Sandy Cape

File:Fraser_Island_Topo_Map_1942.jpg

To the south the next two ocean headlands are Waddy Point and Indian Head (the latter was also named by Cook noting "...on which a number of Natives were assembled..." and is also known as Tukkee in the Badtjala language, meaning stone or stone knife).{{Cite book |title=Discover Australia's National Parks |last=Hema Maps |year=1997 |publisher=Random House Australia |location=Milsons Point, New South Wales |isbn=1-875992-47-2 |pages=174 }}{{Cite QPN|36121|Waddy Point|point in the Fraser Coast Region|access-date=18 October 2021}}{{Cite QPN|47541|Indian Head|cape in the Fraser Coast Region|access-date=18 October 2021}}

The cape is protected within the K'gari section of the Great Sandy National Park. BreakSea Spit extends about {{Convert|30|km}} north of Sandy Cape.{{Cite book|title=Explore Fraser Island|last=Hinchliffe|first=David|publisher=Great Sandy Publications|year=2006|isbn=0-9758190-0-3|location=Robe, South Australia|pages=70–71|author2=Julie Hinchliffe}} Nesting loggerhead and green turtles use the remote, sandy location as a rookery.{{Cite news |url=http://www.noosanews.com.au/story/2010/02/08/tiny-turtles-start-on-their-journey-of-life/ |title=Tiny turtles start their journey |author=Jennifer Chapman |accessdate=3 December 2010 |date=8 February 2010 |newspaper=Noosa News |publisher=APN News & Media |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706110613/http://www.noosanews.com.au/story/2010/02/08/tiny-turtles-start-on-their-journey-of-life/ |archive-date=6 July 2011 |url-status=live |df=dmy-all }} Nighttime driving along the beach at Sandy Cape is banned during the nesting season. The vegetation at the cape is stunted and windswept. The foredunes are lightly covered by spinifex grass.

File:Students at the Sandy Cape Provisional School, Queensland, posing for a photograph with their teacher, 1912.jpg

Matthew Flinders, travelling aboard the Investigator, landed at Sandy Cape in 1802{{Cite web |url=http://www.frasercoast.qld.gov.au/web/guest/history2 |title=Fraser Coast: History |accessdate=11 September 2010 |publisher=Fraser Coast Regional Council |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101001005747/http://www.frasercoast.qld.gov.au/web/guest/history2 |archivedate=1 October 2010 }} and noted the desolate landscape. In August 1803, the ships Cato and Porpoise were both sunk off the cape in bad weather.

In late December 1842, HMS Fly anchored behind Sandy Cape where some crewmen and naturalists went ashore and commented on the poor sparse surroundings. The Fly returned in April 1845 and took water from an abundant supply behind the beach and about 7 miles within the Cape.

The Seabelle was wrecked in 1857, the American Bark "Panama"{{cite web |url=https://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?55538 |title=Panama (+1864) |publisher=Wrecksite |access-date=11 May 2021}} in 1864, and the Chang Chow in 1884 in waters closer to the cape which may contain hidden sandbars. Because of the number of shipwrecks in the vicinity the Sandy Cape Light was constructed in 1870. This marked the first permanent European settlement on Fraser Island.{{Cite news |url=http://www.smh.com.au/travel/travel-factsheet/fraser-island--culture-and-history-20081119-6ap0.html |title=Fraser Island: Culture and History |accessdate=3 December 2010 |newspaper=Sydney Morning Herald |publisher=Fairfax Media |date=19 November 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121107000453/http://www.smh.com.au/travel/travel-factsheet/fraser-island--culture-and-history-20081119-6ap0.html |archive-date=7 November 2012 |url-status=live |df=dmy-all }}

Sandy Cape Provisional School opened in September 1870, initially to provide schooling for the children of the four lighthouse keepers.{{cite news |date=7 October 1873 |title=Sandy Cape Lighthouse School anniversary. |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article148522233 |accessdate=27 July 2024 |newspaper=Maryborough Chronicle, Wide Bay and Burnett Advertiser |location=Queensland, Australia |page=2 |via=National Library of Australia |issue=1431}} By 1878, there were "30 to 40" children in the area.{{cite news |date=7 December 1878 |title=Maryborough. |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1377147 |accessdate=27 July 2024 |newspaper=The Brisbane Courier |location=Queensland, Australia |page=6 |via=National Library of Australia |volume=XXXIII |issue=3,606}} The school closed circa 1918.{{cite news |date=24 May 1917 |title=Commonwealth Public Service. |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article232453856 |accessdate=27 July 2024 |newspaper=Commonwealth of Australia Gazette |location=Australia, Australia |page=1154 |via=National Library of Australia |issue=73}}{{Citation |author1=Queensland Family History Society |title=Queensland schools past and present |publication-date=2010 |edition=Version 1.01 |publisher=Queensland Family History Society |isbn=978-1-921171-26-0}}

The SS Marloo was wrecked in September 1914 on a shoal off Sandy Cape and was beached north of Waddy Point.{{cite QHR|22230|Protected Area - SS Marloo|800001|accessdate=1 August 2014}}

Clement Lindley Wragge set up an extensive network of weather stations around Queensland, including one at Sandy Cape in 1891.{{cite news|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article20293019|title=New Meteorological Stations.|date=23 May 1891|newspaper=The Queenslander|location=Queensland, Australia|page=997|via=National Library of Australia|accessdate=1 February 2017}} The cape is still used as a reference point for weather observations;{{Cite web|url=http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDQ60701/IDQ60701.94390.shtml|title=Latest Coastal Weather Observations for Sandy Cape|date=1 February 2017|publisher=Australian Bureau of Meteorology|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170201053458/http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDQ60701/IDQ60701.94390.shtml|archive-date=1 February 2017|url-status=dead|access-date=1 February 2017}} however from May 2015, it has been downgraded to a daily observation, compared with the half-hourly observations at some other weather stations.{{Cite web|url=http://www.bom.gov.au/qld/observations/coastal.shtml|title=Latest Coastal Weather Observations for Queensland|date=1 February 2017|publisher=Australian Bureau of Meteorology|access-date=1 February 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170117143200/http://www.bom.gov.au/qld/observations/coastal.shtml|archive-date=17 January 2017|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}}

Vehicle access to Sandy Cape is only available by the eastern beach at low tide. Camping is permitted in the area and it is a popular location with anglers.

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• Double Island Point
• List of lighthouses in Australia

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Category:Headlands of Queensland

Category:K'gari