Mistaken Island
 Mistaken Island from near Goode Beach | |
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| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 35°3′45″S 117°56′37″E / 35.06250°S 117.94361°E |
| Administration | |
Mistaken Island is an island located approximately 5 kilometres (3 mi) south-east of Albany, Western Australia.
Located in King George Sound[1] the island is located approximately 120 metres (394 ft) from Vancouver peninsula.
There is evidence that shore-based bay whaling activities were conducted on the island in the 19th century.[2]
In 1971, the island was declared as a class 1A Nature Reserve with a total area of 12 hectares (30 acres).[3] The area adjacent to the island is used to cultivate mussels on long lines on licenses issued by the Department of fisheries and leases issued by the Albany Port Authority.[4]
Little penguin colony
[edit]The island received its name for the little penguin (Eudyptula minor) burrows which were mistaken for rabbit holes[5][6] and the island has also been historically referred to as Rabbit Island. In 1936 and 1938, the penguins of Mistaken Island became victims of deliberately lit fires. Following the latter event, some were discovered with their feet "burned off".[7][8] As of 2011, the penguin colony on Mistaken Island is the subject of scientific study.[9]
References
[edit]- ^ "Albany Waterways Resource Book". 2002. Retrieved 12 January 2010.
- ^ Martin Gibbs, The Shore Whalers of Western Australia: Historical Archaeology of a Maritime Frontier, Sydney University Press, 2010, p.144.
- ^ "Terrestrial Protected Areas of WA". 2002. Retrieved 20 April 2008.
- ^ "Albany Port Expansion Proposal - Social and cultural Environment" (PDF). 2002. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 July 2008. Retrieved 20 April 2008.
- ^ "There's Drama ' Tragedy In Place Names". The Sydney Morning Herald. 2 August 1947. p. 8. Retrieved 7 November 2015.
- ^ Beatty, Bill (2 August 1947). "There's drama & tragedy in place names". The Sydney Morning Herald. p. 8. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
- ^ "Albany Suspects Incendiarism ALBANY, Saturday". The Daily News. 1 January 1938. p. 7. Retrieved 7 November 2015.
- ^ "HATS OFF! TO PRINCESS ROYAL SAILING CLUB". Albany Advertiser. 24 December 1936. p. 3. Retrieved 7 November 2015.
- ^ "Penguins to help monitor health of King George Sound". www.abc.net.au. Retrieved 7 November 2015.