Cape Leeuwin
Cape Leeuwin is the most south-westerly mainland point of the Australian Continent, in the state of Western Australia. A few small islands and rocks extend further to the south, for details see Cape Leeuwin Islands
The headland on which the Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse sits is also the site of an important automatic weather station, and also has buildings that were used by the lighthouse keepers. Opened with great ceremony by John Forrest in 1895, the lighthouse is now automated, and the buildings and grounds are vested in the local tourism body.
Appeared on early Dutch maps as 't landte Leeuwin (circa 1622) suggesting sighting from the Dutch ship The Leeuwin (Dutch for The Lioness). The bay just east of Leeuwin is Flinders Bay named after the circumnavigating explorer of the early 1800's.
The hillside to the north of the Lighthouse, and the land nearby is now part of the Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park. The nearest settlement, north of the cape is Augusta.
Shipwrecks within sight of this location include the Pericles (1910) and the Cumberland (Cumberland Rock is north west of the cape) amongst others.
In the various links possible to sites about Cape Leeuwin there are photos that show the single (1960's) and double (1980's) communications towers that were to the north west of the lighthouse. They have been removed.
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