Taylor Island

Last updated

Taylor Island
Australia South Australia location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Taylor Island
Location in South Australia
EtymologyWilliam Taylor [1]
Geography
Location Spencer Gulf
Coordinates 34°52′41″S136°00′24″E / 34.877966°S 136.006687°E / -34.877966; 136.006687 Coordinates: 34°52′41″S136°00′24″E / 34.877966°S 136.006687°E / -34.877966; 136.006687 [1]
Area2.4 km2 (0.93 sq mi) [1]
Highest elevation84 m (276 ft) [1]
Administration

Taylor Island, also known as Taylor's Island, is the largest in a group of seven islands located between the Eyre Peninsula mainland and Thistle Island in the mouth of Spencer Gulf, South Australia. It was named by British explorer Matthew Flinders in 1802, after the loss of William Taylor, a midshipman and master's mate to John Thistle (after whom Thistle Island is named). [2] The remaining islands in the group are also named after lost members of Flinders' expedition: Little Island, Lewis Island, Smith Island, Hopkins Island and Grindal Island. [3] Taylor's Island has been used principally for the grazing of sheep while its surrounding waters are well regarded fishing grounds.

Contents

History

Great white sharks are known to the waters off Taylor Island. Great white shark south africa.jpg
Great white sharks are known to the waters off Taylor Island.

In 1876, a sporting party described Taylor Island as being "covered with rabbits, mutton birds, and Cape Barren geese." [4]

In 1910, a trawling expedition from Largs Bay to Venus Bay on the west coast of Eyre Peninsula was abandoned after the steamer Argyle was met with high seas in the Investigator Strait. At one stage there was 7 feet of water in the well, and the ship's hand pump couldn't improve the situation. Water came within 3 inches of the furnaces, and the engineers and the firemen were working in waist-deep water. By the vessel's continual rolling motion, coal was also washed out of the bunkers and into the bilges. The coal had to be fished out of the water by hand to feed the furnaces. As the coal had about 5 feet of water over it, the work was tedious and difficult. The crews worked with buckets and hand-pumps and gradually reduced the quantity of water in the vessel. Owing to the continuous strain, all on board became exhausted. After the ordeal, the ship anchored at Taylor's Island for five days, while the crew made necessary repairs. [5]

In 1935, grazier Clarence Henry Lines was accused of stealing twenty sheep from fellow grazier R. L. C. Sinclair and five from P. S. Sinclair. The allegedly 'stolen' sheep were found grazing on Taylor Island. Lines denied having stolen the sheep and pleaded 'not guilty' in court. [6] [7] [8] [9]

In 1940, the growth of feed for the grazing of sheep made Taylor Island 'a sight to be seen'. [10]

In 1947, Mr. Norm Johnson caught an unusually large snook off Taylor Island. It was 3 ft 3 inches in length, 10 inches in girth and weighed over 7 lbs. [11]

In March 1950, first-time big game fisherman Mr. A. Dean of Mildura hooked four great white sharks near Taylor Island. He only succeeded in landing one, which measured 11 ft. 5 inches. Its girth was 6 ft and it weighed 860 lb. Another escaped after a 30-minute struggle and was estimated to be 14 ft long. [12]

As of 1996, Taylor Island was under perpetual lease, and was still used for minor grazing. [13]

A navigation aid consisting of a 9-metre-high (30 ft) tower with a single flashing light was installed in 1982. The light, which is 76 m (249 ft) above sea level, assists vessel underway at night along the east coast of the Jussieu Peninsula, particularly those vessels that approaching from the south via the Thorny Passage or the east coast of Thistle Island. [14] [15]

Flora and Fauna

Plants recorded on Taylor Island include: Dryland Tea-tree (Melaleuca lanceolata), Coastal White Mallee (Eucalyptus diversifolia), Nitre bush, Pointed twinleaf, Native juniper, Kangaroo thorn, Dysentery bush, Old man's beard, Yorrell, Native lilac, Weeping pittosporum and Cockie's tongue. Western grey kangaroos were introduced to the island, but Brush-tailed possums are native there. Birds include Brown falcon, Grey fantail, Golden whistler and Richard's pipit. Rosenberg's goanna lives on the island. [13]

See also

Related Research Articles

Lincoln National Park Protected area in South Australia

Lincoln National Park is a protected area in the Australian state of South Australia located about 249 kilometres (155 mi) west of the state capital of Adelaide and about 9.5 kilometres (5.9 mi) south of the municipal seat of Port Lincoln. It consists of a mainland area on the Jussieu Peninsula on the south eastern tip of Eyre Peninsula and a number of nearby islands. The national park contains significant sites of natural, indigenous and early European heritage.

