{{for|the headland in Antarctica|Low Head (Antarctica)}} {{Use Australian English|date=August 2019}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}} {{Infobox Australian place | type = town | name = Low Head | state = tas | image = Low_Head_Pilot_Station.JPG | caption = Low Head Pilot Station | lga = George Town Council | postcode = 7253 | est = | coordinates = {{coord|41|4|0|S|146|48|0|E|display=inline,title}} | pop = 572 | pop_year = {{CensusAU|2016}} | pop_footnotes=<ref name=Census2016Y>{{cite web |url=https://quickstats.censusdata.abs.gov.au/census_services/getproduct/census/2016/quickstat/SSC60354?opendocument |title=2016 Census Quick Stats Low Head (Tas.) |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=23 October 2017 |website=quickstats.censusdata.abs.gov.au |publisher=Australian Bureau of Statistics |access-date=2 April 2021 |quote=}}</ref> | elevation = 28 | elevation_footnotes = <ref>[https://www.bom.gov.au/climate/averages/tables/cw_091057.shtml Bureau of Meteorology]. Retrieved 2007-11-10</ref> | stategov = Bass | fedgov = Bass | region = Launceston | dist1 = 252 | dir1 = N | location1= Hobart | dist2 = 55 | dir2 = N | location2= Launceston | dist3 = 5 | dir3 = N | location3= George Town | near-nw = Bass Strait | near-n = Bass Strait | near-ne = Bass Strait | near-e = George Town | near-w = Tamar River | near-sw = Tamar River | near-s = George Town | near-se = George Town }} '''Low Head''' is a rural residential locality in the local government area (LGA) of George Town in the Launceston LGA region of Tasmania. The locality is about {{convert|5|km}} north of the town of George Town. The 2016 census recorded a population of 572 for the state suburb of Low Head.<ref name=Census2016Y/> It is a suburb of George Town, on a peninsula at the mouth of the Tamar River.

It is a popular snorkel and scuba diving area during much of the year, with extensive wide, unspoiled beaches.

The area also has a lighthouse, beaches and a colony of little penguins (''Eudyptula minor'').

The foghorn, a Chance Brothers "Type G" diaphone at Low Head Lighthouse, is the only operable foghorn of its type and is popular with tourists as it is sounded at noon every Sunday.

==History== Low Head was gazetted as a locality in 1967.<ref name=Placename>{{cite web |url=https://www.placenames.tas.gov.au/#p1 |title=Placenames Tasmania – Low Head |author=<!--Not stated--> |date= |website= |publisher=Placenames Tasmania |access-date=2 April 2021 |at=Select “Search”, enter "1101W", click “Search”, select row, map is displayed, click “Details”}}</ref> The first Low Head Post Office opened on 12 September 1887 and closed in 1894.<ref name = "Post Office">{{Cite web | last = Premier Postal History | title = Post Office List | publisher = Premier Postal Auctions | url = https://www.premierpostal.com/cgi-bin/wsProd.sh/Viewpocdwrapper.p?SortBy=Tas&country= | accessdate = 16 June 2012}}</ref> In 1996 the {{ship|MV|Iron Baron|1985|6}} ran aground on Hebe Reef, off Low Head, causing the worst oil disaster in Australia's history.

==Geography== The waters of the Tamar River estuary (also known as ''Port Dalrymple'') and Bass Strait form the western to north-eastern boundaries. The George Town Aerodrome is within the locality.<ref>{{google maps|url=https://www.google.com.au/maps/place/Low+Head+TAS+7253/@-41.0550885,146.803432,13z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0xaa7988d59c39cbfb:0x503c94dd0de1260!8m2!3d-41.0682177!4d146.8045593 |title=Low Head, Tasmania |access-date=2 April 2021}}</ref>

==Climate== Low Head has a temperate oceanic climate (Köppen: ''Cfb''), bordering on a warm Mediterranean climate.

