Cockburn Sound () is an inlet of the
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third-largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, covering or approximately 20% of the water area of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface. It is bounded by Asia to the north, Africa to the west and Australia (continent), ...
on the coast of
Western Australia
Western Australia (WA) is the westernmost state of Australia. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east, and South Australia to the south-east. Western Aust ...
. It extends from the south of the mouth of the
Swan River at
Fremantle
Fremantle () () is a port city in Western Australia located at the mouth of the Swan River (Western Australia), Swan River in the metropolitan area of Perth, the state capital. Fremantle Harbour serves as the port of Perth. The Western Australi ...
for about to
Point Peron near
Rockingham. The total area of the sound is about .
It is bounded on the east by the mainland council areas of
Fremantle
Fremantle () () is a port city in Western Australia located at the mouth of the Swan River (Western Australia), Swan River in the metropolitan area of Perth, the state capital. Fremantle Harbour serves as the port of Perth. The Western Australi ...
,
Cockburn,
Kwinana and
Rockingham, on the west by
Garden Island and
Carnac Island, and includes several rocky outcrops and reefs.
Gage Roads lies to the north.
The sound was named in 1827 by Captain
James Stirling, probably after Admiral
Sir George Cockburn.
The
Perth Seawater Desalination Plant can be found here.
Water pollution
Several media reports have been made on pollution of the water in Cockburn Sound, where in late 2015 an estimated 2,100 fish died as a result of
algal blooms through poor local water quality.
Reports from 2010 suggest the monitoring of pollutants was not adequate, using degradation of sea-grass since 2005 as a key indicator.
Media coverage in December 2016 indicates the leaking of firefighting chemicals from the
local defence base at
Garden Island could be a factor,
however the report was only made available in September 2016. Prior official reports indicate the water quality was improving. However, there is doubt towards the scope of the report, as it does not include factors such as thermal stress from increased water temperature and oxygen stress as a result of climate change and localised desalination.
See also
*
Kwinana
*
Success Bank
References
External links
Cockburn Sound Management Council Annual Report from 2005
{{Authority control
Bodies of water of the Indian Ocean