Native name: Temeteletta | |
---|---|
Geography | |
Location | River Derwent |
Coordinates | 43°03′S147°29′E / 43.050°S 147.483°E Coordinates: 43°03′S147°29′E / 43.050°S 147.483°E |
Administration | |
Australia | |
State | Tasmania |
Betsey Island, along with the adjacent Little Betsey Island and Betsey Reef, forms a nature reserve with an area of 176 ha in south-eastern Australia. They are part of the Betsey Island Group, lying close to the south-eastern coast of Tasmania around the entrance to the River Derwent. It is classified as an Important Bird Area by BirdLife International; it is an important site for little penguins with an estimated 15,000 pairs breeding there, [1] short-tailed shearwaters (130,000-170,000 nesting burrows), and black-faced cormorants (over 200 breeding pairs). [2]
The Aboriginal name of the island is Temeteletta. [3]
The island has previously been known as Lady Franklin Island, Franklin Island, Betsy Island and Willaumez Island. [4]
The first European name of the island was 'Bett's Island' after an officer who was on board an early ship exploring the region. [5] Though an alternate explanation has been that a man called Betts was the original owner: 'The correct name is Betts's Island, the first owner having been a person of the name of Betts. Popular usage has sanctioned a different spelling.' (Cassell's Picturesque Australasia (1889): page 142) [6]
The northern part of the island is dominated by Tasmanian blue gum forest, with the southern part mainly sedgeland. There is succulent salt marsh on the west. Problem weeds are Cape Leeuwin wattle and boxthorn.
Apart from the penguins, shearwaters and cormorants, kelp gulls and white-bellied sea-eagles have nested there. European rabbits have been present on the island since 1825. Reptiles present include the she-oak skink and White's skink. [1]
Maatsuyker Island is an island located close to the south coast of Tasmania, Australia. The 186-hectare (0.72 sq mi) island is part of the Maatsuyker Islands Group, and comprises part of the Southwest National Park and the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Site.
Little Green Island is a granite island, with an area of 87 hectares, in south-eastern Australia. It is part of Tasmania’s Great Dog Island Group, lying in eastern Bass Strait between Flinders and Cape Barren Islands in the Furneaux Group. It is partly a conservation area, and partly private property, used for grazing livestock. The island has been degraded by repeated burning and grazing. Commercial muttonbirding took place until 1957, and recreational muttonbirding since then. The island is part of the Franklin Sound Islands Important Bird Area, identified as such by BirdLife International because it holds over 1% of the world populations of six bird species.
The Trumpeter Islets comprise a group of two unpopulated islets, with a combined area of about a hectare, located close to the south-western coast of Tasmania, Australia. Situated some 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) where the mouth of Port Davey meets the Southern Ocean, the 1-hectare (2.5-acre) island is part of the Trumpeter Islets Group, and comprises part of the Southwest National Park and the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Site.
The Oyster Rocks are a close pair of small granite islands, with a combined area of about 6 ha, in south-eastern Australia. They are part of Tasmania’s Tin Kettle Island Group, lying in eastern Bass Strait between Flinders and Cape Barren Islands in the Furneaux Group. They are a conservation area. The islands are part of the Franklin Sound Islands Important Bird Area, identified as such by BirdLife International because it holds over 1% of the world populations of six bird species.
The Needle Rocks, also known as the Needles, are a group of five main rock islets located close to the south-western coast of Tasmania, Australia. With a combined area of approximately 10.5 hectares (0.041 sq mi), the islets are part of the Maatsuyker Islands Group, and comprise part of the Southwest National Park and the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Site.
The Albatross Island, part of the Hunter Island Group, is an 18-hectare (44-acre) island and nature reserve located in Bass Strait, that lies between north-west Tasmania and King Island, Australia. The Peerapper name for the island is Tangatema.
Curtis Island is a granite island, with an area of 150 ha, in south-eastern Australia. It is part of Tasmania’s Curtis Group, lying in northern Bass Strait between the Furneaux Group and Wilsons Promontory in Victoria. It is a nature reserve and has been identified as an Important Bird Area because it supports up to 390,000 breeding pairs of short-tailed shearwaters or Tasmanian muttonbirds.
