Cape Borda, South Australia

Cape Borda
Cape Borda Lighthouse
Cape Borda
Coordinates: 35°45′10″S 136°35′36″E / 35.752910°S 136.593390°E / -35.752910; 136.593390
CountryAustralia
StateSouth Australia
RegionFleurieu and Kangaroo Island[1]
LGA
Location
Established2002[2]
Government
 • State electorate
 • Federal division
Elevation158 m (518 ft)
Population
 • Total9 (SAL 2021)[6]
Time zoneUTC+9:30 (ACST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+10:30 (ACST)
Postcode
5223[7]
CountyCarnarvon[2]
Mean max temp19.1 °C (66.4 °F)[8]
Mean min temp11.6 °C (52.9 °F)[8]
Annual rainfall531.6 mm (20.93 in)[8]
Localities around Cape Borda
Investigator Strait
Cape Borda De Mole River
Gosse
Flinders Chase Flinders Chase
Distances[7][2]
Coordinates[2]
Climate[9]
Adjoining localities[2]


Cape Borda is a locality in the Australian state of South Australia located on Kangaroo Island about 192 kilometres (119 miles) south-west of the state capital of Adelaide.[7]

Its boundaries were created in 2002 in respect to “the long established name” which is reported to be derived from the navigation aid within its boundaries - the Cape Borda Lightstation.[2]

The major land uses within the locality includes conservation and primary production with the former land use including the following protected areas - the Flinders Chase National Park, the Ravine des Casoars Wilderness Protection Area and the Cape Torrens Wilderness Protection Area.[10][2] Part of the southern boundary of Cape Borda is formed by the Playford Highway.[2]

The locality includes the three following state heritage places - Harveys Return Cemetery, the Cape Borda Lighthouse and the Harveys Return Landing Site.[11][12][13]

Cape Borda is located within the federal division of Mayo, the state electoral district of Mawson and the local government area of the Kangaroo Island Council.[4][3][2]

Climate

Cape Borda has a warm-summer mediterranean climate (Köppen: Csb) with tepid, dry summers and mild, relatively wet winters.[14] On average, the town experiences 181.0 cloudy days and only 49.2 clear days per annum. Extreme temperatures ranged from 40.0 °C (104.0 °F) on 28 January 2009 to 1.8 °C (35.2 °F) on 12 June 1999.[15] The wettest recorded day was 23 March 1877 with 93.7 mm (3.69 in) of rainfall.[16]

The original weather station recorded temperature, precipitation, solar exposure, 9 am and 3 pm conditions. It was closed in 2007.

Climate data for Cape Borda Comparison (35°45′S 136°35′E / 35.75°S 136.59°E / -35.75; 136.59) (143 m (469 ft) AMSL) (1865-2007)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 39.0
(102.2)
36.8
(98.2)
34.0
(93.2)
29.2
(84.6)
24.8
(76.6)
20.4
(68.7)
20.0
(68.0)
22.0
(71.6)
26.5
(79.7)
32.6
(90.7)
34.4
(93.9)
37.0
(98.6)
39.0
(102.2)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 23.0
(73.4)
23.3
(73.9)
21.3
(70.3)
18.7
(65.7)
16.4
(61.5)
14.6
(58.3)
13.9
(57.0)
14.0
(57.2)
15.1
(59.2)
16.9
(62.4)
19.4
(66.9)
21.2
(70.2)
18.2
(64.7)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 13.8
(56.8)
14.3
(57.7)
13.5
(56.3)
12.4
(54.3)
11.2
(52.2)
9.8
(49.6)
9.1
(48.4)
8.9
(48.0)
9.3
(48.7)
10.0
(50.0)
11.2
(52.2)
12.5
(54.5)
11.3
(52.4)
Record low °C (°F) 6.1
(43.0)
8.0
(46.4)
7.2
(45.0)
6.7
(44.1)
3.3
(37.9)
1.8
(35.2)
2.2
(36.0)
2.2
(36.0)
2.8
(37.0)
3.3
(37.9)
4.1
(39.4)
6.0
(42.8)
1.8
(35.2)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 15.4
(0.61)
16.9
(0.67)
23.7
(0.93)
45.2
(1.78)
79.0
(3.11)
106.4
(4.19)
104.2
(4.10)
86.5
(3.41)
55.3
(2.18)
41.7
(1.64)
26.1
(1.03)
21.0
(0.83)
620.7
(24.44)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.2 mm) 5.4 5.0 7.5 11.9 17.1 19.6 21.2 19.8 16.0 12.8 8.7 7.5 152.5
Average afternoon relative humidity (%) 54 55 59 65 71 73 74 72 70 65 59 58 65
Average dew point °C (°F) 10.9
(51.6)
11.3
(52.3)
11.1
(52.0)
10.3
(50.5)
9.8
(49.6)
8.6
(47.5)
7.9
(46.2)
7.6
(45.7)
8.0
(46.4)
8.3
(46.9)
8.8
(47.8)
10.2
(50.4)
9.4
(48.9)
Source: Bureau of Meteorology (1865-2007)[17]

A newer weather station was opened in 2002. It records temperature, precipitation and solar exposure.

