Kangaroo Island
Encyclopedia
Kangaroo Island is Australia
's third-largest island
after Tasmania
and Melville Island
. It is 112 kilometres (69.6 mi) southwest of Adelaide
at the entrance of Gulf St Vincent. Its closest point to the mainland is 13 kilometres (8 mi) off Cape Jervis
, on the tip of the Fleurieu Peninsula
in the state of South Australia
. The island is 150 km (93 mi) long and between 900 m (984.3 yd) and 57 km (35 mi) wide, its area covering 4405 km² (1,701 sq mi). Its coastline is 540 kilometres (335.5 mi) long and highest altitude is 307 m (1,007.2 ft). It is separated from Yorke Peninsula
to the northwest by Investigator Strait
and from Cape Jervis to the northeast by Backstairs Passage
.
, Kartan stone tools
and shell middens suggest that Aboriginal people continuously occupied Kangaroo Island until at least 10,000 years ago when the island separated from mainland Australia due to a rise in sea level
. The island apparently remained accessible to watercraft at low tide until the sea stabilised around 6,000 years ago when the Backstairs Passage
became too rough. As a result of the complete separation, from around 5,000 to 2,000 years ago the climate gradually deteriorated. Several small campsites dated 6,000, 5,200 and 4,300 years have been found but it is unknown whether these belong to visitors or to a remnant population. As the available technology precludes intentional visits by Aboriginals, a remnant population of up to 200 individuals is the preferred option with the last dying 2,500 years ago which is indicated by signs of the regular burning of vegetation which ceased at this time. Mainland Aboriginal oral history tells the story of the Backstairs Passage flooding.
In 1802 British explorer Matthew Flinders
, Commanding HMS Investigator, named the land "Kanguroo (sic) Island" after landing near Kangaroo Head on the north coast of Dudley Peninsula. He was closely followed by the French explorer Nicolas Baudin
, who mapped much of the island (which is why so many areas have French names). Although the French and the British were at war at the time, the men met peacefully. They both used the fresh water seeping at what is now known as Hog Bay near Frenchman's Rock; the community is now called Penneshaw.
An unofficial community of sealers and others was set up on Kangaroo Island from 1802 to the time of South Australia's official settlement in 1836. The sealers were rough men and several kidnapped Aboriginal women from Tasmania and mainland South Australia. The women were forced to do the work of sealers, amongst other activities. Three Aboriginal women tried to escape and swim back to the mainland; one is on record as having survived the journey. The first ship to arrive was the Duke of York
commanded by Captain Robert Clark Morgan
(1798–1864).
In 2011, fossils of six compound eyes dated to the Cambrian
period (515 million years ago) were recovered from an archaeological dig on the Island. Described as one of the greatest fossils finds in modern history the eyes, similar in complexity to modern day arthropod
s, had evolved at a time when it was thought creatures still possessed only a very basic vision or proto-eyes.
. Originally established at Reeves Point on 27 July 1836, it is South Australia's first official European settlement. It was later suggested that Kingscote could serve as the capital of South Australia, but the island's resources were insufficient to support such a large community, so the settlement of Adelaide was chosen.
Penneshaw, the second largest town on Kangaroo Island, has a population of around 300, and is located on the north eastern tip of the Dudley Peninsula, on the eastern end of the island. It contains the ferry terminal which brings most of the visitors to the island, along with all the necessary freight to sustain the local population. Parndana is the third largest town on Kangaroo Island, and is home to a population of around 150, however most of this population do not live in the town, they are sprawled within a few kilometres. The historic area to the south-east of the township, known as the Research Centre to locals, was home to the research station that was set up in the 1940s and 1950s to research the viability of agriculture in the area, and is still home to a small settlement of about 20 people. American River
is the fourth largest town on the Island and is home to about 120 residents. Penneshaw, Parndana and American River each have basic facilities, including a general store and fuel and all are home to hotels. Facilities such as banking and large supermarkets are only available in Kingscote, although all towns have EFTPOS
facilities of some sort.
The economy is mostly agricultural
(wine, honey, wool, meat and grain). Traditionally sheep grazing has been the key element in agriculture on the Island, however in recent times, more diverse crops, such as potatoes and canola
have been introduced. Cattle farming has grown as well, with good quality beef cattle being grown in the higher rainfall areas. Tourism and fishing also play significant roles, with the island experiencing over 186,000 visitors per annum (www.tomm.info), and some of the best southern rock lobster being sourced from the island's rugged south coast. Kangaroo Island has South Australia's only eucalyptus oil
distillery with oil distilled from the endemic Kangaroo Island Narrow Leaf Mallee
.