Spencer Gulf A large inlet in South Australia between the Eyre Peninsula and the Yorke Peninsula

The Spencer Gulf is the westernmost and larger of two large inlets on the southern coast of Australia, in the state of South Australia, facing the Great Australian Bight. It spans from the Cape Catastrophe and Eyre Peninsula in the west to Cape Spencer and Yorke Peninsula in the east.

Port Lincoln City in South Australia

Port Lincoln is a city on the Lower Eyre Peninsula in the Australian state of South Australia. It is situated on the shore of Boston Bay, which opens eastward into Spencer Gulf. It is the largest city in the West Coast region, and is located approximately 280 km as the crow flies from the State's capital city of Adelaide. In June 2019 Port Lincoln had an estimated population of 16,418, having grown at an average annual rate of 0.55% year-on-year over the preceding five years. The city is reputed to have the most millionaires per capita in Australia. The town claims to be the "Seafood Capital of Australia".

Eyre Peninsula South Australia

The Eyre Peninsula is a triangular peninsula in South Australia. It is bounded on the east by Spencer Gulf, the west by the Great Australian Bight, and the north by the Gawler Ranges.

Clarke Island (Tasmania)

The Clarke Island, part of the Furneaux Group, is an 82-square-kilometre (32 sq mi) island in Bass Strait, south of Cape Barren Island, about 24 kilometres (15 mi) off the northeast coast of Tasmania, Australia.

Flinders Island (South Australia)

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.

Thistle Island

Thistle Island is in the Spencer Gulf, South Australia, some 200 kilometres (120 mi) west of Adelaide, and northwest of the Gambier Islands. The city of Port Lincoln lies to the northwest of the island. Between them, the Gambier Islands and Thistle form a chain across the mouth of the gulf between the southern tips of the Yorke and Eyre Peninsulas, sometimes referred to as the Taylor Islands group.

ST <i>Koraaga</i> (1914)

Koraaga was a Castle class steel-hulled trawler built in 1914 by Smiths Dock Company, South Bank, Middlesbrough. She was requisitioned as an auxiliary minesweeper operated by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) in October 1917 for minesweeping duties during World War I, but she was never commissioned. Koraaga returned to be operated commercially as a fishing trawler until she wrecked when she struck a reef off Bass Point whilst carrying returning to Sydney. She was refloated on the tide after having becoming stranded and drifted till she was finally lost 5 miles east of Black Head, Gerringong New South Wales on 10 September 1931.

Sir Joseph Banks Group

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.

Liguanea Island

Liguanea Island is an uninhabited granite island in the Australian state of South Australia located 3.7 km south of Cape Carnot at the southern, central point of Eyre Peninsula. It is approximately 2.7 km long, 180 ha in size its elevation above sea level is estimated to be 43 metres. It is approximately 35 km south-west of Port Lincoln in the Great Australian Bight. The island forms part of the Lincoln National Park.

Louth Island

Louth Island is a 135 ha island located in Louth Bay, Spencer Gulf, South Australia. The island is privately owned, and has previously been used for the grazing of sheep and mining of guano. The island has an old building with sleeping quarters, several beaches, inshore rocky reef and a boat anchorage. It is 17.5 km NNE of Port Lincoln and is easily accessible by boat. The indigenous name for the island is Yorunu.

Grantham Island

Grantham Island is an uninhabited island occupying 51 ha of Proper Bay, Spencer Gulf, South Australia. The nearest geographical feature on the mainland is Murray Point, which is also undeveloped. The island was named by explorer Matthew Flinders on 25 February 1802, after the municipal and parliamentary borough of Grantham, Lincolnshire, England. It lies 3 km south of the Port Lincoln marina and is well vegetated.

