Geography | |
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Location | Spencer Gulf |
Administration | |
Australia |
Hopkins Island is an island located in Spencer Gulf off the east coast of Jussieu Peninsula on Eyre Peninsula in South Australia approximately 32 km (20 mi) south-east of Port Lincoln. It was named by Matthew Flinders in memory of John Hopkins who was one of the eight crew lost from a cutter that capsized on 21 February 1802. Since 2004, the island has been part of the Memory Cove Wilderness Protection Area.
Hopkins Island is located approximately 32 km (20 mi) south-east of Port Lincoln and 1.3 km (0.81 mi) west of Carrington Point, on the west coast of Thistle Island. The island is triangular in plan with its long axis being approximately 1,900 m (6,200 ft) and it maximum width being about 950 m (3,120 ft). Its long axis is aligned in a north-east direction, similar to that of the north-west coast of Thistle Island. The island has an area of 162 ha (400 acres)and has a maximum height of 69 m (226 ft) near its south west end. Access by boat is possible at the small beach on the island’s north coast. [1] [2]
In 1910, it was described as "low-lying and somewhat bare". [3]
Guano deposits were found in caves on the island. [4] It was quarried there in the 19th and early 20th centuries, [5] in some cases under a combined lease including deposits on Lewis Island and Williams Island. [6] In the 1930s, the lease was owned by Dr. Angas Johnson, [7] who purchased it on advice from Arthur Searcy and made it a sanctuary for seals, Cape Barren geese, rock parrots and the Stormy petrel. He had no intention of grazing goats on it, or allowing the activity to occur there. [8] The island had a reputation for being snake infested, but this was not observed by all landing parties. [9]
Hopkins Island was formed about 7000 years ago after sea levels rose at the start of the Holocene. [10] The island has a perimeter consisting of granite over which ‘a flat upper plateau’ of calcarenite sits and which supports ‘a thick soil bed’. [1] The island rises from the seabed at 30 m (98 ft) from within 200 m (660 ft) of its north west coast while the same transition occurs over a distance of almost 600 m (2,000 ft) on its south coast. On its north east coast, the passage between the island and Thistle Island is relatively shallow with a maximum charted depth of 11 m (36 ft) due to both islands sharing the same geological base strata. [2]
As of 1996, a shrubland dominated by marsh saltbush grows in the deeper soil present on most of the upper platform. Tussock grass and nitre bush is present in locations where thinner soils lying over underlying ridges of rock. Heath bluebush dominates the thinner exposed soils on the island’s perimeter. Weed species were represented by African box thorn, common iceplant, and grasses such as red brome and rat's-tail fescue. It was suggested that these weed species have been successful due to various attempts to develop a pasture on the island suitable for grazing. [1]
Accounts given of the island's ecology in 1933 refer to its informal name "Snake Island" and describes large populations of snakes and rats. It also noted the presence of little penguins, "thousands" of mutton birds and their eggs. [11] [12] [13] The lessee in the 1930s, Dr. Angas Johnson believed Cape Barren geese also roosted on the island. [7]
The short-tailed shearwater was reported in 1996 as being the dominant animal species on the island with an estimated population of ‘69700 adult birds in 34800 burrows.’ Other species observed at the time include the bush rat and the black tiger snake. [1] As of 2013, the island is reported as being an unconfirmed breeding site for flesh-footed shearwaters. [14]
Australian sea lions use the beach on the island’s north west coast as a haul out site. [1] In 1938, tuna (then referred to as "tunny") weighing up to 35 lb were caught off Hopkins Island. [15]
The island was one of several first sighted by Europeans on Saturday, 20 February 1802, from HMS Investigator whilst under the command of Matthew Flinders entered what is now Spencer Gulf. [16]
Flinders named the island on Wednesday, 24 February 1802, in memory of John Hopkins who lost his life, presumably drowned, along with seven other members of the crew on Sunday 21 February 1802 when one of HMS Investigator's cutters capsized near Cape Catastrophe. [17] [18]
Hopkins Island is one of the island sites from which guano was mined under licence from the South Australian Government prior to 1919. [19]
Hopkins Island is notable as a venue to see, swim and snorkel with Australian sea lions. [20]
Since 30 September 2004, Hopkins Island has been part of the Memory Cove Wilderness Protection Area. Previously, it had been part of the Lincoln National Park. [21] It originally obtained protected area status as a fauna reserve under the former Fauna Conservation Act 1964 in 1965 and status as a fauna conservation reserve declared under the Crown Lands Act 1929–1966 on 16 March 1967. [22] [23]
The Neptune Islands consist of two groups of islands located close to the entrance to Spencer Gulf in South Australia. They are well known as a venue for great white shark tourism.
