Clarke Island, Tasmania
Encyclopedia
Part of the Furneaux Group, Clarke Island (Lungtalanana Island) has an area of 82 km² (31.7 sq mi) and is located 15 miles (24 km) off the northeast coast of Tasmania
, south of Cape Barren Island. Off its west coast lies the shipwreck of the Litherland, which sank 1853 and was discovered in 1983. Clarke Island is the eighth largest island of Tasmania.
, travelling from a southerly direction to New South Wales, sailed into Banks Strait due to strong winds and ran aground between two islands, now known as Preservation Island
and Rum Island. The supercargo
of the ship, William Clark, for whom Clarke Island is named, took a long boat with seventeen others and rowed to nearby Cape Everard before running aground. He recorded details of the trek in his diary. Only three people Clark and two seamen were found by fishermen at Wattamolla Beach, south of Port Hacking
. Arriving at Port Jackson
, they informed Governor Hunter
of the situation pertaining to Sydney Cove and its remaining crew. Once hearing all of this, Governor Hunter despatched the Francis and the Eliza
to salvage and take the remaining crew and cargo to Port Jackson. It was on the first salvage trip of the Francis that the crew on board discovered when venturing on to Clarke Island, wombats. One wombat was taken on board to its return trip to Port Jackson. Matthew Flinders
on board the Francis on its third and final salvage trip, decided to take a "specimen" from Clarke Island also to Port Jackson, to which Governor Hunter subsequently sent a corpse to the Literary and Philosophical Society courtesy to Joseph Banks
to verify it as a new species.
The root fungus pathogen, Phytophthora cinnamomi, known to be able to kill Australian native plants was found in the island in an isolated case, in 2002.
Introduced animals still inhabiting the island in 2003 include rabbits, cats and rats. The Aboriginal Lands Amendment Act 2004, allowed crown holding of Clarke Island to be returned to the Tasmanian Aboriginal community, where the island is currently managed by the Aboriginal Land Council Tasmania. Only a single resident, resides permanently on the island in 2009, where current infrastructure is limited and ageing.
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
, south of Cape Barren Island. Off its west coast lies the shipwreck of the Litherland, which sank 1853 and was discovered in 1983. Clarke Island is the eighth largest island of Tasmania.
History
During 1794, European settlement in New South Wales was yet to develop agricultural self sufficiency, and merchant ships from India at the time supplied the colony. One such ship, the Sydney CoveSydney Cove (ship)
Sydney Cove was a sailing ship wrecked in 1797 on Preservation Island off Tasmania while on her way from Calcutta to Port Jackson. She was among the first ships wrecked on the east coast of Australia.- Voyage :...
, travelling from a southerly direction to New South Wales, sailed into Banks Strait due to strong winds and ran aground between two islands, now known as Preservation Island
Preservation Island
Preservation Island is a low and undulating granite and calcarenite island, with an area of 207 ha, in south-eastern Australia. It is part of Tasmania’s Preservation Island Group, lying in eastern Bass Strait south-west of Cape Barren Island in the Furneaux Group, and is an important historic...
and Rum Island. The supercargo
Supercargo
Supercargo is a term in maritime law that refers to a person employed on board a vessel by the owner of cargo carried on the ship...
of the ship, William Clark, for whom Clarke Island is named, took a long boat with seventeen others and rowed to nearby Cape Everard before running aground. He recorded details of the trek in his diary. Only three people Clark and two seamen were found by fishermen at Wattamolla Beach, south of Port Hacking
Port Hacking
Port Hacking is an Australian estuary, located in Southern Sydney, New South Wales and fed by the Hacking River and several smaller creeks, including Bundeena Creek and The Basin. It is a ria, a river basin which has become submerged by the sea...
. Arriving at Port Jackson
Port Jackson
Port Jackson, containing Sydney Harbour, is the natural harbour of Sydney, Australia. It is known for its beauty, and in particular, as the location of the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge...
, they informed Governor Hunter
John Hunter (New South Wales)
Vice-Admiral John Hunter, RN was a British naval officer, explorer, naturalist and colonial administrator who succeeded Arthur Phillip as the second governor of New South Wales, Australia from 1795 to 1800.-Overview:...
of the situation pertaining to Sydney Cove and its remaining crew. Once hearing all of this, Governor Hunter despatched the Francis and the Eliza
Eliza (ship)
Not to be confused with another ship named Eliza, which wrecked in 1808.The Eliza was a sloop-rigged longboat that was involved in the rescue of the survivors of the wreck of the Sydney Cove in 1797....
to salvage and take the remaining crew and cargo to Port Jackson. It was on the first salvage trip of the Francis that the crew on board discovered when venturing on to Clarke Island, wombats. One wombat was taken on board to its return trip to Port Jackson. Matthew Flinders
Matthew Flinders
Captain Matthew Flinders RN was one of the most successful navigators and cartographers of his age. In a career that spanned just over twenty years, he sailed with Captain William Bligh, circumnavigated Australia and encouraged the use of that name for the continent, which had previously been...
on board the Francis on its third and final salvage trip, decided to take a "specimen" from Clarke Island also to Port Jackson, to which Governor Hunter subsequently sent a corpse to the Literary and Philosophical Society courtesy to Joseph Banks
Joseph Banks
Sir Joseph Banks, 1st Baronet, GCB, PRS was an English naturalist, botanist and patron of the natural sciences. He took part in Captain James Cook's first great voyage . Banks is credited with the introduction to the Western world of eucalyptus, acacia, mimosa and the genus named after him,...
to verify it as a new species.
Recent developments
In 1912, Clarke Island was used by pastoralists.The root fungus pathogen, Phytophthora cinnamomi, known to be able to kill Australian native plants was found in the island in an isolated case, in 2002.
Introduced animals still inhabiting the island in 2003 include rabbits, cats and rats. The Aboriginal Lands Amendment Act 2004, allowed crown holding of Clarke Island to be returned to the Tasmanian Aboriginal community, where the island is currently managed by the Aboriginal Land Council Tasmania. Only a single resident, resides permanently on the island in 2009, where current infrastructure is limited and ageing.