List of extreme points of Australia facts for kids

Extreme points of mainland Australia

Australia is a huge country! It has many interesting places, including its most extreme points. These are the places that are the furthest north, south, east, or west. We also look at the highest and lowest spots. Some of these points are on the mainland, while others are on Australia's many islands. We'll explore these special locations and what makes them unique.

What are Australia's Extreme Points?

Australia has many different types of extreme points. These include:

• The furthest points in each main direction (north, south, east, west).
• The highest and lowest natural places.
• Other unique spots, like the middle of the country or the place furthest from the coast.

Some of these points are on the Australian mainland. Others are on islands that are part of Australia. These islands can be far away, like those near Antarctica!

Northernmost Points of Australia

The very top of Australia reaches far north.

• Overall Northernmost Point: The most northern spot is Bramble Cay. This tiny island is in the Torres Strait, off the coast of Queensland. It's at 9°8'23" S latitude.
• Mainland Northernmost Point: On the Australian mainland, the furthest north you can go is Cape York. This famous cape is at the tip of the Cape York Peninsula in Queensland. It sits at 10°41' S latitude.

Southernmost Points of Australia

Australia stretches a long way south, especially when you include its islands.

• Overall Southernmost Point: The absolute southernmost point is the Bishop and Clerk Islets. These small rocky islands are south of Tasmania, at 55°03' S latitude.
• Tasmania's Southernmost Point: On the main island of Tasmania, the furthest south is South East Cape. This point is at 43°38' S latitude.
• Mainland Southernmost Point: For mainland Australia, the southernmost spot is South Point. It's located at Wilsons Promontory in Victoria, at 39°08' S latitude.

Easternmost Points of Australia

Australia's eastern edge includes islands far out in the Pacific Ocean.

• Overall Easternmost Point: The most eastern point is Steels Point on Norfolk Island. This island is far out in the Pacific, at 167°57' E longitude.
• Easternmost Excluding External Territories: If we don't count far-off islands, the easternmost point is Ball's Pyramid. This tall, narrow rock is off the coast of New South Wales, at 159°15' E longitude.
• Mainland Easternmost Point: On the Australian mainland, the furthest east is Cape Byron. This beautiful cape is in New South Wales, at 153°38' E longitude.

Westernmost Points of Australia

Australia's western side also includes distant islands in the Indian Ocean.

• Overall Westernmost Point: The most western point is Meyer Rock, part of the McDonald Islands. These islands are way out in the Indian Ocean, at 72°34' E longitude.
• Westernmost Excluding External Territories: Without counting the very distant islands, the westernmost point is Dirk Hartog Island. This island is off the coast of Western Australia, at 112°56' E longitude.
• Mainland Westernmost Point: On the Australian mainland, the furthest west is Steep Point. This spot is in Western Australia, at 113°09' E longitude.

Highest and Lowest Points

Australia has some very high mountains and very low lakes.

Highest Points in Australia

The highest points depend on whether we include islands or even parts of Antarctica that Australia claims.

• Overall Highest Point: The highest point is Mawson Peak. This is a volcano on Heard Island, which is an Australian territory in the southern Indian Ocean. It stands at 2,744 metres (9,003 feet) tall.
• Mainland Highest Point: On mainland Australia, the highest mountain is Mount Kosciuszko. It's in New South Wales and reaches 2,228 metres (7,310 feet) high.
• Furthest from Earth's Centre: Interestingly, the point furthest from the very middle of the Earth is Thornton Peak in Queensland. This is because the Earth bulges slightly at the equator. It is 6,377.866 kilometres from the centre.
• Tallest from Ocean Floor: Mount Hamilton on Macquarie Island is over 5,000 metres tall when measured from the ocean floor. Most of it is underwater!

Lowest Natural Points in Australia

Australia is also home to some very low places.

• Lowest Mainland Point: The lowest natural point on mainland Australia is Kati Thanda–Lake Eyre. This large salt lake in South Australia is about 15 metres (49 feet) below sea level.

Other Interesting Points

Beyond the main directions, Australia has other unique geographic points.

• Centre of Continental Australia: The middle point of continental Australia is called the Lambert Gravitational Centre. It's in the Northern Territory at 25°36'36.4" S, 134°21'17.33" E.
• Furthest from the Coastline: The place furthest from any coastline in Australia is between Papunya and Lake Lewis in the Northern Territory. It's a very dry, inland spot.
• Northwestern Point of Mainland: North West Cape in Western Australia marks the northwestern tip of the mainland.
• Southwestern Point of Mainland: Cape Leeuwin in Western Australia is the southwestern tip of the mainland.
• Northeastern Point of Mainland: Cape York in Queensland is also the northeastern tip of the mainland.
• Southeastern Point of Mainland: Cape Howe is the southeastern tip, located on the border between New South Wales and Victoria.

See also

• Centre points of Australia
• Extreme points of Earth
• Extreme points of Oceania
• Pole of inaccessibility § Australia