Flinders Island is an island in the Investigator Group off the coast of South Australia approximately 32 kilometres (20 mi) west of mainland town Elliston. It was named by Matthew Flinders after his younger brother Samuel Flinders, the second lieutenant on HMS Investigator in 1802.
The Investigator Group is an archipelago in South Australia that consists of Flinders Island and five island groups located off the western coast of the Eyre Peninsula. It is named after HMS Investigator by her commander, Matthew Flinders when he explored the area in 1802. The Group lies within the Great Australian Bight. All the islands except Flinders Island, and a part of Pearson Island, are within the Investigator Group Wilderness Protection Area and the Waldegrave Islands Conservation Park.
Wedge Island is an island in the Australian state of South Australia located within the island group known as the Gambier Islands near the entrance to Spencer Gulf. It is the largest of the Gambier Islands, covers an area of about 10 square kilometres (3.9 sq mi) and is partly privately owned.
The Sir Joseph Banks Group is an archipelago in the Australian state of South Australia located in Spencer Gulf about 20 kilometres (12 mi) off the eastern coast of the Eyre Peninsula. It consists of 21 islands of which eighteen are in the Sir Joseph Banks Group Conservation Park while the surrounding waters are in the Sir Joseph Banks Group Marine Park. It is considered to be an important seabird breeding site.
Troubridge Island is an island located in the south west corner of Gulf St Vincent in South Australia near the eastern edge of the Troubridge Shoals off the east coast of Yorke Peninsula about 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) southeast by east of the town of Edithburgh It is notable for being a site of an operating lighthouse from 1856 until 2002 and as a site for a sea bird rookery. Since 1982, the island has been part of the Troubridge Island Conservation Park.
Pelican Lagoon is a seawater lagoon in the Australian state of South Australia located on the north coast of Kangaroo Island about 18.7 kilometres south east of Kingscote. It was named by Matthew Flinders on 4 April 1802 after the large population of pelicans present in its waters and adjoining shorelines. Its role as fishery hatchery had been identified by the early 20th century with the result that fishing in its waters has been restricted in varying degrees.
The Althorpe Islands are a group of islands in the Investigator Strait, off the south-western tip of Yorke Peninsula, South Australia. The group includes Althorpe Island and two rocky islets immediately to its west known as The Boobs. These are located 7.7 km south-southwest of Cape Spencer on the mainland. Closer inshore are Seal Island and Haystack Island, which together with Althorpe Island and The Boobs constitute the Althorpe Islands Conservation Park. A management plan for the Althorpe Islands Conservation Park was adopted in 2009. The islands are uninhabited and can only be accessed by sea or by helicopter.
Williams Island is an island in the Australian state of South Australia located off the south coast of Jussieu Peninsula on Eyre Peninsula approximately 34 km (21 mi) south-east of Port Lincoln. It was named by Matthew Flinders for Robert Williams who subsequently lost his life along with seven other crew in the capsize of a cutter launched from HM Sloop Investigator to search for water on 21 February 1802. Since 2004, the island has been part of the Memory Cove Wilderness Protection Area.
Little Island is an island in the Australian state of South Australia located in Spencer Gulf off the east coast of Jussieu Peninsula on Eyre Peninsula approximately 28 kilometres (17 mi) south-east of Port Lincoln. It was named by Matthew Flinders in memory of John Little who was one of the eight crew lost from a cutter that capsized sometime after being launched from HM Sloop Investigator to search for water on 21 February 1802. Since 2004, the island has been part of the Memory Cove Wilderness Protection Area.
