St Helens Island

Last updated

St Helens Island
St-Helens-out.jpg
St Helens Island is on the right hand side of this aerial photo
Relief Map of Tasmania.png
Red pog.svg
St Helens Island
Location of St Helens Island off the coast of Tasmania
Geography
Location Tasman Sea
Coordinates 41°20′S148°20′E / 41.333°S 148.333°E / -41.333; 148.333 Coordinates: 41°20′S148°20′E / 41.333°S 148.333°E / -41.333; 148.333
Archipelago Waterhouse Island Group
Area51 ha (130 acres)
Administration
Australia
State Tasmania

The St Helens Island, part of the Waterhouse Island Group, is a 51-hectare (130-acre) granite island situated in the Tasman Sea, lying close to the north-eastern coast of Tasmania, Australia. [1]

Contents

Other islands in the Waterhouse Group include Ninth, Tenth, Waterhouse, Little Waterhouse, Maclean, Baynes, Foster, Swan, Little Swan, Cygnet and Paddys islands and Bird Rock and George Rocks islets. [1]

History

Three applications were made to the colonial government in 1841, each for three acres, to operate shore-based whaling stations on the island. It is not clear if all or any of these was taken up. [2]

Fauna

View of St Helens Island St Helens Island.JPG
View of St Helens Island

The island is a conservation area, though it has been burnt in the past and is still subject to severe rabbit grazing. [1] The island forms part of the St Helens Important Bird Area, identified as such by BirdLife International because of its importance as a breeding site for seabirds and waders. [3]

Recorded breeding seabird species are little penguin, short-tailed shearwater, common diving-petrel, white-faced storm-petrel, Pacific gull and silver gull. European rabbits have been introduced. The metallic skink is present. [1]

See also

Related Research Articles

Waterhouse Island (Tasmania) Island in Tasmania, Australia

Waterhouse Island, part of the Waterhouse Island Group, is a 287-hectare (710-acre) granite island situated in Banks Strait, part of Bass Strait, lying close to the north-eastern coast of Tasmania, Australia.

Bird Rock (Tasmania)

The Bird Rock, part of the Waterhouse Island Group, is an uninhabited 1-hectare (2.5-acre) granite islet situated in Banks Strait, part of Bass Strait, lying close to the north-eastern coast of Tasmania, Australia.

Councillor Island Island in Tasmania, Australia

The Councillor Island, part of the New Year Group, is a 10.53-hectare (26.0-acre) granite island located in the Bass Strait, lying off the north-west coast of Tasmania, Australia.

Gull Island (Tasmania) Island in Tasmania, Australia

The Gull Island, part of the Passage Group within the Furneaux Group, is an 8.5-hectare (21-acre) granite island, located in Bass Strait southeast of Cape Barren Island, in Tasmania, in south-eastern Australia. The island is a conservation reserve and with the Passage and Forsyth islands, the Gull Island forms part of the Forsyth, Passage and Gull Islands Important Bird Area (IBA), identified as such by BirdLife International because it supports over 1% of the world populations of little penguins and black-faced cormorants.

Forsyth Island

The Forsyth Island, part of the Passage Group within the Furneaux Group, is a 167-hectare (410-acre) granite island, located in Bass Strait south of Cape Barren Island, in Tasmania, in south-eastern Australia. With the Passage and Gull islands, the Forsyth Island forms part of the Forsyth, Passage and Gull Islands Important Bird Area (IBA), identified as such by BirdLife International because it supports over 1% of the world populations of little penguins and black-faced cormorants.

Little Badger Island Island in Tasmania, Australia

The Little Badger Island, part of the Badger Group within the Furneaux Group, is a 2.5-hectare (6.2-acre) unpopulated low-lying granite island, located in Bass Strait, lying west of the Flinders and Cape Barren islands, Tasmania, south of Victoria, in south-eastern Australia.

Little Chalky Island Island in Tasmania, Australia

The Little Chalky Island, part of the Big Green Group within the Furneaux Group, is a 5-hectare (12-acre) unpopulated granite island, located in the Bass Strait, west of the Flinders Island and south of Chalky Island, in Tasmania, in south-eastern Australia. The island is part of the Chalky, Big Green and Badger Island Groups Important Bird Area.

