Gambier Islands (South Australia)

This article is about the Gambier Islands located in South Australia. For the Island in Canada, see Gambier Island. For the Islands in Polynesia, see Gambier Islands.
Gambier Islands
Gambier Islands
Geography
Location Spencer Gulf
Administration
Australia

The Gambier Islands are a small group of islands lying between the southern tips of the Eyre and Yorke Peninsulas at the entrance to Spencer Gulf in South Australia. The islands lie within the 120 km2 Gambier Islands Group Marine Park.

Description

By far the largest island in the group, at about 10 km2 in area, is Wedge Island. The others are North Island, South West Rock and Peaked Rocks. Except for Wedge Island, the group constitutes the Gambier Islands Conservation Park. Wedge Island is partly crown land and partly privately owned; it was used for farming for 130 years following European settlement of the region, and holds several buildings, mainly used as tourist accommodation, an airstrip, pier and a lighthouse. The waters around the islands are extensively used for commercial and recreational fishing and for recreational diving.[1][2]

Wildlife

Australian sea lions breed on the islands, and New Zealand fur seals may haul out there. Seabirds for which the islands are important include little penguins, short-tailed shearwaters and white-faced storm petrels. Other birds recorded there include rock parrots, bush stone-curlews, peregrine falcons, ospreys and white-bellied sea eagles.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 "Gambier Islands Group Marine Park" (PDF). Marine Park 8. Government of South Australia. Retrieved 2011-11-22.
  2. ↑ Department of Environment and Natural Resources. (2010). Environmental, Economic and Social Values of the Gambier Islands Group Marine Park. (Department of Environment and Natural Resources, South Australia).

Coordinates: 35°09′S 136°28′E / 35.150°S 136.467°E / -35.150; 136.467

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