Climate data for Cape Borda (35°45′S 136°36′E / 35.75°S 136.60°E / -35.75; 136.60) (158 m (518 ft) AMSL) (2002-2025)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 40.0
(104.0)
37.9
(100.2)
35.5
(95.9)
30.3
(86.5)
24.6
(76.3)
20.9
(69.6)
18.1
(64.6)
21.0
(69.8)
25.6
(78.1)
31.1
(88.0)
36.2
(97.2)
39.1
(102.4)
40.0
(104.0)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 24.6
(76.3)
23.9
(75.0)
22.6
(72.7)
19.7
(67.5)
17.0
(62.6)
15.0
(59.0)
14.3
(57.7)
14.7
(58.5)
16.0
(60.8)
18.1
(64.6)
20.6
(69.1)
22.6
(72.7)
19.1
(66.4)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 14.5
(58.1)
14.5
(58.1)
13.8
(56.8)
12.6
(54.7)
11.2
(52.2)
9.9
(49.8)
9.3
(48.7)
9.2
(48.6)
9.5
(49.1)
10.2
(50.4)
11.7
(53.1)
13.0
(55.4)
11.6
(52.9)
Record low °C (°F) 7.0
(44.6)
8.7
(47.7)
7.7
(45.9)
6.0
(42.8)
5.1
(41.2)
2.9
(37.2)
3.9
(39.0)
3.4
(38.1)
2.6
(36.7)
3.5
(38.3)
4.5
(40.1)
6.0
(42.8)
2.6
(36.7)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 17.8
(0.70)
15.9
(0.63)
20.3
(0.80)
37.9
(1.49)
66.1
(2.60)
94.0
(3.70)
86.1
(3.39)
69.9
(2.75)
45.9
(1.81)
30.2
(1.19)
27.6
(1.09)
22.5
(0.89)
531.6
(20.93)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.2 mm) 5.0 4.7 8.4 12.2 18.7 19.6 21.1 21.1 16.4 11.3 9.4 8.0 155.9
Source: Bureau of Meteorology (2002-2025)[8]

References

  1. ^ "Fleurieu and Kangaroo Island SA Government region" (PDF). The Government of South Australia. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 March 2019. Retrieved 9 September 2016.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Search result for "Cape Borda (Locality Bounded)" (Record no SA0050434 ) with the following layers being selected - "Suburbs and Localities", "Local Government Areas" and "Hundreds"". Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure. Archived from the original on 12 October 2016. Retrieved 8 March 2016.
  3. ^ a b Mawson (Map). Electoral District Boundaries Commission. 2016. Retrieved 2 March 2018.
  4. ^ a b "Federal electoral division of Mayo, boundary gazetted 16 December 2011" (PDF). Australian Electoral Commission. Retrieved 2 August 2015.
  5. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Cape Borda (suburb and locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022. 
  6. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Cape Borda (suburb and locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022. 
  7. ^ a b c "Cape Borda, South Australia (Postcode)". postcodes-australia.com. Retrieved 8 March 2016.
  8. ^ a b c d e "Cape Borda Climate Statistics (2002-2025)". Bureau of Meteorology. Retrieved 14 January 2026.
  9. ^ "Monthly climate statistics: Summary statistics CAPE BORDA". Commonwealth of Australia, Bureau of Meteorology. Retrieved 8 March 2016.
  10. ^ "Development Plan, Kangaroo Island Council" (PDF). Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure. pp. 263–269. Retrieved 8 March 2016.
  11. ^ "Harveys Return Cemetery, Flinders Chase National Park (sic)". South Australian Heritage Register. Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources. Retrieved 27 March 2016.
  12. ^ "Cape Borda Lighthouse (originally 'Flinders Light') and Keepers' Cottages, Flinders Chase National Park". South Australian Heritage Register. Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources. Retrieved 27 March 2016.
  13. ^ "Harveys Return Landing Site, Flinders Chase National Park (sic)". South Australian Heritage Register. Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources. Retrieved 27 March 2016.
  14. ^ "Climate classification maps: Köppen - all classes". Bureau of Meteorology. Retrieved 14 January 2026.
  15. ^ "Cape Borda Climate (1865-2007)". FarmOnline Weather. Australian Community Media. Retrieved 14 January 2026.
  16. ^ "Cape Borda Comparison Climate (2002-2025)". FarmOnline Weather. Australian Community Media. Retrieved 14 January 2026.
  17. ^ "Cape Borda Comparison Climate Statistics (1865-2007)". Bureau of Meteorology. Retrieved 14 January 2026.