St Helens Island

St Helens Island

St Helens Island is on the right hand side of this aerial photo
St Helens Island

Location of St Helens Island off the coast of Tasmania

Geography
Location Tasman Sea
Coordinates 41°20′S 148°20′E / 41.333°S 148.333°E / -41.333; 148.333Coordinates: 41°20′S 148°20′E / 41.333°S 148.333°E / -41.333; 148.333
Archipelago Waterhouse Island Group
Area 51 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]

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]

Fauna

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.[2]

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

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. "IBA: St Helens (Tasmania)". Birdata. Birds Australia. Retrieved 2011-10-24.
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