Cape Peron

Cape Peron
Looking south at Cape Peron and Shoalwater Islands Marine Park
Location within Perth, Western Australia
Location	Rockingham, Western Australia
Coordinates	32°15′55″S 115°41′10″E / 32.26528°S 115.68611°E / -32.26528; 115.68611
Geology	Cape
Cape Peron 45km 30miles Cape Peron

Cape Peron is a headland at Rockingham. It is at the southern end of Cockburn Sound. The cape is locally known as Point Peron. It has protected beaches, limestone cliffs, reefs and panoramic views. Cape Peron includes the suburb of Peron.

Cape Peron was named after the French naturalist and zoologist François Péron. Peron was the zoologist on with the expedition of Nicolas Baudin that explored the western coast of Australia in 1801.

A causeway was built in 1973 between Cape Peron and Garden Island to carry cars and trucks between the mainland and the island. Garden Island is the home of HMAS Stirling, a Royal Australian Navy base, so access is restricted.

The wreck of RMS Orizaba (1886–1905) lies on Five Fathom Bank, 5.5 kilometres (3.4 mi) west of the cape.

Military use

From 1942 until 1945, Cape Peron was the site of the "K" Battery complex. This was one of the coastal gun groups defending the Perth region between Swanbourne in the north and Cape Peron in the south. "K" Battery was built as part of Australian coastal defences in 1942. After the Japanese army captured Singapore people were worried that they would then invade Australia. The defensive complexes were known as "Fortress Fremantle". There were also guns on Rottnest Island and Garden Island. During World War II, Fremantle was the Allied forces' largest submarine base in the Southern Hemisphere. It was also an important port able to repair ships.

The Cape Peron gun battery had two 155-millimetre (6.1 in) American field guns, two lookouts and numerous other buildings including storage for ammunition, engine and generator rooms, and housing for about 100 soldiers. The guns were placed to cover any shipping near Rockingham, Safety Bay and the western side of Garden Island. "K" Battery also protected a boom defence to stop submarines entering Cockburn Sound between Cape Peron and Garden Island. The guns never fired upon an enemy target and was closed in 1945.

As of 2016^[update], the complex is in ruins because of damage over time, erosion, vandalism, natural regrowth, and people visiting. There have been calls over the years for the site repaired as a memorial to remember Australia's wartime history. There have been some minor repairs by Australian Army Reservists and the Department of Environment and Conservation. A group known as the Point Peron Restoration Project is leading a push to restore the site, stating their goals as being:

1. Create a memorial, preserve and maintain the local Point Peron reserve, upgrade local amenities to preserve and protect the history of the area.

2. Preserve the remaining WWII landmarks of the Coastal Defence System at Point Peron as a museum collection to tell the story of the Australian Coastal Defence network in World War II.

Proposed private development

Plans to build a residential canal and marina complex at Cape Peron was very unpopular with local communities. The state government finally refused to approve the plans in 2018. The plan would have meant changing a 1964 agreement to keep the land in public ownership forever. People were worried that the development would damage seagrass beds and the ecosystems at nearby Lake Richmond.

Plants

Cape Peron is a headland with hot, dry summers, and strong southerly and westerly winds. The environment suits plants usually found along the Western Australian coast. This includes plants that can live in salty conditions, such as Spinifex, sea-heath (Frankenia pauciflora) and coastal sword-sedge (Lepidosperma gladiatum). Further back from the shore are wattle, coastal daisy-bush and grasslands.

In the waters around Cape Peron there are many species of algae, including red, green and brown algae. These grow on the reef platforms. The sandy seafloor has large seagrass meadows with species of kelp.

Animals

Surveys have found 96 species at Cape Peron. This included 66 birds, 19 reptiles, 5 amphibians and 6 mammals.All native animals found at Cape Peron are protected under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999; 47 of these species are protected on the Department of Environment and Conservation's priority list. Large seabirds, including osprey, albatross and cormorants are found along the cliffs. Wading birds, such as whimbrels and a variety of gulls, are found closer to the shoreline and nesting in the cliffs. Little penguins have also been seen. Back from the coast, and into the scrubland of Cape Peron, rainbow bee-eaters, grey fantails, inland thornbills and silvereyes are common.

There is a variety of sea life in the water. The reef platforms have sea squirts, sponges, urchins and molluscs. Around the reefs, ledges, overhangs and seagrass meadows are bottlenose dolphins, grey nurse sharks, great white sharks, Australian sea lions, loggerhead turtles, pink snapper, King George whiting, baitfish, tailor, garfish, skipjack trevally, and blue swimmer crabs.

References