Cambridge Gulf
Encyclopedia
Cambridge Gulf is a gulf
on the north coast of Western Australia
.
Many rivers flow into the gulf including the Ord River
, Pentecost River
, Durack River
, King River
and the Forrest River
.
The gulf experiences two large tidal flows each day between 7 metres (23 ft) to 9 metres (30 ft)
The town of Wyndham
, the area’s principal port lies on its bank at the lower part of the gulf and is approximately 120 kilometres (75 mi) north of Kununurra
. Cambridge Gulf is a part of the Joseph Bonaparte Gulf
.
The gulf was named by Philip Parker King
who visited the area in 1819 aboard Mermaid but left after being unable to find supplies of freshwater in the mudflat
s that surround the bay. King named the gulf after the Duke of Cambridge
at the time, Prince Adolphus
. Alexander Forrest
was the next European to explore the area in 1879 and by 1884 settlers began to arrive at the Wyndham port to move inland to raise stock and later search for gold
. During the boom times around 1886 up to sixteen vessles would be moored in the gulf waiting to dock.
The western shore of the gulf is backed by high sandstone
hills that are 30 metres (98 ft) to 250 metres (820 ft) in height and with fringing colonies of mangroves and mudflats when the tide is low. Dense mangrove stands fringe the marshy area on the eastern shore of the gulf. Adolphus Island
splits the southern end of the sound with a navigatable channel being found on the western arm.
Bay
A bay is an area of water mostly surrounded by land. Bays generally have calmer waters than the surrounding sea, due to the surrounding land blocking some waves and often reducing winds. Bays also exist as an inlet in a lake or pond. A large bay may be called a gulf, a sea, a sound, or a bight...
on the north coast of Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
.
Many rivers flow into the gulf including the Ord River
Ord River
The Ord River is a 320-kilometre-long river in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. It was named in honour of Harry Ord, Governor of Western Australia from 1877 to 1880....
, Pentecost River
Pentecost River
Pentecost River is a river in the Kimberley region of Western Australia.The river rises below the Durack Range and flows North through El Questro Station where it meets with the Chamberlain River, then continues north crossing the Gibb River Road, skirts the eastern edge of Drysdale River National...
, Durack River
Durack River
Durack River is a river in the Kimberley region of Western Australia.The river rises below the Durack Range then flows north discharging into the west arm of Cambridge Gulf...
, King River
King River (Kimberley region, Western Australia)
The King River is a river in the Kimberley of Western Australia.The headwaters of the river rise between the Durack range and the Saw range and initially flow southwards before turning north and continuing until it discharges into the West Arm of the Cambridge Gulf just South of Wyndham.The river...
and the Forrest River
Forrest River
The Forrest River is a river in the Kimberley of Western Australia.The river rises just East of Pseudomys Hill in the Drysdale River National Park and flows in an easterly direction until discharging into the western arm of the Cambridge Gulf....
.
The gulf experiences two large tidal flows each day between 7 metres (23 ft) to 9 metres (30 ft)
The town of Wyndham
Wyndham, Western Australia
Wyndham is the oldest and northernmost town in the Kimberley region of Western Australia, located on the Great Northern Highway, northeast of Perth. It was established in 1885 as a result of a gold rush at Halls Creek, and it is now a port and service centre for the east Kimberley with a...
, the area’s principal port lies on its bank at the lower part of the gulf and is approximately 120 kilometres (75 mi) north of Kununurra
Kununurra, Western Australia
Kununurra is a town in far northern Western Australia located at the eastern extremity of the Kimberley Region approximately from the border with the Northern Territory. Kununurra was initiated to service the Ord River Irrigation scheme....
. Cambridge Gulf is a part of the Joseph Bonaparte Gulf
Joseph Bonaparte Gulf
Joseph Bonaparte Gulf is a large body of water off the coast of the Northern Territory, Australia and Western Australia. It was named after Joseph Bonaparte, brother of Napoleon and King of Naples and then Spain by French explorer and naturalist Nicholas Baudin in 1803...
.
The gulf was named by Philip Parker King
Philip Parker King
Admiral Phillip Parker King, FRS, RN was an early explorer of the Australian coast.-Early life and education:...
who visited the area in 1819 aboard Mermaid but left after being unable to find supplies of freshwater in the mudflat
Mudflat
Mudflats or mud flats, also known as tidal flats, are coastal wetlands that form when mud is deposited by tides or rivers. They are found in sheltered areas such as bays, bayous, lagoons, and estuaries. Mudflats may be viewed geologically as exposed layers of bay mud, resulting from deposition of...
s that surround the bay. King named the gulf after the Duke of Cambridge
Duke of Cambridge
Duke of Cambridge is a title which has been conferred upon members of the British royal family several times. It was first used as a designation for Charles Stuart , the eldest son of James, Duke of York , though he was never formally created Duke of Cambridge...
at the time, Prince Adolphus
Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge
The Prince Adolphus, 1st Duke of Cambridge , was the tenth child and seventh son of George III and Queen Charlotte. He held the title of Duke of Cambridge from 1801 until his death. He also served as Viceroy of Hanover on behalf of his brothers George IV and William IV...
. Alexander Forrest
Alexander Forrest
Alexander Forrest CMG, was an explorer and surveyor of Western Australia, as well as a politician.-Early life:Forrest was born at Picton, near Bunbury in Western Australia, the son of William and Margaret Forrest...
was the next European to explore the area in 1879 and by 1884 settlers began to arrive at the Wyndham port to move inland to raise stock and later search for gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
. During the boom times around 1886 up to sixteen vessles would be moored in the gulf waiting to dock.
The western shore of the gulf is backed by high sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
hills that are 30 metres (98 ft) to 250 metres (820 ft) in height and with fringing colonies of mangroves and mudflats when the tide is low. Dense mangrove stands fringe the marshy area on the eastern shore of the gulf. Adolphus Island
Adolphus Island
Adolphus Island is an island located in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. It is situated in Cambridge Gulf approximately north of Wyndham and covers an area of area of about . The island has a maximum height of ....
splits the southern end of the sound with a navigatable channel being found on the western arm.
Further reading
- Durack, Mary,(1932) An outline of north Australian history from Cambridge Gulf to the Victoria River, 1818-1887. Journal and proceedings (Western Australian Historical Society), Vol. 2, pt. 12 (1932), p. 1-11