Boston Island

Boston Island is a 960-hectare (2,400-acre) privately owned island in Boston Bay, Spencer Gulf, South Australia. It has been primarily used for grazing sheep and was also once the location of a proposed township called Kerrillyilla at the southern end of the island. In 2009, the island was rezoned to allow for future residential and tourism development. As of 2009, it is owned by the former mayor of Port Lincoln, Peter Davis. Davis' development plans include up to 1,000 residential allotments, three tourism developments and an inland marina. Prior to rezoning, there had been little interest expressed in the development plan, despite the then mayor's enthusiasm.

Grindal Island

Grindal Island is a 90-hectare (220-acre) island of the Taylor Islands group, located between the Jussieu Peninsula and Thistle Island near the mouth of Spencer Gulf, South Australia. It was purchased by G. Dorwald in 1895. It has been used for the grazing of sheep. According to Captain R.R. Tapley of the Martindale, in the 1890s the island was home to hundreds of Cape Barren geese. "Buggy wheel tracks" were also visible, which he learnt were actually rat pads. In 1936 he reflected on his experiences 40 years prior, stating: "The rats suddenly disappeared, and have not been seen since. They used to run over everything and everybody at night".

Little Island (South Australia)

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 (South Australia)

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 (South Australia)

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.

Hopkins Island

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.

Pearson Island

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.

Dangerous Reef

Dangerous Reef is an island and reef system located in Spencer Gulf in the Australian state of South Australia about 32.5 kilometres (20.2 mi) east-south east of the city of Port Lincoln. It is the southernmost member of the Sir Joseph Banks Group. It has been the site of a navigation aid since 1911. It is notable as the site of a breeding colony of Australian sea lions. The waters adjoining its shore are notable as a place to view great white sharks to the extent that it was both a popular gamefishing and shark cage diving venue during the twentieth century, and was used to film footage for the following motion pictures – Blue Water White Death and Jaws. The island has enjoyed protected area status since 1900 and it has been part of the Sir Joseph Banks Group Conservation Park since 1989.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Search results for "Taylor Island" with the following datasets selected – "Suburbs and Localities", "NPW and Conservation Properties" and "Gazetteer"". Location SA Map Viewer. South Australian Government. Retrieved 24 October 2019.
  2. ↑ Aarons, Frederick "A tardy tribute. Flinders' statue." Sydney Morning Herald, New South Wales (1925-10-06). Retrieved 2014-01-28.
  3. ↑ Property Location Browser V2 Government of South Australia. Accessed 2014-01-20.
  4. ↑ "A Sporting Excursion to the Neptune Islands" South Australian Chronicle & Weekly Mail, South Australia (1876-12-02). Retrieved 2014-01-24.
  5. ↑ "A trawling expedition. Bailing for dear life. All hands exhausted." The Advertiser, South Australia (1910-06-14). Retrieved 2014-01-28.
  6. ↑ "Defence opens its case - Hearing of charges against grazier - STRONG DENIAL", News, South Australia (1935-12-10). Retrieved 2014-01-28.
  7. ↑ "Criminal sittings." The Advertiser, South Australia (1935-12-07). Retrieved 2014-01-28.
  8. ↑ "Grazier remanded - Sheep stealing allegation - May be more charges", Port Lincoln Times, South Australia (1935-10-11). Retrieved 2014-01-28.
  9. ↑ "Sheep shown to jurors - Prosecutor helps display them - THEFT CHARGES" News, South Australia (1935-12-05). Retrieved 2014-01-28.
  10. ↑ "Season on the islands. Abundance of good sheep feed" Port Lincoln Times, South Australia (1940-08-08). Retrieved 2014-01-28.
  11. ↑ "Large snook caught near Taylor's Island" Port Lincoln Times, South Australia (1947-05-22). Retrieved 2014-01-28.
  12. ↑ "Newcomer to shark fishing - HOOKS FOUR ON FIRST TRIP" Port Lincoln Times, South Australia (1950-03-16). Retrieved 2014-01-28.
  13. 1 2 Robinson, Tony; Canty, Peter; Mooney, Trish; Rudduck, Penny (1996). South Australia's Offshore Islands (PDF). South Australia: Resource Management Branch, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, South Australia. ISBN   0 644 35011 3.
  14. ↑ "Listed by State (i.e. lighthouses & navigation aids)". Australian Lighthouses. Archived from the original on 26 January 2014. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
  15. ↑ Royal Australian Navy Hydrographic Service (1983). Port Lincoln and approaches (chart no. Aus 134).
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.