| Pullen Island Conservation Park South Australia | |
|---|---|
IUCN category Ia (strict nature reserve) | |
  Pullen Island Conservation Park | |
| Nearest town or city | Port Elliot |
| Coordinates | 35°32′16.96″S138°41′29.13″E / 35.5380444°S 138.6914250°E Coordinates: 35°32′16.96″S138°41′29.13″E / 35.5380444°S 138.6914250°E [1] |
| Established | 16 March 1967 [2] |
| Area | 2 hectares (4.9 acres) [3] |
| Visitation | level unknown (in 1983) [4] :23–24 |
| Managing authorities | Department for Environment and Water |
| See also | Protected areas of South Australia |
Pullen Island Conservation Park is a protected area includes all of Pullen Island about 0.5 kilometres (0.31 miles) south of Port Elliot in South Australia and about 94 kilometres (58 miles) south of Adelaide. [4]
Protected areas or conservation areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognized natural, ecological or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the enabling laws of each country or the regulations of the international organizations involved.
Pullen Island is a 1 ha granite island lying 0.5 km offshore from the town of Port Elliot on the southern coast of the Fleurieu Peninsula of South Australia. It was originally named Lipson Island but was renamed in 1839 by W.J.S. Pullen, the Colonial Marine Surveyor, after himself. The island is protected by designation as the Pullen Island Conservation Park.
Port Elliot is a town in South Australia toward the eastern end of the south coast of the Fleurieu Peninsula. It is situated on the sheltered Horseshoe Bay, a small bay off the much larger Encounter Bay. Pullen Island lies outside the mouth of the bay. At the 2006 census, Port Elliot had a population of 1,754, although this section of the coast is now built up almost all the way from Goolwa to Victor Harbor.
The park was proclaimed in 1972 under National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972 replacing earlier protected area status as a Fauna Conservation Reserve which was proclaimed in 1967. The protected area status exists to protect the island as a breeding area for sea birds such as little penguins and silver gulls. [4]
The little penguin is the smallest species of penguin. It grows to an average of 33 cm (13 in) in height and 43 cm (17 in) in length, though specific measurements vary by subspecies. It is found on the coastlines of southern Australia and New Zealand, with possible records from Chile. In Australia, they are often called fairy penguins because of their small size. In New Zealand, they are more commonly known as little blue penguins or blue penguins owing to their slate-blue plumage; they are also known by their Māori name: kororā.
The silver gull is the most common gull seen in Australia. It has been found throughout the continent, but particularly at or near coastal areas.
The conservation park is classified as an IUCN Category IA protected area. [1] In 1980, it was included on the now-defunct Register of the National Estate. [5]
The International Union for Conservation of Nature is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natural resources. It is involved in data gathering and analysis, research, field projects, advocacy, and education. IUCN's mission is to "influence, encourage and assist societies throughout the world to conserve nature and to ensure that any use of natural resources is equitable and ecologically sustainable".
The Register of the National Estate was a heritage register that listed natural and cultural heritage places in Australia that was closed in 2007. It has been replaced by the Australian National Heritage List and the Commonwealth Heritage List and various state and territory heritage registers.
