Largest Islands of Australia

Geography

Tasmania, the largest island of Australia, has a landmass of 68,401 km2 (26,410 sq mi) and is located directly in the pathway of the notorious "Roaring Forties" wind that encircles the globe. To its north, it is separated from mainland Australia by Bass Strait. Tasmania is the only Australian state that is not located on the Australian mainland. About 2,500 kilometres (1,300 nautical miles) south of Tasmania island lies the George V Coast of Antarctica. Depending on which borders of the oceans are used, the island can be said to be either surrounded by the Southern Ocean, or to have the Pacific on its east and the Indian to its west. Still other definitions of the ocean boundaries would have Tasmania with the Great Australian Bight to the west, and the Tasman Sea to the east.

History

The island was adjoined to the mainland of Australia until the end of the last glacial period about 11,700 years ago. Much of the island is composed of Jurassic dolerite intrusions (the upwelling of magma) through other rock types, sometimes forming large columnar joints. Tasmania has the world's largest areas of dolerite, with many distinctive mountains and cliffs formed from this rock type. The central plateau and the southeast portions of the island are mostly dolerites. Mount Wellington above Hobart is a good example, showing distinct columns known as the Organ Pipes.

In the southern midlands as far south as Hobart, the dolerite is underlaid by sandstone and similar sedimentary stones.

Economy

Traditionally, Tasmania's main industries have been mining (including copper, zinc, tin, and iron), agriculture, forestry, and tourism. Tasmania is on Australia's electrical grid and in the 1940s and 1950s, a hydro-industrialisation initiative was embodied in the state by Hydro Tasmania. These all have had varying fortunes over the last century and more, involved in ebbs and flows of population moving in and away dependent upon the specific requirements of the dominant industries of the time. The state also has a large number of food exporting sectors, including but not limited to seafood (such as salmon, abalone and crayfish).

In the 1960s and 1970s there was a decline in traditional crops such as apples and pears, with other crops and industries eventually rising in their place.

Geography and geology

Kangaroo Island has a rugged coastline. A network of limestone caves hidden beneath the surface, especially along the southern and western coasts of the island, are estimated to have formed between one and two million years ago. They were formed from shell fragments from the exposed seabed around this time, after the dunes hardened over time, and rainwater dissolved the soft limestone to create the caverns. Before the 2020 bushfires, 120 caves had been discovered. Speleologists who have been exploring the land devegetated by the fires had found a further 150 caves by December 2025. They have also found previously undocumented species living in the caves. Most of these caves are not open to the public, but Kelly's Hill Caves have been a tourist attraction since the early 20th century.

History

Long ago, Ngurunderi's two wives ran away from him, and he was forced to follow them. He pursued them and as he did so he crossed Lake Albert and went along the beach to Cape Jervis. When he arrived there he saw his wives wading half-way across the shallow channel which divided Naroongowie from the mainland. He was determined to punish his wives, and angrily ordered the water to rise up and drown them. With a terrific rush the waters roared and the women were carried back towards the mainland. Although they tried frantically to swim against the tidal wave they were powerless to do so and were drowned.

Climate

Having a warm-summer Mediterranean climate (Csb), the winters between June and September are mild and wet, the summers usually warm and dry. Tempered by the ocean, particularly on the coastline, maximum temperatures in summer rarely exceed 35 °C (95 °F). Average temperatures in August range between 13 and 16 °C (55 and 61 °F) and in February, the hottest month, between 20 and 25 °C (68 and 77 °F). Between May and September the island receives two-thirds of its annual rainfall, varying from 450 millimetres (18 in) in Kingscote to around 900 millimetres (35 in) near Roo Lagoon on the top of the central plateau. The wettest month is July.

Economy

The economy is mostly agricultural (grapes, honey, wool, meat and grain). Traditionally, sheep grazing has been the key element in agriculture on the Island; however, in recent times, more diverse crops, such as potatoes and canola, have been introduced. Cattle farming has grown as well, with good quality beef cattle being raised in the higher rainfall areas. Tourism and fishing also play significant roles, with the island experiencing over 186,000 visitors per annum, and some of the best southern rock lobster being sourced from the island's rugged south coast. Kangaroo Island has South Australia's only eucalyptus oil distillery, with oil distilled from the endemic Kangaroo Island narrow leaf mallee.

Naming and history

The Rowley Shoals were so named by Captain Phillip Parker King in 1818 in honour of Captain Rowley who first sighted the Imperieuse Reef in 1800. It is believed that the Rowley Shoals reefs have been visited by fishermen from Indonesia, from at least the mid-18th century.

The fishermen were also collecting or hunting for Trepang (holothurians or sea cucumbers), turtle shell, trochus shell and shark fin.

These early visitors apparently knew the Rowley Shoals as Pulau Pulo Dhaoh. In later years, fishermen from Roti Island, south of Timor, also visited the Rowley Shoals, which they knew as Pulau Bawa Angin. The individual reefs were also given names, Mermaid Reef being called Pulau Manjariti, Clerke Reef was Pulau Tengah and Imperieuse Reef was Pulau Matsohor.

