South West Cape (Tasmania)

{{Short description|Cape in Tasmania, Australia}}

{{Use Australian English|date=June 2015}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2015}}

{{Infobox landform

| water =

| name = South West Cape

| other_name =

| type = Cape

| photo = Tasmania southern coast 1916.jpg

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| photo_caption = 1916 map of the south coast of Tasmania, showing South West Cape.

| map = Australia Tasmania

| relief = 1

| map_image =

| map_caption = Location of South West Cape in Tasmania

| location = South West Tasmania

| coordinates = {{coord|43|34|12|S|146|01|48|E|display=inline,title}}

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| embedded = {{Infobox UNESCO World Heritage Site

| Official_name = Tasmanian Wilderness

| Location = Oceania

| Criteria = iii, iv, vi, vii, viii, ix, x

| ID = 181

| Year = 1982

| child = yes

}}

}}

South West Cape is a cape located at the south-west corner of Tasmania, Australia. The cape is situated in the south-western corner of the Southwest National Park, part of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area, approximately {{convert|140|km}} southwest of Hobart in Tasmania, and about {{convert|65|km}} west and slightly north of South East Cape.

The cape is bound to the southeast and southwest by the Indian Ocean and is located south of Low Rocky Point and Point Hibbs.{{cite web |url=http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/index.aspx?base=2265 |title=South Coast Track |work=Parks & Wildlife Service |publisher=Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment, Tasmanian Government |date=4 April 2012 |accessdate=14 July 2015 }}

The South West Cape Range{{Cite web|url=http://anpsa.org.au/APOL23/sep01-5.html |title=South West Cape Range – Tasmania |first=Harry |last=Loots |website=anpsa.org.au |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20120716051451/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/127092/20120716-1147/anpsa.org.au/APOL23/sep01-5.html |archive-date=16 July 2012}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} provides a buffer between the cape and the inland wilderness area to the east and north, and the next range to the east is the Melaleuca Range.

The high point of the southern end of the range, closest to the cape, is Mount Karamu at {{convert|439|m|0}}. The mount is named after the USS steam ship which foundered off the cape in 1925.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article153659392 |title=LOSS OF S.S. KARAMU. |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |volume=XLV |issue=216 |location=Tasmania|date=10 September 1925 |accessdate=23 November 2016 |page=4 |via=National Library of Australia}}{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article153653183 |title=S.S. Karamu Held Up |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |volume=XLV |issue=201 |location=Tasmania, Australia |date=24 August 1925 |accessdate=23 November 2016 |page=5 |via=National Library of Australia}}{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article66995206 |title=S.S. Karamu |newspaper=The Advocate |location=Tasmania|date=5 July 1924 |accessdate=23 November 2016 |page=4 |via=National Library of Australia}}{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article153660998 |title=Vessel's Plight |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |volume=XLV |issue=211 |location=Tasmania|date=4 September 1925 |accessdate=23 November 2016 |page=5 |via=National Library of Australia}}

Wrecks and foundering of boats up to {{convert|500|km|nmi mi}} away in distance, are usually referred to this cape as an identification point,{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article55700225 |title=LOSS OF A FRENCH BARQUE. |newspaper=The Register |location=Adelaide |date=22 July 1902 |accessdate=22 June 2011 |page=5 |via=National Library of Australia}}{{cite journal |author=Australian Government |title=Court of Marine Inquiry |year=1973 |journal=Foundering of the Motor Vessel Blythe Star off the South West Cape, Tasmania on 13 October 1973 |type=Transcript of proceedings |publisher=Commonwealth Reporting Service |location=Melbourne }} and mapping of the area usually uses the cape as a boundary between sections of the coast.{{cite journal |author1=Australian Government |author2=Royal Australian Navy |author2-link=Royal Australian Navy |title=Hydrographic Service |year=2008 |journal=South West Cape to South East Cape, Tasmania |publisher=Australian Hydrographic Service |location=Wollongong, NSW }}{{cite journal |author1=Australian Government |author-link=Australian Government |author2=Royal Australian Navy |author2-link=Royal Australian Navy |title=Hydrographic Service |year=2008 |journal=Low Rocky Point to South West Cape, Tasmania |publisher=Australian Hydrographic Service |location=Wollongong, NSW }}