Cape York Peninsula | |
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| Coordinates: 15°S 143°E / 15°S 143°E | |
| Location | Queensland, Australia |
| Offshore water bodies | Coral Sea, Torres Strait, Gulf of Carpentaria |
| Area | |
| • Total | 288,804 km2 (111,508 sq mi) |
| River | Jardine River |
Cape York Peninsula is a peninsula located in Far North Queensland, Australia. It is the largest wilderness in northern Australia.[1] The land is mostly flat and about half of the area is used for grazing cattle. The relatively undisturbed eucalyptus-wooded savannahs, tropical rainforests and other types of habitat are now recognised and preserved for their global environmental significance. Although much of the peninsula remains pristine, with a diverse repertoire of endemic flora and fauna, some of its wildlife may be threatened by industry and overgrazing as well as introduced species and weeds.[2]
The northernmost point of the peninsula is Cape York.[3] The land has been occupied by a number of Aboriginal Australian peoples for tens of thousands of years. In 1606, Dutch sailor Willem Janszoon on board the Duyfken was the first European to land in Australia, reaching the Cape York Peninsula.
- ^ Mittermeier, R.E. et al. (2002). Wilderness: Earth's last wild places. Mexico City: Agrupación Sierra Madre, S.C.
- ^ Mackey, B. G., Nix, H., & Hitchcock, P. (2001). The natural heritage significance of Cape York Peninsula. Retrieved 15 January 2008, from epa.qld.gov.au Archived 27 June 2008 at the Wayback Machine.
- ^ "Cape York – cape in the Shire of Torres (entry 38728 )". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 2 June 2021.