 Pelorus Rocks, off Kangaroo Island, ca 1925 | |
  Pelorus Islet | |
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Location | Great Australian Bight |
| Administration | |
Australia | |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 0 |
Pelorus Islet (also known as Pelorus Reef and Pelorus Rock) 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 (4.3 miles) east south-east of Cape Gantheaume. It was named by Captain Francis Harding, RN after HMS Pelorus.
Pelorus Islet is about 7 kilometres (4.3 miles) east south-east of Cape Gantheaume. It consists of three separate islets - a main round topped peak of 12 metres (39 feet) height with a reef with several rocks sitting above water level to its east and another exposed rock to its south-west. It is inaccessible by boat as it is subject to continuous swells. [1]
Peloris Islet was formed between 7500 and 8900 years ago after sea levels rose at the start of the Holocene when Kangaroo Island became separated from Yorke and Fleurieu Peninsulas. [2] Pelorus Islet is the remains of a volcanic intrusion reported as being some 506 million years old. [1] The islet rises abruptly from a depth of 35 metres (115 feet). [3]
As of 1996, no terrestrial vegetation was present as the islet has been ‘scoured of any soil and small eroded fragments, leaving only a few large boulders’ while the only vertebrate animals observed were New Zealand fur seals and crested terns. [1]
Nicolas Baudin is reported as being the first European to describe the islet, however he did not name the islet. The islet was surveyed in May 1838 by HMS Pelorus under the command of Captain Francis Harding RN. It is reported that Harding named the islet after the ship. [4] [5] The Pelorus Islet is reported as being the site of the wrecking of You Yangs on 14 June 1890. You Yangs was a 672 gross tonnage barque rigged screw steamer owned by Howard Smith and Sons. [6]
Pelorus Islet originally obtained protected area status as a fauna reserve under the former Fauna Conservation Act 1964 [7] As of 1996, it was described as being vacant crown land. [8] It obtained status as a fauna conservation reserve declared under the Crown Lands Act 1929-1966 on 16 March 1967. [9] As of 2016, the islet is part of the Cape Gantheaume Conservation Park. [10] As of 2012, the waters surrounding its shores are part of a habitat protection zone located within the boundaries of the Southern Kangaroo Island Marine Park. [11]
Seal Bay Conservation Park is a protected area located on the south coast of Kangaroo Island in the Australian state of South Australia. It is the home of the third largest Australian sea lion colony in Australia.
Cape du Couedic is a headland in the Australian state of South Australia located on the southwest tip of Kangaroo Island in the locality of Flinders Chase. It was named after a French naval officer, Charles Louis du Couëdic de Kergoualer, by the Baudin expedition to Australia during January 1803. It is the site for the Cape du Couedic Lighthouse. It is currently located within the Flinders Chase National Park.
D'Estrees Bay is a bay in the Australian state of South Australia located on the southern coast of Kangaroo Island about 39 kilometres south of Kingscote, the Island's principal centre.
Sir Joseph Banks Group Conservation Park is a protected area in the Australian state of South Australia located on the Sir Joseph Banks Group in Spencer Gulf about 25 kilometres (16 mi) east-northeast of Port Lincoln. The conservation park of which specific islands had been previously declared as Flora and Fauna Reserves under statutes in force prior to 1972, was proclaimed in 1972 under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972. It was declared ‘primarily for the conservation of Cape Barren geese, and to protect marine mammal habitat’. As of 1996, the conservation park did not include Spilsby island which is privately owned and ‘lighthouse reserves’ on other islands while the following islands have been added post-declaration - Reevesby Island which was added in 1974 and Dangerous Reef which was added in 1989. The conservation park was subsequently extended to include the waters within 2 nautical miles (4 km) of the shoreline of all islands in the group and Dangerous Reef via a declaration under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972 for the purpose of regulating and managing great white shark berleying activities. The conservation park is classified as an IUCN Category Ia protected area.
Beatrice Islet Conservation Park is a protected area occupying the Beatrice Islets and adjoining intertidal areas in Nepean Bay on Kangaroo Island, South Australia. It is located about 4 kilometres east of the town of Kingscote.
Busby Islet Conservation Park is a protected area located on Busby Islet in Nepean Bay on the north coast of Kangaroo Island in South Australia. The conservation park is located about 2 kilometres north of the town of Kingscote and occupies an area of 17 hectares on Busby Islet. It was dedicated in 1967 for 'the conservation of wildlife habitat' replacing previous statutory protection dating back to 1909. A management philosophy for the park published in 1987 supports the need to 'ensure the conservation, in perpetuity, of the natural environment, in particular the breeding habitat for birds of the ocean and seashore'. The conservation park is reported as supporting breeding populations of Australian pelicans, black-faced and pied cormorants, pied and sooty oystercatchers, and silver and Pacific gulls, serving as a roost site for migratory waders and being a place visited by Rock parrots and little grassbirds. The conservation park was declared as a 'no entry' area in October 2014. The conservation park is classified as an IUCN Category Ia protected 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.
Cape Gantheaume is a headland located on the south coast of Kangaroo Island in South Australia. It was named after Vice admiral Honoré Joseph Antoine Ganteaume (1755–1818) by the Baudin expedition to Australia during 1803. It is currently located within the protected area known as the Cape Gantheaume Wilderness Protection Area.
Nobby Islet is an islet located in the Great Australian Bight off the south coast of Kangaroo Island in the Australian state of South Australia approximately 50 kilometres south-west of Kingscote. It is currently part of the Seal Bay Conservation Park.
Paisley Islet is an islet located in the Great Australian Bight immediately off the west coast of Kangaroo Island in South Australia approximately 104 kilometres west south-west of Kingscote. It is currently part of the Flinders Chase National Park.
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.
Seal Island is an island located in Investigator Strait off the south coast of Yorke Peninsula in the Australian state of South Australia about 7 kilometres south south-west of Stenhouse Bay. Since 1972, it has been part of the Althorpe Islands Conservation Park.
Haystack Island is an island located in Investigator Strait off the south coast of Yorke Peninsula in the Australian state of South Australia about 6 kilometres south-west of Stenhouse Bay. Since 1972, it has been part of the Althorpe Islands Conservation Park.
Beatrice Islets are pair of islets in the Australian state of South Australia located in Nepean Bay on the north coast of Kangaroo Island about 4 kilometres east of Kingscote. The islets and adjoining intertidal areas are notable as habitat for bird life. The islet pair has enjoyed protected area status since 1909 and since at least 1972, have been part of the Beatrice Islet Conservation Park. During either the 1960s or the 1970s, the islets were extensively damaged by an exercise to remove an infestation of South African boxthorn.
Busby Islet is an islet in the Australian state of South Australia located in Nepean Bay on the north coast of Kangaroo Island about 2 kilometres north of the municipal seat of Kingscote. The islet and adjoining areas are notable as habitat for bird life. The islet has enjoyed protected area status since 1909 and since at least 1972, have been part of the Busby Islet Conservation Park.
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.
South Island is an island located in the Australian state of South Australia at the south end of Pondalowie Bay on the south-west extremity of Yorke Peninsula about 11 kilometres north-west by west of the town of Stenhouse Bay. The island has enjoyed protected area status since 1970 and since 1977, it has been part of the Innes National Park.
| West coast of Eyre Peninsula |
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| Spencer Gulf |
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| Investigator Strait | |||||||||
| Kangaroo Island |
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| Gulf St Vincent | |||||||||
| Backstairs Passage | |||||||||
| Encounter Bay and adjoining waters | |||||||||
| South east coast | |||||||||
| Mainland |
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