The Passage Island, part of the Passage Group within the Furneaux Group, is a 253-hectare (630-acre) granite and dolerite island, located in Bass Strait south of Cape Barren Island, in Tasmania, in south-eastern Australia.
The Forsyth Island, part of the Passage Group within the Furneaux Group, is a 167-hectare (410-acre) granite island, located in Bass Strait south of Cape Barren Island, in Tasmania, in south-eastern Australia. With the Passage and Gull islands, the Forsyth Island forms part of the Forsyth, Passage and Gull Islands Important Bird Area (IBA), identified as such by BirdLife International because it supports over 1% of the world populations of little penguins and black-faced cormorants.
The Anderson Island, also known as Woody Island, part of the Tin Kettle Island Group of the Furneaux Group, is a 166-hectare (410-acre) granite island, located in Bass Strait, lying northeast of Tasmania, in south-eastern Australia. Anderson Island lies between Flinders and Cape Barren Islands and is partly a pastoral lease used for grazing sheep and cattle. The island is joined at low tide to nearby Little Anderson and Tin Kettle Islands by extensive intertidal mudflats. The island is supposed to be named after John Anderson, a sealer living on the island by 1842.
Little Dog Island is a square, flat granite island, with an area of 83 ha, in south-eastern Australia. It is part of Tasmania’s Great Dog Island Group, lying in eastern Bass Strait between Flinders and Cape Barren Islands in the Furneaux Group. It is a game reserve. It was previously grazed, a usage now ceased. The island is part of the Franklin Sound Islands Important Bird Area, identified as such by BirdLife International because it holds over 1% of the world populations of six bird species.
The Babel Island, part of the Babel Group within the Furneaux Group, is a 440-hectare (1,100-acre) granite island, located in Bass Strait, lying off the east coast of Flinders Island, Tasmania, south of Victoria, Australia. The privately owned island was named by Matthew Flinders from the noises made by the seabirds there.
The Ninth Island, officially Tareerpattel-tarerenner / Ninth Island, is a 32-hectare (79-acre) uninhabited granite island situated in Bass Strait as part of the Waterhouse Island Group, lying close to the north-eastern coast of Tasmania, Australia. In November 2018, it was listed for sale for the fourth time, at $1.98 million. The property for sale is a landlocked title within a conservation covenant, preventing access to the island by any means except helicopter.
Hen Island is an island located close to the south-western coast of Tasmania, Australia. The 7.6-hectare (0.029 sq mi) island is part of the Maatsuyker Islands Group, and comprises part of the Southwest National Park and the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Site.
The Ile du Golfe is a limestone island located close to the south-western coast of Tasmania, Australia. The long, narrow dolphin-shaped 68-hectare (0.26 sq mi) island is part of the Maatsuyker Islands Group, and comprises part of the Southwest National Park and the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Site.
Flat Witch Island, also known as Little Witch Island, is an island located close to the south-western coast of Tasmania, Australia. The 64-hectare (0.25 sq mi) island is part of the Maatsuyker Islands Group, and comprises part of the Southwest National Park and the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Site.
Walker Island is an island located close to the south-western coast of Tasmania, Australia. The 15-hectare (0.058 sq mi) island is part of the Maatsuyker Islands Group, and comprise part of the Southwest National Park and the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Site.
Mutton Bird Island is an irregularly shaped unpopulated island located close to the south-western coast of Tasmania, Australia. Situated some 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) south of where the mouth of Port Davey meets the Southern Ocean, the 44-hectare (110-acre) is the largest of the eight islands that comprise the Mutton Bird Islands Group. The Mutton Bird Island is part of the Southwest National Park and the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Site.
Swainson Island is an unpopulated island with an adjacent islet, located close to the south-western coast of Tasmania, Australia. Situated near where the mouth of Port Davey meets the Southern Ocean, the 4.14-hectare (10.2-acre) island is part of the Swainson Islands Group, and comprises part of the Southwest National Park and the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Site.
Hobbs Island, also known as Green Island, is an unpopulated island located close to the south-western coast of Tasmania, Australia. Situated some 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) north of where the mouth of Port Davey meets the Southern Ocean, the 9.7-hectare (24-acre) island is part of the Trumpeter Islets Group, and comprises part of the Southwest National Park and the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Site.