Green Island (Western Australia)
Green Island is an island in Oyster Harbour located approximately 6.5 kilometres (4 mi) northeast of Albany in Western Australia.
The island has a total area of 2 hectares (5 acres) and was designated as a Class 1A Nature Reserve in 1988.[1]
The nearest point on the mainland is Bayonet Head that is located approximately 750 metres (2,461 ft) North West of the island.
[edit] History
Green Island was named by George Vancouver who also named Oyster Harbour when he visited the area in 1791. It is one of only 4 permaent Pelican breeding grounds in Western Australia. The others being Mandura Shark Bay and Rockingham. The breeding Pelicans can be seen from the Kalgan Queen Riverboat, as the Island itself is a reserve.[2]
When the colony in Albany was first settled in 1826 Green Island was planted for vegetables and by 1830 supported a vegetable garden and a hut was erected on the island for the gardener to live in.[3]
In 1827, a group of sealers took 5 Aborigines to Green Island to catch birds. The sealers rowed away, leaving the Aborigines behind, then returned the next day bringing water. The Aborigines attempted to take the boat and the sealers fired on them killing one Aboriginal man.[4] The remaining Aborigines were removed to Michaelmas Island and left there making "great lamentations".[5]
In 1991, the government department Fisheries Western Australia granted a fish farm license to the company Ocean Foods who have leases North and North East of Green Island where blue mussels are farmed".[6]
[edit] Fauna
The island is noted as an important breeding ground for small numbers of the Australian Pelican. It was estimated in 1993 that 7 active nests were located on the island.[7]
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Green Island from Bayonet Head
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Green Island in Oyster Harbour from the lookout at Bayonet Head
[edit] References
- ^ "Terrestrial Protected Areas of WA". 2004. http://www.environment.gov.au/parks/nrs/science/capad/2008/pubs/capad08_wa.xls. Retrieved 2010-10-14.
- ^ "WA. http://www.albanyaustralia.com . Information - Albany". 2003. http://www.australianbusinessesforsale.com.au/WAinfo/Albany.htm. Retrieved 2008-04-23.
- ^ "Complicating the Friendly Frontier - Snake Bite, Medicine and Sorcery at King George Sound , 1830". 2004. http://www.latrobe.edu.au/australianstudies/shellam.pdf/. Retrieved 2008-04-14.[dead link]
- ^ "SIOE 2002: Albany & SE Western Australia; Major Edmund Lockyer's "...complete Set of Pirates"". 2009. http://www.cerchi.net/destinations/2002_sioe/sioe_sewa_pirates.html. Retrieved 2012-01-12.
- ^ "SIOE 2002: Albany & SE Western Australia; Major Edmund Lockyer's "...complete Set of Pirates"". 2009. http://www.cerchi.net/destinations/2002_sioe/sioe_sewa_pirates.html. Retrieved 2012-01-12.
- ^ "Albany Waterways Resource Book". 1999. http://www.rivercare.southcoastwa.org.au/resources/awrb/c7.3.html. Retrieved 2010-10-12.
- ^ "Aussie Heritage - Oyster Harbour". 2007. http://www.aussieheritage.com.au/listings/wa/Emu%20Point/OysterHarbour/21220/. Retrieved 2008-04-17.
Coordinates: 34°59′11″S 117°56′59″E / 34.98639°S 117.94972°E
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