Geological history

The Rowley Shoals, along with Ningaloo Reef, the Ashmore and Cartier Islands and the Scott and Seringapatam Reefs, are the remnants of a Miocene aged barrier reef system which during the Middle Miocene around 16 million years ago spanned over 2,000 kilometres (1,200 mi) along the northwest Australian coast, but which was largely drowned due to tectonic subsidence during the late Miocene around 10 million years ago, with the Rowley Shoals having existed as isolated mounds since that time. Originally a fourth shoal existed to the southwest of the three existing mounds, but this reef was drowned by the Early Pleistocene, approximately 2.4 million years ago.

Description

Mermaid Reef, the northeastern one of the three reefs at 17°06′S 119°37′E, is an atoll with a large lagoon enclosed by a rim of coral, which falls dry. There are many drying patches in the lagoon. On the northeast side of the reef, there is a passage, about 60 m wide, leading into the lagoon. Mermaid Reef rises steeply from the surrounding ocean floor, which is 440 m deep. The atoll was named in 1818 by Captain Philip Parker King, who discovered the reef and named it after his ship HMS Mermaid.

Clerke Reef (also called Minstrel Shoal), at 17°19′S 119°21′E, lies about 23 km southwest of Mermaid Reef. The reef has a length of about 15 km north–south, and a width of about 6 km. Near the northern end of the reef lies Bedwell Islet, a bare sand cay about 2 m high.

Tourism

Since about 1977 charter boats based from Broome began operating deep sea fishing and diving expeditions to the reefs and seas around. Since this time interest in the area has grown considerably and the Rowley Shoals has achieved a reputation for offering some of the best diving in Australia.

Geography

Groote Eylandt lies about 50 kilometres (25 nautical miles) offshore from the Northern Territory mainland (i.e. the east coast of Arnhem Land), about 630 kilometres (390 mi) from Darwin, opposite Blue Mud Bay. The island measures about 50 kilometres (31 mi) from east to west and 60 kilometres (37 mi) from north to south; its area is 2,326.1 km2 (898.1 sq mi). It is generally quite low-lying, with an average height above sea level of 15 metres (49 ft), although Central Hill reaches an elevation of 219 metres (719 ft).

History

The traditional owners of Groote Eylandt, the Anindilyakwa people, have 14 clan groups, which make up the two moieties on Groote Eylandt. The Anindilyakwa people have inhabited the island for thousands of years. The clans maintain their traditions and have strong ties with the people in the community of Numbulwar and on Bickerton Island.

In 1856, the Jurambunga tribe, a local aboriginal conglomerate would regularly pass the island.

There had been regular contact between local Aboriginal people and Macassan traders who would visit the area searching for trepang from around the early to mid-1700s. They introduced culinary delights such as tamarinds, chilli and beer. The trade continued until the Australian Government introduced the White Australia Policy in 1906.

Geography and ecology

The island is about 123 km (76 mi) long and 22 km (14 mi) wide. It was inscribed as a World Heritage Site in 1992. The island is the largest sand island in the world at 1,840 km2 (710 sq mi). It is also Queensland's largest island, Australia's sixth largest island and the largest island on the east coast of Australia.

K'gari has rainforests, eucalyptus woodland, mangrove forests, wallum and peat swamps, sand dunes and coastal heaths. It is made up of sand that has been accumulating for approximately 750,000 years on volcanic bedrock that provides a natural catchment for the sediment carried on a strong offshore current northwards along the coast.

History

The lands that include the current day island have been inhabited from between 5,000 and 50,000 years ago by the Butchulla people. Originally attached to the mainland, K'Gari became an island 10,000–20,000 years ago due to rising seas.

The K'gari creation story, as told by Butchulla elder Olga Miller, is that Yendingie (also Yindingie) came down from the sky and set to work to make the sea and then the land until, when he arrived at the area now known as Hervey Bay, he was joined by a helper — a beautiful white spirit called Princess K'gari. K'gari fell in love with the beautiful land they had created and begged to be allowed to stay rather than returning to heaven.

Tourism

K'gari is one of Queensland's most popular islands for tourists, who can reach the island by ferry from Hervey Bay or Rainbow Beach, which takes approximately 50 minutes. Estimates of the number of visitors to the island each year range from 350,000 to 500,000. The chance of seeing a dingo in its natural setting is one of the main reasons people visit the island. The use of boardwalks and marked tracks by visitors is encouraged to reduce erosion.

It was reported in 2009 that tourists had created environmental problems in K'gari's lakes and on coastal dunes, as the foredunes were being used as a toilet by an estimated 90,000 bush campers each year. Many of the perched lakes have no outflow or inflow which exacerbates the problem.

Geography and nature

The island forms part of the state of Tasmania, and part of the Municipality of Flinders Island local government area. Flinders Island is only one of the many islands included in the Municipal area. Of these islands Flinders Island is the only island with more than one permanent settlement, and is by far the largest in the Furneaux Group.

