Table Cape

{{Use Australian English|date=August 2016}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2016}} {{Infobox Australian place | type = other | name = Table Cape | city = | state = tas | iucn_category = | image = Table Cape from Fossil Bluff.jpg | image_upright = | caption = Overlooking Freestone Cove from Fossil Bluff with Table Cape in the background | image_alt = | image2 = | image2_upright = | caption2 = | image2_alt = | coordinates = {{coord|40|57|02|S|145|43|31|E|display=inline,title}} | alternative_location_map = | force_national_map = | use_lga_map = | relief = | pushpin_map_caption = Location of Table Cape | pushpin_label_position = right | map_alt = | nearest_town_or_city = | pop = 87 | pop_year = 2021 | pop_footnotes = <ref name=Census2021Y>{{Census 2021 AUS|id=SAL60662|name=Table Cape (Suburbs & Localities)|quick=yes}}</ref>

| pop2 = | pop2_year = | pop2_footnotes = | poprank = | density = | density_footnotes = | est = | established = | established_footnotes = | abolished = | gazetted = | postcode = 7325 | elevation = 180 | elevation_footnotes = | area = | area_footnotes = | timezone = | utc = | timezone-dst = | utc-dst = | mayor = | mayortitle = | dist1 = 4 | dir1 = N | location1 =Wynyard, Tasmania | dist2 = | dir2 = | location2 = | dist3 = | dir3 = | location3 = | dist4 = | dir4 = | location4 = | dist5 = | dir5 = | location5 = | lga = Waratah-Wynyard | lga2 = | lga3 = | lga4 = | lga5 = | seat = | region = North West Tasmania | county = | parish = | hundred = | former_hundred = | division = | stategov = Braddon | stategov2 = | stategov3 = | stategov4 = | stategov5 = | fedgov = Braddon | fedgov2 = | fedgov3 = | fedgov4 = | logo = | logo_upright = | visitation_num = | visitation_year = | visitation_footnotes = | managing_authorities = | url = | maxtemp = | maxtemp_footnotes = | mintemp = | mintemp_footnotes = | rainfall = | rainfall_footnotes = | near = | footnotes = | near-nw = | near-n = | near-ne = | near-w = Boat Harbour | near-e = | near-sw = Flowerdale | near-s = Wynyard | near-se = Wynyard }}

'''Table Cape''' is an extinct volcano located near Wynyard on the North West of Tasmania, Australia, it is also the name of the locality which encompasses the geological feature. Table Cape is a more or less circular extinct volcano with a flat top, its northern and eastern faces rise steeply from Bass Strait to a height of approximately {{convert|170|m}} above sea level.<ref name=GeoSurvey>{{cite report |author=R. D. Gee |date=1971 |title=Geological Survey Explanatory Report: Table Cape |url=http://www.mrt.tas.gov.au/mrtdoc/dominfo/download/ER8016S0/ER8016S.pdf |publisher=Tasmania Department of Mines |page=36 |access-date=12 August 2016 }}</ref> It was named by British navigator, Matthew Flinders, as he and George Bass circumnavigated Van Diemen's Land (now Tasmania) in 1798 upon the ''Norfolk''. Flinders also progressively named the nearby Circular Head, Three Hummock and Hunter Islands.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.utas.edu.au/library/companion_to_tasmanian_history/E/Exploration%20by%20sea.htm |title=Companion to Tasmanian History: Exploration by Sea |last1=Sprod |first1=Dan |date=2006 |website=utas.edu.au |publisher=Centre for Tasmanian Historical Studies |access-date=12 August 2016}}</ref>

Table Cape's top and surrounding areas are composed of fertile basalt soils and are heavily cultivated,<ref name=GeoSurvey/> the area is renowned for the annual flowering of tulips during spring and accompanying tulip festival.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.theadvocate.com.au/story/3250381/tulip-festival-a-bloomin-wonder-for-community/ |title=Tulip festival a bloomin' wonder for community |last1=Sayer|first1=Luke |date=31 July 2015 |website=The Advocate |publisher=Fairfax Regional Media |access-date=13 August 2016}}</ref> Table Cape locality has a population of 87.<ref name=Census2021Y/>

==Landscape and conservation== Whilst the top of Table Cape and surrounding district is heavily utilised for agriculture, the steep and rocky ocean-facing embankments remain largely undisturbed from human activity and are covered in dense scrubland. The 1.26 km<sup>2</sup> '''Table Cape Conservation Area''' (IUCN IV)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.protectedplanet.net/table-cape-conservation-area |title=Protected Planet: Table Cape Conservation Area |author= |website=Protected Planet |publisher=IUCN and UNEP |access-date=12 August 2016 }}</ref> extends along the shoreline from Boat Harbour Beach to the '''Table Cape State Reserve''' (IUCN III)<ref name=PPStateReserve>{{cite web |url=http://www.protectedplanet.net/table-cape-state-reserve |title=Protected Planet: Table Cape State Reserve |author= |website=Protected Planet |publisher=IUCN and UNEP |access-date=13 August 2016 }}</ref> before continuing along to Freestone Cove near Fossil Bluff.