Smith Island is an island located in Spencer Gulf off the east coast of Jussieu Peninsula on Eyre Peninsula in South Australia approximately 32 km (20 mi) south-east of Port Lincoln. It was named by Matthew Flinders in memory of William Smith who was one of the eight crew lost from a cutter that capsized sometime after being launched from HM Sloop Investigator to search for water on 21 February 1802. Since 2004, the island has been part of the Memory Cove Wilderness Protection Area.
Lewis Island is an island located in Spencer Gulf off the east coast of Jussieu Peninsula on Eyre Peninsula in South Australia approximately 29 km (18 mi) south-east of Port Lincoln. It was named by Matthew Flinders in memory of George Lewis who was one of the eight crew lost from a cutter that capsized sometime after being launched from HM Sloop Investigator to search for water on 21 February 1802. Since 2004, the island has been part of the Memory Cove Wilderness Protection Area.
Pelorus Islet is an islet in the Australian state of South Australia located in Great Australian Bight off the south coast of Kangaroo Island approximately 7 kilometres east south-east of Cape Gantheaume. It was named by Captain Francis Harding, RN after HMS Pelorus.
The Casuarina Islets, also known as The Brothers, is a pair of islands located in the Great Australian Bight immediately off the south-west coast of Kangaroo Island in South Australia approximately 96 kilometres south-west of Kingscote. The pair is currently part of the Flinders Chase National Park.
Owen Island, formerly known as Rabbit Island and also known as Little Taylor Island, is an island in the Australian state of South Australia located in Spencer Gulf off the east coast of Jussieu Peninsula on Eyre Peninsula approximately. 18.7 kilometres (11.6 mi) south-east of Port Lincoln. Since 1972, the island has been part of the Lincoln National Park.
Baudin Rocks, also previously known as the Godfrey Islands, is a group of islets on the south east coast of in the Australian state of South Australia about 8.3 kilometres North-northwest of Robe. The islet group was discovered and named by Matthew Flinders in 1802 after Nicolas Baudin. The group has had protected area status since 1965 and since 1972, the group has been part of the Baudin Rocks Conservation Park.
Ward Islands is an island group in the Australian state of South Australia located in the Investigator Group about 53 kilometres west by south of Cape Finniss on the west coast of Eyre Peninsula. The group was discovered and named by Matthew Flinders on 13 February 1802. The island group has enjoyed protected area status since the 1960s and since 2011, it been part of the Investigator Group Wilderness Protection Area.
Topgallant Islands is an island group in the Australian state of South Australia located in the Investigator Group about 22 kilometres south west of Cape Finniss on the west coast of Eyre Peninsula. The group was discovered and named by Matthew Flinders on 13 February 1802. The island group has enjoyed protected area status since the 1960s and since 2011, it has been part of the Investigator Group Wilderness Protection Area.
Waldegrave Islands is an island group in the Australian state of South Australia located in the Investigator Group about 2.5 kilometres northwest by west of Cape Finniss on the west coast of Eyre Peninsula. The group consists of Waldegrave Island, Little Waldegrave Island and according to some sources, a pair of rocks known as the Watchers. The group is notable as a breeding site for Australian sea lions and Cape Barren geese. The group has enjoyed protected area status since the 1960s and as of 1972 has been part of the Waldegrave Islands Conservation Park.
Dorothee Island is an island in the Australian state of South Australia which is part of the Pearson Isles which itself is part of the larger island grouping known as the Investigator Group. It is located about 69 kilometres west south-west of Cape Finniss on the west coast of Eyre Peninsula. It was discovered as part of the Pearson Isles by Matthew Flinders on 13 February 1802. The island was given its name in August 1969 in order to preserve a name used within the locality by the Baudin expedition. The island has enjoyed protected area status since at least 1972 and since 2011, it been part of the Investigator Group Wilderness Protection Area.