The island is about 62 kilometres (39 mi) from north to south, and 37 kilometres (23 mi) from east to west. with a total land area of 1,333 square kilometres (515 sq mi). Mount Strzelecki in the south west is the island's highest peak at 782 metres (2,566 ft). About a third of the island is mountainous and rugged with ridges of granite running the length of the island. The coastal areas are dominated by sandy deposits often taking the shape of dunes.

History

Flinders Island was first inhabited at least 35,000 years ago, when people made their way from Australia across the then land-bridge which is now Bass Strait. A population remained until about 4,500 years ago, succumbing to thirst and hunger following an acute El Niño climate shift.

Some of the south-eastern islands of the Furneaux Group were first recorded in 1773 by British navigator Tobias Furneaux, commander of HMS Adventure, the support vessel with James Cook on Cook's second voyage. In February 1798, British navigator Matthew Flinders charted some of the southern islands, using one of the schooner Francis' open boats.

Demographics

Settlements include Whitemark (which has the island's main airstrip and about 155 inhabitants (2011) and Lady Barron (approx. 110 inhabitants), Blue Rocks, Killiecrankie, Wingaroo and Wybalenna (all below Lady Barron's population figure).

The 2016 census shows that the population is rising. The population of the Local Government Area, i.e. Flinders and Cape Barren Islands is 906; up from 776 in the 2011 Census and to 1010 in 2019.

The population of the 7255 postal code area, i.e. Flinders, is 833 up from 702 in 2011, a rise of over 16% for the Municipality and over 18% for Flinders over the 5-year period.

The median age of people in the Municipality has risen from 52 to 53, and the number of families has increased from 218 to 243.

Geography

The general topography of the island, which lies on the eastern (Queensland) side of the Gulf of Carpentaria, is flat with the maximum elevation of 150 metres (490 ft). The island is fringed by mangrove forests and contains 10 estuaries, all in near pristine condition.

The Manowar and Rocky Islands Important Bird Area lies about 40 kilometres (25 mi) to the northwest of Mornington.

The town of Gununa is located on the south-western end of the island overlooking the Appel Channel (16.682°S 139.192°E / -16.682; 139.192 (Appel Channel)) which separates it from Denham Island (16.7144°S 139.1597°E / -16.7144; 139.1597 (Denham Island)).

History

Lardil (also known as Gununa, Ladil) is an Australian Aboriginal language spoken on Mornington Island and the Northern Wellesley Islands, within the local government boundaries of the Mornington Shire. Kuku-Thaypan (also known as Gugu Dhayban, Kuku Taipan, Thaypan) is an Australian Aboriginal language spoken in Hann River, Laura and Musgrave River and on Mornington Island, within the local government boundaries of the Cook Shire.

Lardil, who prefer to be known as Kunhanaamendaa (meaning people of Kunhanhaa), is the predominant nation on Mornington Island and they are the traditional owners of the land and surrounding seas.

Climate

Mornington Island experiences a tropical savanna climate (Köppen: Aw), with a sweltering wet season from December to April, and a long dry season from May to November with cooler nights and lower humidity. Average daily maxima remain warm to hot year-round: from 25.8 °C (78.4 °F) in June and July to 33.3 °C (91.9 °F) in November. Average annual rainfall is 1,198.7 mm (47.19 in), and the highest daily rainfall recorded was 477.2 millimetres (18.79 in) on 1 March 2011. The island averages 110.6 clear days and 77.0 cloudy days annually. Extreme temperatures have ranged from 5.1 °C (41.2 °F) on 9 July 1974 to 39.8 °C (103.6 °F) on 6 December 2012.

Demographics

In the 2016 census, the population was 1,143 people. The majority of the islanders are Aboriginal. The majority of the people live in the township of Gununa.

In the 2021 census, the population was 1,025 people, the majority of whom (at least 80.2%) are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people.

Geography

Heard Island and the McDonald Islands lie in the southern Indian Ocean, about 4100 kilometres (2500 mi) south-west of Perth and 1700 kilometres (1100 mi) north of Antarctica. The closest land is the Kerguelen Islands, a French external territory, which are located about 450 kilometres (280 mi) to the north-west. The islands lie on the Kerguelen Plateau, a large igneous province that covers an area of about 2,000,000 square kilometres (770,000 sq mi). The territory includes Heard Island, Shag Islet, and the McDonald Islands. The islands are considered one of the most isolated places on Earth and contain the only active volcanoes in Australian territory.

History

The first confirmed sighting of Heard Island took place in 1853 when the island was spotted by the American captain John Heard aboard Oriental. Other sailors had reported observing land south of the Kerguelen Islands during the 1830s and 1840s, but whether they in fact sighted Heard Island is unclear. Researchers have suggested that earlier sightings of the island may have been kept secret for commercial reasons, but no evidence has been found on the island of human inhabitation or visitation prior to the 1850s. Heard named the island Heard Island and claimed it for the United States, but the country's government declined to endorse the claim. In 1854 the British captain William McDonald sighted the McDonald Islands aboard Samarang; he likewise named the islands after himself.