Chalky Island (Tasmania)

The Chalky Island, part of the Big Green Group within the Furneaux Group, is a 41-hectare (100-acre) unpopulated granite island with limestone outcrops and dolerite dykes, located in the Bass Strait, west of the Flinders Island, in Tasmania, in south-eastern Australia. The island is contained within a conservation area and is part of the Chalky, Big Green and Badger Island Groups Important Bird Area.

Ninth Island Island in Bass Strait, Tasmania

The Ninth Island, part of the Waterhouse Island Group, is a 32-hectare (79-acre) uninhabited granite island situated in Bass Strait, lying close to the north-eastern coast of Tasmania, Australia. In November 2018, it was listed for sale for the fourth time, at $1.98 million. The property for sale is a landlocked title within a conservation covenant, preventing access to the island by any means except helicopter.

Little Waterhouse Island Island in Tasmania, Australia

The Little Waterhouse Island, part of the Waterhouse Island Group, is a 2.5-hectare (6.2-acre) granite island situated in Banks Strait, part of Bass Strait, lying close to the north-eastern coast of Tasmania, Australia.

Maclean Island Island in Tasmania, Australia

The Maclean Island, part of the Waterhouse Island Group, is a 1.11-hectare (2.7-acre) uninhabited granite islet, situated in Banks Strait, part of Bass Strait, lying close to the north-eastern coast of Tasmania, Australia.

Baynes Island

The Baynes Island, part of the Waterhouse Island Group, are a group of three granite uninhabited islets connected at low tide, with a combined area of 1.62 hectares, situated in Banks Strait, part of Bass Strait, lying close to the north-eastern coast of Tasmania, Australia.

Cygnet Island Island in Tasmania, Australia

The Cygnet Island, part of the Waterhouse Island Group, is a 0.5-hectare (1.2-acre) granite islet situated in Banks Strait, part of Bass Strait, lying close to the north-eastern coast of Tasmania, Australia.

Foster Islands (Tasmania) Island in Tasmania, Australia

The Foster Islands, part of the Waterhouse Island Group, are two small granite islands with a combined area of 48 hectares situated in Banks Strait, part of Bass Strait, lying close to the north-eastern coast of Tasmania, Australia. The islands form part of Small Bass Strait Island nature reserve.

Little Swan Island Island in Tasmania, Australia

The Little Swan Island, part of the Waterhouse Island Group, is a 12.64-hectare (31.2-acre) uninhabited granite island situated in Banks Strait, part of Bass Strait, lying close to the north-eastern coast of Tasmania, Australia.

Swan Island (Tasmania) Island in Bass Strait, Tasmania

Swan Island, part of the Waterhouse Island Group, is a 239-hectare (590-acre) granite island situated in Banks Strait, part of Bass Strait, lying close to the north-eastern coast of Tasmania, Australia.

George Rocks

The George Rocks, also historically known as King George's Rocks, is part of the Waterhouse Island Group, a group of three adjacent uninhabited granite islets and associated reefs with a combined area of 7 hectares, situated in Banks Strait, part of Bass Strait, lying close to the north-eastern coast of Tasmania, Australia.

Paddys Island Island in Tasmania, Australia

The Paddys Island, part of the Waterhouse Island Group, is a 4.6-hectare (11-acre) uninhabited granite island situated in the Tasman Sea, lying close to the north-eastern coast of Tasmania, Australia.

Sloping Island, incorporating the adjacent Sloping Reef, is an island nature reserve, with an area of 117 ha, in Tasmania in south-eastern Australia. It is part of the Sloping Island Group, lying close to the south-eastern coast of Tasmania around the Tasman and Forestier Peninsulas.

Flat Witch Island

Flat Witch Island, also known as Little Witch Island, is an island located close to the south-western coast of Tasmania, Australia. The 64-hectare (0.25 sq mi) island is part of the Maatsuyker Islands Group, and comprises part of the Southwest National Park and the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Site.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Brothers, Nigel; Pemberton, David; Pryor, Helen; & Halley, Vanessa. (2001). Tasmania’s Offshore Islands: seabirds and other natural features. Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery: Hobart. ISBN   0-7246-4816-X
  2. Evans, Kathryn (1993). Shore-based whaling in Tasmania historical research project. Hobart: Parks and Wildlife Service. p. 66.
  3. "IBA: St Helens (Tasmania)". Birdata. Birds Australia. Retrieved 24 October 2011.