Cape Wickham

Cape Wickham
Map showing the location of Cape Wickham
Location King Island, Tasmania, Australia
Coordinates 39°34′48″S 143°56′24″E / 39.580002°S 143.940002°E / -39.580002; 143.940002Coordinates: 39°34′48″S 143°56′24″E / 39.580002°S 143.940002°E / -39.580002; 143.940002

Cape Wickham is the most northerly point of King Island, Tasmania, Australia. From here, it is 90 kilometres (56 mi) to Cape Otway on the Australian mainland. In the 19th century, ships coming from Europe would sometimes attempt to sail between Cape Wickham and Cape Otway to cut down on the required travelling time to Sydney, however the trip was dangerous and the price of failure high; usually shipwreck on the unforgiving King Island coast.

The Cape Wickham lighthouse situated on the cape had its 150th anniversary in 2011 [1][2] The lighthouse was constructed in the 1860s when the island was still known as King's Island [3]

See also

References

  1. ↑ King Island Tourism Inc; King Island (Tas.). Council (2011), Cape Wickham lighthouse 150th anniversary, Australian Maritime Safety Authority, retrieved 2 December 2013
  2. ↑ Edgecombe, Jean (December 1984), "Lights to guide through perilous seas: lighthouses of Bass Strait", Habitat Australia 12 (6): 15–17, ISSN 0310-2939
  3. ↑ "NOTICE TO MARINERS.". Launceston Examiner (Tas. : 1842 - 1899) (Tas.: National Library of Australia). 3 September 1861. p. 4 Edition: MORNING. Retrieved 2 December 2013.


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