The island also has 28 wine growers. The first vineyard was planted at Eastern Cove in 1976 and the first wine made in 1982. This was blended with Tolleys Barossa wine and sold from the cellar door of Eastern Cove Wine as KI-Barossa blend. The Florance vineyard was established under supervision of B. Hayes of Eastern Cove, who produced its first wine - Eastern Cove Cygnet - and introduced it at the University of South Australia, 1990. The wine carried a Kangaroo Island appellation label as first wine 100% of the region.
The future of over 19,000 hectares, which had been planted (or due to be planted ) with blue gum for future harvesting is now in doubt following the collapse of Great Southern Plantation Ltd in May 2009.
and for being the oldest bee sanctuary in the world. Ligurian honey bees came to Kangaroo Island when an Italian colony was set up. The bees flourished and are the only surviving Ligurian honey bees after disease killed all Ligurian honey bees in Italy. The Australian and Italian Prime Ministers made laws that the bees would not leave the island or be sent to Italy, because of risk of all Ligurian honey bees dying.
It’s impossible to identify the pedigree of the first two Ligurian hives of bees distributed to Kangaroo Island, one in Easter 1884 and the second in June. However, they were directly linked to the hive Arthur E. Bonney received from Queensland in December 1883. There are several lineage possibilities. Of the first five Ligurian queens Chas Fullwood of Brisbane, Queensland, personally took delivery of in London from Messrs. Neighbour – who presumably sourced the bees from Italy on Fullwood’s behalf – Fullwood retained two in October 1880. By May 1881 he’d increased their number to six. In April 1882 “I have two imported queens still in my apiary besides a number of their daughters that are giving satisfactory results.” In August 1882 Fullwood received five queens alive out of 12 sent from Italy. He may have given two away – possibly to his friend Jas Carroll - for he retained only three of them. A second importation from Italy was made and in August 1883 ten were received alive.
The Advertiser, 24 December 1883, reported “A few weeks since the Chamber of Manufactures forwarded an order to Mr. Carroll, a bee master, near Brisbane, for a swarm of Ligurian bees.” The American Bee Journal, 25 November 1885, stated “Several pure colonies were reared from this one, [the first hive from Queensland] and two of them were sent to Kangaroo Island, where they appear to thrive well.” An almost word perfect report in the British Bee Journal, 1 November 1885, added “They came from the apiary of Mr. Chas. Fullwood.” Whether forwarded by Carroll or Fullwood, the bees shipped to Adelaide must have been sourced from the latter’s importations and/or subsequent breeding activities by either of them.
Bonney’s first hive, ordered by the Chamber of Manufactures, was most likely a daughter or subsequent generation queen bred in Queensland. Knowing Carroll’s long held desire – and failed attempts – to source Italian bees over the previous decade, he would have relinquished Italian born queens only under duress. Fullwood most likely forwarded to South Australia a Queensland born queen for he highly valued the queens sourced directly from Italy, or initially, via England.
Bonney quickly commenced queen bee breeding near Adelaide at his Upper Kensington apiary in January 1884. In the South Australian Advertiser, 7 March 1884, Bonney stated “About three weeks ago I divided the original colony, and the Chamber of Manufactures now possesses three good swarms of Ligurians; two of these will probably be ready to send out towards the end of the month.” And on 9 May 1884 “To show that I think highly of the Ligurians, I may say that in March I imported two more colonies from Queensland. … During Easter holidays Mr. Justice Boucaut took one queen [bred and mated in Adelaide] in a full colony to Mr. Buick, of American River, Kangaroo Island.” From the South Australian Advertiser, 1 August 1884 "On June 25 the original hive of Ligurian bees, imported by the chamber from Queensland, was sent safely to Mr. Turner, at Smith's Bay, Kangaroo Island.”
