South coast of Western Australia explained

The south coast of Western Australia comprises the Western Australian coastline from Cape Leeuwin to Eucla. This is a distance of approximately 1600km (1,000miles), 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:^[1]

• Leeuwin coast (Cape Naturaliste to Walpole)
• Albany coast (Walpole to Bremer Bay)
• Esperance coast (Bremer Bay to Israelite Bay)
• 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.^[2]

However, some sources apply "south coast" from Windy Harbour to Mount Manypeaks as the delineating points for the coast.

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.^[3] The main towns of the Rainbow Coast are Albany, Denmark and Walpole.^[4] 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.^[5]

Eucla Coast

The south east coast of Western Australia is designated as the "Eucla Coast" in Bureau of Meteorology forecasts.^[6]

The coastline was travelled and written up by Daisy Bates before the first world war.^[7]

See also

• Coastal regions of Western Australia

Local features:

• List of islands of Western Australia
• List of watercourses in Western Australia

Regional divisions:

• Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia
• Ecoregions in Australia
• Regions of Western Australia

Notes and References

1. http://www.bom.gov.au/wa/forecasts/map.shtml
2. 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.
3. Web site: Rainbows - Why the name Rainbow Coast?- Albany, Denmark, and Walpole.
4. Web site: Rainbow Coast. Rainbow Coast Web Design. 16 January 2016.
5. 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. : 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.
6. http://www.bom.gov.au/wa/forecasts/map.shtml
7. News: ALONG THE SOUTH COAST TO EUCLA. . . XXVIII . 1,409 . Western Australia . 27 December 1912 . 20 April 2017 . 12 . National Library of Australia.