Cape Solander
Historic site in Sydney, New South Wales
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Cape Solander is a line of cliffs, located near the town of Kurnell, New South Wales, situated in the Kamay Botany Bay National Park.[1] The location is known for whale watching, the whale species to be seen including the humpback whale, southern right whale, and the grey whale.[1]
| Cape Solander | |
|---|---|
A view of Cape Solander | |
 Interactive map of Cape Solander | |
| Location | Sydney, New South Wales |
| Nearest city | Kurnell |
| Coordinates | 34°00′59″S 151°13′54″E |
| Owner | NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service |
| Website | https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/things-to-do/lookouts/cape-solander |
Fatalities caused by falling from the cliffs have occurred at this location.[2][3]
Overview
Cape Solander is located on the Kurnell Peninsula, on the southern side of the Kamay Botany Bay National Park. The cape was named after Swedish botanist Daniel Solander who landed with Captain James Cook at Kurnell near the cape's location.[4] It marks the start of the Cape Baily Walking Track, that heads over to the Cape Baily Lighthouse. Around the cape, there are several other landmarks such as Tabbigai Gap, Blue Hole Gorge, and Yena Track.[5]
Aboriginal heritage
Cape Solander is on Gweagal and Goorawal traditional Aboriginal land.[6] These were the same clans that Captain Cook encountered on his declaration of terra nulius in 1770.[7]
Description
The iconic white rocks that surround the cliffside of Cape Solander, that look like the rocks in Wedding Cake Rock, are Hawkesbury Sandstone, which is commonly occurring in the Sydney area.[8][1] At the parking area, there is a whale-watching platform for tourists to use when whales migrate in winter, which the government built for 2.5 million dollars.[9][10]
Accidents
Activities
Cape Solander is a popular place for whale-watching with 300,000 tourists coming from all around the world for this activity.[9] This place is also popular for bushwalking, with the nearby Muru and Yena trails close by, with also the Cape Baily Walking Track, which stretches down to Cape Baily Lightstation, Voodoo Point and Potter Point.[13][1]