Investigator Group Wilderness Protection Area South Australia | |
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View of the southern end of Pearson Island | |
Nearest town or city | Elliston |
Coordinates | 33°55′58.74″S134°17′2.27″E / 33.9329833°S 134.2839639°E Coordinates: 33°55′58.74″S134°17′2.27″E / 33.9329833°S 134.2839639°E |
Established | 25 August 2011 [2] |
Area | 4.4 km2 (1.7 sq mi) [3] |
Managing authorities | Department for Environment and Water |
See also | Protected areas of South Australia |
Investigator Group Wilderness Protection Area is a protected area in South Australia, located in the Investigator Group of islands off the west coast of Eyre Peninsula, between 25 kilometres (16 miles) and 70 kilometres (43 miles) south-west of Elliston. [4]
It was proclaimed in August 2011 under the Wilderness Protection Act 1992 to protect "important haul-out areas for the Australian sea lion and New Zealand fur seal" and habitat for species such as white-faced storm petrels, Cape Barren geese, mutton birds and the Pearson Island black-footed rock-wallaby. The wilderness protection area was created from land excised from the Investigator Group Conservation Park. It consists of the Ward Islands, the Top Gallant Isles, and the Pearson Isles, which consist of Dorothee Island, Pearson Island and Veteran Isles with the exception of a portion of land on Pearson Island held by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority for "lighthouse purposes". [4]
Since 2012, the waters adjoining the islands located in the wilderness protected area have been part of the Investigator Marine Park. [5]
The wilderness protected area is classified as an IUCN Category Ib protected area. [1]
Protected areas of South Australia consists of protected areas located within South Australia and its immediate onshore waters and which are managed by South Australian Government agencies. As of March 2018, South Australia contains 359 separate protected areas declared under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972, the Crown Land Management Act 2009 and the Wilderness Protection Act 1992 which have a total land area of 211,387.48 km2 (81,617.16 sq mi) or 21.5% of the state's area.
Nullarbor National Park is a protected area in the Australian state of South Australia located in the locality of Nullarbor about 887 kilometres (551 mi) west of the state capital of Adelaide and about 400 kilometres (250 mi) west of Ceduna.
Ravine Des Casoars Wilderness Protection Area is a protected area located on the west end of Kangaroo Island in South Australia about 80 km (50 mi) west of Kingscote. It was established in 1993 on land previously part of the Flinders Chase National Park.
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.
The Nuyts Archipelago is an island group located in South Australia in the Great Australian Bight to the south of the town of Ceduna on the west coast of the Eyre Peninsula. It consisting of mostly granitic islands and reefs that provide breeding sites for Australian sea lions and support colonies of short-tailed shearwater. It also includes the island group known as the Isles of St Francis. All the islands with exception of a part of Evans Island, are located with the following protected areas - the Nuyts Archipelago Wilderness Protection Area and the Nuyts Archipelago Conservation Park.
Nuyts Archipelago Conservation Park is a protected area in the Australian state of South Australia located on Eyre Island and St Peter Island in the Nuyts Archipelago located off the west coast of Eyre Peninsula about 10 kilometres south and 25 kilometres south-east respectively of Ceduna.
Cape Bouguer Wilderness Protection Area is a protected area located on the south coast of Kangaroo Island in South Australia about 84 kilometres south-west of Kingscote. The wilderness protection area was proclaimed in October 1993 under the Wilderness Protection Act 1992 in order to ‘protect and preserve the outstandingly high wilderness qualities of the area.’ It was created on land excised from the Kelly Hill Conservation Park. It is classified as an IUCN Category Ib protected area.
Nuyts Archipelago Wilderness Protection Area is a protected area in the Australian state of South Australia located in the Nuyts Archipelago off the west coast of Eyre Peninsula within 10 kilometres to 75 kilometres south-west of Ceduna.
Danggali Wilderness Protection Area is a protected area located about 70 kilometres north of Renmark in South Australia. The wilderness protection area was proclaimed under the Wilderness Protection Act 1992 on 28 May 2009 on land excised from the Danggali Conservation Park. It is classified as an IUCN Category Ib protected area.
Smooth Island is an island in the Australian state of South Australia located off the west coast of Eyre Peninsula about 52 kilometres south west of the town of Ceduna. It is both part of a local group of islands known as the Isles of St Francis group and a larger group known as the Nuyts Archipelago. It has enjoyed protected area status since the 1960s and since 2011, it has been part of the Nuyts Archipelago Wilderness Protection Area.
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.
Billiatt Wilderness Protection Area is a protected area located about 30 kilometres north of Lameroo in South Australia.
Nullarbor Wilderness Protection Area is a protected area in the Australian state of South Australia located about 270 kilometres west of Ceduna in the locality of Nullarbor.
Pearson Isles is an island group located in the Australian state of South Australia about 65 kilometres to 72 kilometres west south-west of Cape Finniss on the west coast of Eyre Peninsula within the larger island group, the Investigator Group. The group was discovered and named by Matthew Flinders on 13 February 1802. The group has four members - Pearson Island, a pair of islands known as the Veteran Isles and Dorothee Island. The island group has enjoyed protected area status starting in 1916 and since 2011, it has been part of the Investigator Group Wilderness Protection Area. The island group is notable as a venue for scientific research.
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.
Veteran Isles is a pair of islands in the Australian state of South Australia which is part of the Pearson Isles which itself is part of the larger island group 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.
Pearson Island is an island located in the Australian state of South Australia within the Pearson Isles an island group located in the larger group known as the Investigator Group about 63 kilometres southwest by 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. Pearson Island is notable both for its colony of Pearson Island Rock wallaby and for being a destination for scientific research.
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Investigator Marine Park is a marine protected area in the Australian state of South Australia located in the state's coastal waters in its west adjoining the west coast of Eyre Peninsula and islands in the Investigator Group respectively to the south-east and south-west of the town of Elliston.