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]
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
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
References
- ^ a b c d 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
- ^ Evans, Kathryn (1993). Shore-based whaling in Tasmania historical research project. Hobart: Parks and Wildlife Service. p. 66.
- ^ "IBA: St Helens (Tasmania)". Birdata. Birds Australia. Retrieved 24 October 2011.
