south coast of Western Australia
{{Short description|Coastline of Western Australia}}
{{Use Australian English|date=January 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2016}}
The south coast of Western Australia comprises the Western Australian coastline from Cape Leeuwin to Eucla. This is a distance of approximately {{convert|1600|km|sigfig=1}}, fronting the Great Australian Bight and the Southern Ocean.
Components
The Bureau of Meteorology in forecast districts break up the south coast into four sub-regions:{{Cite web | title=Western Australian Forecast Areas Map | url=http://www.bom.gov.au/wa/forecasts/map.shtml | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100510082438/http://www.bom.gov.au:80/wa/forecasts/map.shtml | access-date=2024-12-23 | archive-date=2010-05-10}}
- Leeuwin coast (Cape Naturaliste to Walpole)
- Albany coast (Walpole to Bremer Bay)
- Esperance coast (Bremer Bay to Israelite Bay){{Citation | author1=Craig, G. F. (Gillian Frances) | author2=Oma, V | author3=Western Australia. Department of Conservation and Environment | title=Esperance eastern coast planning and management report | year=1984 | publication-date=1984 | publisher=Dept. of Conservation and Environment | isbn=978-0-7244-6723-5}}
- Eucla coast (Israelite Bay to Eucla)
With other authorities and departments, the region is usually broken up into smaller regions, oriented to the Great Southern regional centre of Albany and, further east, Esperance.Sandiford, Libby (1988).Rugged mountains, jewelled sea : the South Coast Heritage Trail network Perth, W.A. Dept. of Conservation and Land Management. "A joint project by the Western Australian Heritage Committee and Department of Conservation and Land Management". - specifically deals with the Esperance and Albany regions on the coast as separate regions on the coast.
However, some sources apply "south coast" from Windy Harbour to Mount Manypeaks as the delineating points for the coast.{{Citation | author1=Churchward, H. M. (Hugh Maxwell) | author2=CSIRO. Division of Water Resources | title=Landforms and soils of the south coast and hinterland, Western Australia : Northcliffe to Manypeaks | date=1988 | publisher=CSIRO Institute of Natural Resources and Environment, Division of Water Resources | isbn=978-0-643-04853-9 }}
Rainbow Coast
The Rainbow Coast is a tourist region name for the coast as well. It is called the Rainbow Coast because of the fast-moving weather fronts that buffet the coast from the south. This, combined with the sun being close to the northern horizon in winter, creates regular displays of rainbows in the south.{{Cite web|url=http://www.rainbowcoast.com.au/areas/rainbowcoast/rainbows.htm|title = Rainbows - Why the name Rainbow Coast?- Albany, Denmark, and Walpole}} The main towns of the Rainbow Coast are Albany, Denmark and Walpole.{{cite web|title=Rainbow Coast|url=http://www.rainbowcoast.com.au/|publisher=Rainbow Coast Web Design|accessdate=16 January 2016}} The coast has dozens of national parks and nature reserves including:
- Mount Frankland National Park
- William Bay National Park
- West Cape Howe National Park, which is the southernmost point of Western Australia
Considerable numbers of government reports and environmental studies with "South Coast" in the titles are focused specifically on the coastline adjacent to the Great Southern region.Smallwood, C. B. and Summer, N.R.(2007) A 12-month survey of recreational estuarine fishing in the South Coast bioregion of Western Australia during 2002/03 Perth, W.A. : Dept. of Fisheries, Fisheries research report, 1035-4549 ; no. 159. {{ISBN|1-877098-92-2}} : The South Coast crustacean fishery : a discussion paper Department of Fisheries, Government of Western Australia Perth, W.A. : Dept. of Fisheries, 2009.Fisheries management paper, 0819-4327 ; no. 232 : Flowers, Trish.(2005) Fruits of the Southern Ocean : stories & seafood from Albany and the south coast of Western Australia ; photographs by Barbara Madden. Albany, W.A. : Bay Merchants. {{ISBN|0-9756888-1-2}}
Eucla Coast
The south east coast of Western Australia is designated as the "Eucla Coast" in Bureau of Meteorology forecasts.{{Cite web | title=Western Australian Forecast Areas Map | url=http://www.bom.gov.au/wa/forecasts/map.shtml | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100510082438/http://www.bom.gov.au:80/wa/forecasts/map.shtml | access-date=2024-12-23 | archive-date=2010-05-10}}{{Citation | author1=Short, Andrew D | author2=University of Sydney. Coastal Studies Unit | author3=Surf Life Saving Association of Australia | author4=Australian Beach Safety and Management Program | author5=Short, Andrew D | title=Beaches of the Western Australian coast : Eucla to Roebuck Bay : a guide to their nature, characteristics, surf and safety | year=2005 | publication-date=2005 | publisher=Sydney University Press | isbn=978-0-9586504-3-4}}
The coastline was travelled and written up by Daisy Bates before the first world war.
{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article37960867 |title=ALONG THE SOUTH COAST TO EUCLA. |newspaper=Western Mail (Western Australia) |volume=XXVIII |issue=1,409 |location=Western Australia |date=27 December 1912 |accessdate=20 April 2017 |page=12 |via=National Library of Australia}}