Breaksea Islands (Tasmania)

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Breaksea Islands Group
Relief Map of Tasmania.png
Red pog.svg
Breaksea Islands
Location off the south western coast of Tasmania
Geography
Location Port Davey
Coordinates 43°19′12″S145°57′36″E / 43.32000°S 145.96000°E / -43.32000; 145.96000 Coordinates: 43°19′12″S145°57′36″E / 43.32000°S 145.96000°E / -43.32000; 145.96000
Adjacent bodies of water Southern Ocean
Total islands6
Area16 ha (40 acres)
Administration
Australia
State Tasmania
Region South West
Demographics
Population0
Breaksea Islands at the entrance to Bathurst Channel Breaksea Islands at the entrance to Bathurst Channel.png
Breaksea Islands at the entrance to Bathurst Channel

The Breaksea Islands Group is a group of six islands, located in the Southern Ocean, off the south western coast of Tasmania, Australia. [1]

Contents

Located near the mouth of Port Davey, the group comprise the North Breaksea and Main Breaksea Islands, [2] the Fitzroy, Kathleen, and Munday islands, and the Mavourneen Rocks. The group have a total area of approximately 16 hectares (40 acres) and are contained within the Southwest National Park, part of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Site and the Port Davey/Bathurst Harbour Marine Nature Reserve. [3]

Fauna

The islands are noted as a breeding site for many seabird species, including little penguin (400 pairs), short-tailed shearwater (3-5000 pairs), fairy prion (20 pairs) and silver gull. The Tasmanian tree skink is present. [2] Rabbits were introduced in the 19th century by whalers. [4] and have caused some damage to vegetation and soil. [5]

The islands are part of the Port Davey Islands Important Bird Area, so identified by BirdLife International because of its importance for breeding seabirds. [6]

See also

Related Research Articles

Kathleen Island

Kathleen Island is a steeply cliffed island that lies within Port Davey, an oceanic inlet, located in the south west region of Tasmania, Australia. The island has an area of approximately 11.35 hectares and is contained with the Southwest National Park, part of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Site and the Port Davey/Bathurst Harbour Marine Nature Reserve.

Shanks Islands

The Shanks Islands form a group of five small rocky islets located close to the south-western coast of Tasmania, Australia. Situated near where the mouth of Port Davey meets the Southern Ocean, the islets have a combined area of 2.72 hectares and are part of the Swainson Islands Group. They comprise part of the Southwest National Park and the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Site.

Trumpeter Islets

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.

Port Davey

Port Davey is an oceanic inlet located in the south west region of Tasmania, Australia.

Wild Wind Islets

The Wild Wind Islets comprise a group of five steep rocky unpopulated islets 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 3.95-hectare (9.8-acre) islets are one of the eight islands that comprise the Mutton Bird Islands Group. The Wild Wind Islets are part of the Southwest National Park and the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Site.

South East Mutton Bird Islet

South East Mutton Bird Islet is a steep unpopulated islet located close to the south-western coast of Tasmania, Australia. Situated 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) south of where the mouth of Port Davey meets the Southern Ocean, the 0.52-hectare (1.3-acre) islet is one of the eight islands that comprise the Mutton Bird Islands Group. The South East Mutton Bird Islet is part of the Southwest National Park and the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Site.

South West Mutton Bird Islet

South West Mutton Bird Islet is a dome-shaped unpopulated islet 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 0.52-hectare (1.3-acre) islet is one of the eight islands that comprise the Mutton Bird Islands Group. The South West Mutton Bird Islet is part of the Southwest National Park and the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Site.

Mutton Bird Island

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.

Sugarmouse Island

Sugarmouse Island is an unpopulated islet 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 0.54-hectare (1.3-acre) islet is one of the eight islands that comprise the Mutton Bird Islands Group. Sugarmouse Island is part of the Southwest National Park and the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Site.

East Pyramids

The East Pyramids comprise a group of three steep, rocky unpopulated islets 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 6.69-hectare (16.5-acre) islets are one of the eight islands that comprise the Mutton Bird Islands Group. The East Pyramids are part of the Southwest National Park and the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Site.

Sugarloaf Rock (Mutton Bird Group)

The Sugarloaf Rock is a steep, rocky unpopulated islet 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 3.56-hectare (8.8-acre) islet is one of the eight islands that comprise the Mutton Bird Islands Group. The Sugarloaf Rock is part of the Southwest National Park and the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Site.

Wendar Island

Wendar Island comprises a main unpopulated island and five immediately adjacent islets 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 5.8-hectare (14-acre) island and islets are one 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.

Big Caroline Rock

The Big Caroline Rock is an unpopulated island located close to the south-western coast of Tasmania, Australia. Situated near where the mouth of Port Davey meets the Southern Ocean, the 2.2-hectare (5.4-acre) island is part of the Swainson Islands Group, and comprises part of the Southwest National Park and the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Site.

Swainson Island

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.

Hay Island (Tasmania)

The Hay Island is an unpopulated island located close to the south-western coast of Tasmania, Australia. Situated near where the mouth of Port Davey meets the Southern Ocean, the 1.85-hectare (4.6-acre) island with an elevation of 78 metres (256 ft) above sea level, is part of the Swainson Islands Group, and comprises part of the Southwest National Park and the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Site.

Fitzroy Islands (Tasmania)

The Fitzroy Islands comprise a group of four rocky islets that lie within the upper reaches of Payne Bay in Port Davey, an oceanic inlet, located in the south west region of Tasmania, Australia. The islands have a combined area of approximately 0.18 hectares and are contained with the Southwest National Park, part of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Site and the Port Davey/Bathurst Harbour Marine Nature Reserve.

Mavourneen Rocks

The Mavourneen Rocks is a group of four steep, rocky islets that lie within Port Davey, an oceanic inlet, located in the south west region of Tasmania, Australia. The islets have a combined area of approximately 0.88 hectares and are contained with the Southwest National Park, part of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Site and the Port Davey/Bathurst Harbour Marine Nature Reserve.

West Pyramid

West Pyramid is an unpopulated steep-sided island located close to the south-western coast of Tasmania, Australia. Situated some 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) north of the mouth of Port Davey where it meets the Southern Ocean, the 2.5-hectare (6.2-acre) island is part of the Trumpeter Islets Group, and comprises part of the Southwest National Park and the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Site.

Hobbs Island (Tasmania)

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.

Munday Island

Munday Island is a small island that lies between Port Davey, an oceanic inlet, and Bathurst Channel, located in the south west region of Tasmania, Australia. The island is contained with the Southwest National Park, part of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Site and the Port Davey/Bathurst Harbour Marine Nature Reserve.

References

  1. "Breaksea Islands (TAS)". Gazetteer of Australia online. Geoscience Australia, Australian Government.
  2. 1 2 Brothers, Nigel; Pemberton, David; Pryor, Helen; Halley, Vanessa (2001). Tasmania's Offshore Islands: seabirds and other natural features. Hobart: Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery. ISBN   0-7246-4816-X.
  3. "Port Davey/Bathurst Harbour Marine Nature Reserve". Sea Fishing & Aquaculture: Area Restrictions: Marine Reserves. Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment, Tasmanian Government. 3 September 2014. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
  4. White, Gary (1980). Islands of South-West Tasmania. Sydney: self-published. ISBN   0-9594866-0-7.
  5. "Small Southern Islands Conservation Management Statement 2002" (PDF). Parks & Wildlife Service Tasmania. 2002. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 August 2006. Retrieved 23 July 2006.
  6. ""Port Davey Islands"". BirdLife International . Retrieved 16 June 2018.