{{Weather box |location = Low Head |width = auto |metric first = Yes |single line = Yes |Jan record high C = 28.6 |Feb record high C = 28.7 |Mar record high C = 26.1 |Apr record high C = 23.1 |May record high C = 20.4 |Jun record high C = 18.0 |Jul record high C = 16.1 |Aug record high C = 17.2 |Sep record high C = 20.6 |Oct record high C = 21.2 |Nov record high C = 24.8 |Dec record high C = 25.7 |year record high C = 28.7 |Jan high C = 20.7 |Feb high C = 21.2 |Mar high C = 20.1 |Apr high C = 17.8 |May high C = 15.4 |Jun high C = 13.5 |Jul high C = 12.8 |Aug high C = 13.1 |Sep high C = 14.1 |Oct high C = 15.5 |Nov high C = 17.5 |Dec high C = 19.1 |year high C = 16.7 |Jan low C = 14.5 |Feb low C = 14.6 |Mar low C = 13.4 |Apr low C = 11.2 |May low C = 9.4 |Jun low C = 7.5 |Jul low C = 7.0 |Aug low C = 7.4 |Sep low C = 8.5 |Oct low C = 9.6 |Nov low C = 11.4 |Dec low C = 12.9 |year low C = 10.6 |Jan record low C = 8.2 |Feb record low C = 8.1 |Mar record low C = 7.0 |Apr record low C = 3.7 |May record low C = 2.6 |Jun record low C = 0.8 |Jul record low C = 0.6 |Aug record low C = 0.5 |Sep record low C = 1.4 |Oct record low C = 3.9 |Nov record low C = 5.1 |Dec record low C = 6.5 |year record low C = 0.5 |rain colour = green |Jan rain mm = 46.6 |Feb rain mm = 27.0 |Mar rain mm = 50.6 |Apr rain mm = 55.9 |May rain mm = 61.4 |Jun rain mm = 75.2 |Jul rain mm = 74.2 |Aug rain mm = 76.6 |Sep rain mm = 57.3 |Oct rain mm = 54.0 |Nov rain mm = 52.9 |Dec rain mm = 43.8 |year rain mm = 674.0 |Jan rain days = 6.9 |Feb rain days = 6.6 |Mar rain days = 7.8 |Apr rain days = 9.6 |May rain days = 12.7 |Jun rain days = 14.1 |Jul rain days = 15.9 |Aug rain days = 15.7 |Sep rain days = 14.3 |Oct rain days = 11.8 |Nov rain days = 9.6 |Dec rain days = 8.9 |year rain days = 133.9 |unit rain days = 0.2 mm |humidity colour = green |Jan afthumidity = 68 |Feb afthumidity = 66 |Mar afthumidity = 64 |Apr afthumidity = 66 |May afthumidity = 69 |Jun afthumidity = 72 |Jul afthumidity = 71 |Aug afthumidity = 71 |Sep afthumidity = 71 |Oct afthumidity = 68 |Nov afthumidity = 68 |Dec afthumidity = 66 |year humidity = 68 |source 1 = Bureau of Meteorology (1997–2024 averages;<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bom.gov.au/climate/averages/tables/cw_091293_All.shtml |title=Climate Statistics for Low Head |access-date=1 December 2022 |publisher=Bureau of Meteorology}}</ref> extremes 1980–present) }}

==Road infrastructure== Route A8 (Low Head Road) runs through from south-west to north-west, where it terminates.<ref name=Placename/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://dpipwe.tas.gov.au/Documents/Route%20Descriptions%20V3.6.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170801112712/http://dpipwe.tas.gov.au/Documents/Route%20Descriptions%20V3.6.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=2017-08-01 |title=Tasmanian Road Route Codes |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=May 2017 |website= |publisher=Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water & Environment |access-date=2 April 2021 |quote=}}</ref>

==See also== *Wesele Cove

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * [https://web.archive.org/web/20070302043846/http://www.amsa.gov.au/Marine_Environment_Protection/Major_Oil_Spills_in_Australia/Iron_Baron/index.asp Iron Baron] - report on oil spill *[http://museum.lowhead.com Low Head Pilot Station Maritime Museum] - Maritime History of the area.

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Category:Towns in Tasmania Category:Bass Strait Category:Localities of George Town Council Category:Populated places on the Tamar River