''Beddomeia capensis'' is an endangered freshwater snail known only to occur along four small streams on Table Cape, and a tributary of Big Creek near Calder. However, recent surveys have only been able to identify the species at two unnamed streams near the Table Cape Lighthouse, with the total length of occupied stream less than {{convert|80|m}}. Population declines are due to habitat degradation from agricultural land usage and competition from other introduced hydrobiid snails.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://dpipwe.tas.gov.au/Documents/Beddomeia-capensis-Listing-Statement.pdf |title=Beddomeia capensis, Hydrobiid Snail (Table Cape) |author= |date=2011 |website=dpipwe.gov.au |publisher=Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment, Tasmania |access-date=12 August 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.threatenedspecieslink.tas.gov.au/hydrobiid-snail-(table-cape) |title=Threatened Species Section (2016). Beddomeia capensis (Hydrobiid Snail (Table Cape)) |author= |website=dpipwe.gov.au |publisher=Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment, Tasmania |access-date=12 August 2016 |archive-date=18 September 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160918020507/http://www.threatenedspecieslink.tas.gov.au/hydrobiid-snail-(table-cape) |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===Tommeginer Aboriginal clan=== The territory of the Tommeginer clan of Aboriginal Tasmanians is located around the Table Cape region. The tribe most likely built the stone tidal fish traps that remain evident at nearby Freestone Cove.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Johnson |first1=Murray |last2=McFarlane |first2=Ian |date=2015 |title=Van Diemen's Land An Aboriginal History |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2jd5CAAAQBAJ&dq=table+cape&pg=PT402 |location=Tasmania |publisher=NewSouth Publishing |isbn=9781742234212 |access-date=4 January 2017}}</ref>

==Table Cape Lighthouse== Table Cape Lighthouse is a Tasmanian heritage-listed lighthouse situated on the 120 hectare Table Cape State Reserve. It has been open for public tours since 2010.<ref name=PPStateReserve/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.warwyn.tas.gov.au/webdata/resources/files/Table%20Cape%20Lighthouse%20EOI%20Final.pdf |title=License to conduct tours of Table Cape Lighthouse |author= |date=May 2013 |website=warwyn.tas.gov.au |publisher=Waratah-Wynyard Council |access-date=12 August 2016 |archive-date=28 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140228192125/http://www.warwyn.tas.gov.au/webdata/resources/files/Table%20Cape%20Lighthouse%20EOI%20Final.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.abc.net.au/site-archive/rural/tas/content/2010/09/s3016672.htm |title=Table Cape lighthouse opens to the public |last1=Wood |first1=Eliza |date=20 September 2010 |website=ABC News |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |access-date=12 August 2016}}</ref><ref name=TCLBooklet>{{cite book |author= |title=Table Cape Lighthouse - Wynyard Visitor Information Centre booket |publisher=Waratah-Wynyard Council, Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service and Australian federal government |pages=2–11|date=2010 }}</ref>

After the wrecks of the ''Emma Prescott'' in 1867 and the schooner ''Orson'' in 1884, a lighthouse was commissioned to be constructed on Table Cape to aide navigation into the port of Wynyard on the Inglis River. Table Cape Lighthouse was designed by Huckson and Hutchinson of Hobart, the light apparatus was sourced from the Chance Brothers of England and was constructed by a local builder, John Luck. The project suffered from delays due to poor quality roads leading up to the construction site on Table Cape, and bricks of insufficient quality sourced from the specially-constructed kiln in the nearby town of Burnie, instead, bricks had to be imported from Victoria.<ref name=TCLBooklet/><ref name=SeaSide>{{cite web |url=http://www.seasidelights.com.au/au/tas/tablecape.asp?fState=Tas |title=SeaSide Lights: Table Cape |last1=Searle |first1=Garry |website=seasidelights.com.au |publisher=Garry Searle |access-date=12 August 2016 |archive-date=23 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160823011317/http://www.seasidelights.com.au/au/tas/tablecape.asp?fState=Tas |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The lighthouse was first lit up on 1 August 1888, it stands about {{convert|25|m}} high and has a diameter of {{convert|8.5|m}} at the base. Seventeen days after the official opening, the head lighthouse keeper's 14-month-old son died from illness. The undertaker, who had travelled up to the lighthouse with a coffin for the child, encouraged the family to perform the burial nearby due to the appalling weather conditions at the time. The small gravesite remains to be found nearby today.<ref name=TCLBooklet/><ref name=SeaSide/>

Originally powered by oil, Table Cape Lighthouse was converted to automatic acetylene operation in 1920. In 1923, the lightkeepers were withdrawn from manning the tower, and after several years of deterioration, the nearby keepers' cottages were demolished in 1926. In 1979, mains electricity was connected and an electric beacon with standby batteries was installed, the maximum nominal range of the 100W halogen lamp is approximately {{convert|16|nmi|km mi}}.<ref name=TCLBooklet/><ref name=SeaSide/>

==Gallery== {{Gallery |align=center |File:Table Cape Lighthouse.jpg|Table Cape Lighthouse in 1948 |File:Table Cape by dusk.JPG|Table Cape by dusk |File:View-from-Table-Cape-20070423-025.jpg|View from Table Cape lookout }}

==See also== {{Portal|Australia|Engineering}} * Protected areas of Tasmania * List of lighthouses in Australia

==External links== {{Commons category|Table Cape}} * [http://www.tablecapetulipfarm.com.au/ Table Cape Tulip Farm] * [http://www.tablecapelighthousetours.com.au/ Table Cape Lighthouse Tours] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160826010557/http://www.tablecapelighthousetours.com.au/ |date=26 August 2016 }}

==References== {{reflist}}

Category:Localities of Waratah–Wynyard Council Category:Nature reserves in Tasmania Category:Volcanic plugs of Tasmania Category:Lighthouses in Tasmania Category:Lighthouses completed in 1888 Category:Tasmanian Heritage Register