania, Australia. The lighthouse is situated approximately southwest of .
Constructed and first lit in 1899, the lig ...
, located above the headland, are important orientation points for all vessels entering the Macquarie Heads and then through
Hells Gates at the entrance to the harbour.
Cape Sorrell is named in honour of
William Sorell
William Sorell (1775 – 4 June 1848) was a soldier and third Lieutenant-Governor of Van Diemen's Land.
Early life
Sorell was born probably in the West Indies, the eldest son of Lieutenant-general William Alexander Sorell and his wife Jane. So ...
,
Lieutenant-Governor of Tasmania
The governor of Tasmania is the representative in the Australian state of Tasmania of the Monarch of Australia, currently King Charles III. The incumbent governor is Barbara Baker, who was appointed in June 2021. The official residence of the ...
from 1817 to 1824.
It is a regularly cited feature of the west coast of Tasmania - for many systems as an indicator the northernmost point of the region
South West Tasmania
South West Tasmania is a region in Tasmania that has evoked curiosity as to its resources over the duration of European presence on the island.
The more recent is the consideration as a potential area of resources for development and its consid ...
.
Lighthouse
Constructed in 1899 during the rise of the West Coast mining boom, the
Cape Sorell Lighthouse
The Cape Sorell Lighthouse is a heritage-listed lighthouse that is located on Cape Sorell in the West Coast region of Tasmania, Australia. The lighthouse is situated approximately southwest of .
Constructed and first lit in 1899, the lig ...
is a heritage-listed lighthouse located on Cape Sorell. The lighthouse is located approximately 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) southwest of
Strahan.
Macquarie Heads breakwater railway
Between 1900 and 1946 a horse drawn wooden rail
tramline was used to provide access between the Cape Sorell headland and the Cape Sorell Lighthouse and the jetty and wharf locations. It was used to move rock from quarries for the construction and maintenance of the Macquarie Heads breakwater.
Waverider Buoy
The
Cape Sorell Waverider Buoy
The Cape Sorell Waverider Buoy, also named ''Captain Fathom'' by the listeners of ABC Radio, Tasmania during May 2015 to mark the centenary of the Bureau of Meteorology, is a swell-measuring buoy located west of Cape Sorell some west of Oce ...
, also known as ''Captain Fathom'' as named by the listeners of
ABC Radio, Tasmania during the May 2015 to mark the centenary of the
Bureau of Meteorology
The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM or BoM) is an executive agency of the Australian Government responsible for providing weather services to Australia and surrounding areas. It was established in 1906 under the Meteorology Act, and brought together ...
,
is a
swell-measuring buoy located west of Cape Sorell some west of
Ocean Beach ().
See also
* Geography of Tasmania
Tasmania, the largest island of Australia, has a landmass of and is located directly in the pathway of the notorious "Roaring Forties" wind that encircles the globe. To its north, it is separated from mainland Australia by Bass Strait. Tasmania is ...
References
External links
Cape Sorell climate history
{{Western Tasmania , state=autocollapse
Western Tasmania
Sorell