Councillor Island

Councillor Island
Councillor Island, located right, relative to King Island
Councillor Island is located in Tasmania
Councillor Island
Councillor Island
Location of Councillor Island in the Bass Strait
Geography
LocationBass Strait
Coordinates39°49′48″S 144°09′36″E / 39.83000°S 144.16000°E / -39.83000; 144.16000
ArchipelagoNew Year Group
Area10.53 ha (26.0 acres)
Administration
Australia
StateTasmania
LGAMunicipality of King Island

Councillor Island, part of the New Year Group, is a 10.53-hectare (26.0-acre) granite island located in the Bass Strait, lying off the north-west coast of Tasmania, Australia.[1][2][3]: 53–55 

New Year Group[edit]

There are four islands in the New Year Group. Besides Councillor Island, these are:

While King Island has the largest area of the four islands, the group is named after New Year Island because it was discovered by Europeans a few days earlier than King Island.[4][3]: 50–51 

Fauna[edit]

Breeding seabird and shorebird species include little penguin, short-tailed shearwater, fairy prion, common diving-petrel, Pacific gull, silver gull, sooty oystercatcher, black-faced cormorant and Caspian tern. Reptiles include eastern blue-tongued lizard.[3]: 50–51 

The island forms part of the King Island Important Bird Area because of its importance for breeding seabirds and waders.[5]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Councillor Island (TAS)". Gazetteer of Australia online. Geoscience Australia, Australian Government.
  2. ^ "Travel: King Island". The Sydney Morning Herald. 8 February 2004. Retrieved 5 July 2016.
  3. ^ a b c 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.
  4. ^ "Travel: King Island". The Sydney Morning Herald. 8 February 2004. Retrieved 5 July 2016.
  5. ^ "King Island". Important Bird Areas factsheet. BirdLife International. 2011. Archived from the original on 10 July 2007. Retrieved 16 July 2011.