Smoky Cape
Encyclopedia
Smoky Cape is a headland
in Australia
on the New South Wales
Mid-North Coast. It lies just east of the town of South West Rocks
, and within the Hat Head National Park
.
when he passed it on 13 May 1770, writing of "a point or headland, on which were fires that Caused a great Quantity of smook, which occasioned my giving it the name of Smooky Cape". Smook was his usual spelling of smoke, the spelling for the cape now follows the modern spelling. The hills there were an important meeting place for aboriginal people from various surrounding areas, it's possible Cook saw fires from such a gathering.
A lighthouse was proposed for the cape in 1886 and completed in 1891. Known as the Smoky Cape Lighthouse
it was built from concrete and local granite aggregate in an octagonal shape at the highest point on the cape.
location and home to various fish species. A 120 metre cave runs right under the rock and there are various gutters nearby where Grey Nurse Shark
s live. The area is one of about a dozen in New South Wales recognised as critical for the shark, and for that reason fishing is restricted, but the grey nurse is still affected by fishing. The only restrictions are anchoring within 100m and bottom fishing, however boats are still allowed to drift up as close as they want and drop their lines. Fisheries have also been reported to have only been seen at Fish Rock twice in the past 6 years.
.
Headland
A headland is a point of land, usually high and often with a sheer drop, that extends out into a body of water.Headland can also refer to:*Headlands and bays*headLand, an Australian television series...
in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
on the New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
Mid-North Coast. It lies just east of the town of South West Rocks
South West Rocks, New South Wales
South West Rocks is located on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales, Australia, near the mouth of the Macleay River. It is approximately 40 km from Kempsey. Jerseyville is located nearby....
, and within the Hat Head National Park
Hat Head National Park
Hat Head is a national park in New South Wales, Australia, 356 km northeast of Sydney. It lies within the Hastings-Macleay Important Bird Area....
.
Cape
The cape was named Smoky Cape by Captain CookJames Cook
Captain James Cook, FRS, RN was a British explorer, navigator and cartographer who ultimately rose to the rank of captain in the Royal Navy...
when he passed it on 13 May 1770, writing of "a point or headland, on which were fires that Caused a great Quantity of smook, which occasioned my giving it the name of Smooky Cape". Smook was his usual spelling of smoke, the spelling for the cape now follows the modern spelling. The hills there were an important meeting place for aboriginal people from various surrounding areas, it's possible Cook saw fires from such a gathering.
A lighthouse was proposed for the cape in 1886 and completed in 1891. Known as the Smoky Cape Lighthouse
Smoky Cape Lighthouse
Smoky Cape Lighthouse is an active lighthouse located on Smoky Cape, a headland east of the town of South West Rocks, New South Wales, Australia, and within the Hat Head National Park...
it was built from concrete and local granite aggregate in an octagonal shape at the highest point on the cape.
Fish Rock
Fish Rock is a small bare rock which juts out of the sea just south-east of the cape. It's a noted scuba divingScuba diving
Scuba diving is a form of underwater diving in which a diver uses a scuba set to breathe underwater....
location and home to various fish species. A 120 metre cave runs right under the rock and there are various gutters nearby where Grey Nurse Shark
Grey nurse shark
The sand tiger shark or grey nurse shark is a species of shark that inhabits coastal waters worldwide. It lives very close to the shorelines and beaches of North America, hence the name, sand tiger shark. Despite a fearsome appearance and strong swimming abilities, it is a relatively placid and...
s live. The area is one of about a dozen in New South Wales recognised as critical for the shark, and for that reason fishing is restricted, but the grey nurse is still affected by fishing. The only restrictions are anchoring within 100m and bottom fishing, however boats are still allowed to drift up as close as they want and drop their lines. Fisheries have also been reported to have only been seen at Fish Rock twice in the past 6 years.
Green Island
Green Island is a small island close to the coast just north of the cape. It too is a critical habitat area for the Grey Nurse SharkGrey nurse shark
The sand tiger shark or grey nurse shark is a species of shark that inhabits coastal waters worldwide. It lives very close to the shorelines and beaches of North America, hence the name, sand tiger shark. Despite a fearsome appearance and strong swimming abilities, it is a relatively placid and...
.
External links
- Smoky Cape Lighthouse page at the NSW National Parks and Wildlife ServiceNational Parks and Wildlife Service (New South Wales)The National Parks and Wildlife Service is part of the Office of Environment and Heritage - the main government conservation agency in New South Wales, Australia....
- For photos of the area see the South West Rocks Photo Gallery