Breaksea Islands (Tasmania)

For other uses, see Breaksea.
Breaksea Islands Group
Breaksea Islands

Location off the south western coast of Tasmania

Geography
Location Port Davey
Coordinates 43°19′12″S 145°57′36″E / 43.32000°S 145.96000°E / -43.32000; 145.96000Coordinates: 43°19′12″S 145°57′36″E / 43.32000°S 145.96000°E / -43.32000; 145.96000
Adjacent bodies of water Southern Ocean
Total islands 6
Area 16 ha (40 acres)
Administration
Australia
State Tasmania
Region South West
Demographics
Population 0

The Breaksea Islands Group is a group of six islands, located in the Southern Ocean, off the south western coast of Tasmania, Australia.[1]

Located near the mouth of Port Davey, the group comprise the North Breaksea and Main Breaksea Islands,[2] the Fitzroy, Kathleen, and Munday islands, and the Mavourneen Rocks. The group have a total area of approximately 16 hectares (40 acres) and are contained within the Southwest National Park, part of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Site and the Port Davey/Bathurst Harbour Marine Nature Reserve.[3]

Fauna

The islands are noted as a breeding site for many seabird species, including little penguin (400 pairs), short-tailed shearwater (3-5000 pairs), fairy prion (20 pairs) and silver gull. The Tasmanian tree skink is present.[2] Rabbits were introduced in the 19th century by whalers.[4] and have caused some damage to vegetation and soil.[5]

The islands are part of the Port Davey Islands Important Bird Area, so identified by BirdLife International because of its importance for breeding seabirds.[6]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Breaksea Islands (TAS)". Gazetteer of Australia online. Geoscience Australia, Australian Government.
  2. 1 2 Brothers, Nigel; Pemberton, David; Pryor, Helen; Halley, Vanessa (2001). Tasmania's Offshore Islands: seabirds and other natural features. Hobart: Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery. ISBN 0-7246-4816-X.
  3. ↑ "Port Davey/Bathurst Harbour Marine Nature Reserve". Sea Fishing & Aquaculture: Area Restrictions: Marine Reserves. Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment, Tasmanian Government. 3 September 2014. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
  4. ↑ White, Gary (1980). Islands of South-West Tasmania. Sydney: self-published. ISBN 0-9594866-0-7.
  5. ↑ "Small Southern Islands Conservation Management Statement 2002" (PDF). Parks & Wildlife Service Tasmania. 2002. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 August 2006. Retrieved 23 July 2006.
  6. ↑ "IBA: Port Davey Islands". Birdata. Birds Australia. Archived from the original on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 19 September 2011.


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