Twelve Ligurian queen bees were subsequently imported from the Italian
province of Liguria
in October 1885, four of which were to be distributed to residents on the island, however one died so only three were sent, one each to Hog Bay (today's Penneshaw), Kingscote and Cygnet River. Island residents continued to request Ligurian queens and more mainland bred queens may well have been sent, including one to Mrs Willson of Hog Bay some time after July 1886. In October and November 1885, August Fiebig and his son Rudolph took to Hog Bay more than 24 hives of "black" bees, each headed by a Ligurian queen bred on the mainland or containing a mature queen cell, the queen to mate on the island once hatched. By November 1887 another apiary was reported at Cape Cassini. August and Rudolph Fiebig at Hog Bay produced their first batch of Ligurian queen bees for dispatch to customers soon after November 1887.
Kangaroo Island beekeepers claim to have the only pure strain of Ligurian bee in the world. The bees and their sanctuary are a living testament to the pioneering zeal of South Australia's leading 1880's beekeepers. The importation to Kangaroo Island of bees or any honey products is prohibited.
provides local government for the entire island, and was formed in 1996 following amalgamation of the previous District Councils of Kingscote and Dudley. Kangaroo Island is in the federal Division of Mayo
, represented by Jamie Briggs, and in the state Electoral district of Finniss
, represented by Michael Pengilly
, a former mayor of the Kangaroo Island Council.
A 2005 enquiry into the financial sustainability of local government in South Australia, determined that Kangaroo Island Council was unsustainable, due to its large land area, extensive road network, low population and high tourism visitation. A long term financial plan adopted by council includes a rate increase of 2% above CPI for the ten years from 2010.
On 13 May 2010 a new Development Plan was authorised, representing a comprehensive review of Kangaroo Island's planning regulations.
From 1907 until 1961, Karatta was the prime freight and passenger vessel operating between Port Adelaide and Kingscote.
Following withdrawal from service of Karatta, RW. Miller operated the M.V. Troubridge, in later years as a joint venture with the South Australian Government. M.V. Troubridge was a roll on, roll off vessel of 1996 tons, which utilised specially designed loading gantries at Port Adelaide
, Port Lincoln and Kingscote.
M.V. Troubridge operated until 1 June 1987, when it was replaced by the Government run AU
$23 million Island Seaway. Built locally in Port Adelaide by Eglo Engineering, Island Seaway utilised the same loading platforms as Troubridge. Island Seaway was severely criticised as being unsuitable for the Backstairs Passage crossing. Seventy-five sheep and cattle died on the inaugural trip due to carbon monoxide poisoning, and the ship was once described as 'steering like a shopping trolley'. The vessel subsequently underwent a A$1 million refit of its propulsion system in September 1989 which improved its reliability.
Island Seaway began to experience competition from Kangaroo Island SeaLink
which began services from Cape Jervis to Penneshaw in the 1980s. SeaLink acquired the ferry service originally introduced by Peter March. His "Philanderer Ferries" pioneered the crossing from Cape Jervis to Penneshaw, with Philanderer 3 being a passenger and vehicle carrying catamaran style vessel. During the 1980s, two passenger only services, Hydroflite H33, and Islander, operated for a short time from Glenelg to Kingscote.
SeaLink has outlasted several competing companies since it began operations. Boat Torque, a Western Australian company, operated Superflyte from 1994 until 1997, sailing from Glenelg to Kingscote. Kangaroo Island Ferries had a short-lived venture with SeaWay, which travelled from Wirrina Cove to Kingscote from September 2004 until February 2005. SeaWay could not handle rough weather as well as SeaLink vessels which impacted the service's reliability. Under different proprietorship, SeaWay recommenced services in August 2007. However, in May 2008, the operator of SeaWay announced suspension of services until October 2008, citing increased fuel prices. In June 2008 the SeaWay's operating company was placed in administration and the vessel advertised for sale.
With the introduction by SeaLink of the Island Navigator, the fate of Island Seaway was sealed, with the service subsequently withdrawn and SeaLink drawing on Government subsidies to operate all freight services to and from the Island. SeaLink now holds a virtual monopoly on sea transport to Kangaroo Island, primarily due to its long term lease of the Cape Jervis berth. Sealink's agreement with the SA Government, expiring in 2024, precludes other operators from utilising the Cape Jervis facility for one hour before, and one hour after any scheduled SeaLink service. Kangaroo Island residents have expressed displeasure with the exclusive arrangement granted to SeaLink.
(ASA), a subsidiary of Ansett Airlines. The airline's final service was on 4 April 1986. ASA primarily operated Convair
s, Douglas DC-3
and Fokker F-27 aircraft. A Piaggio P166 was used infrequently in the 1970s, whilst Rossair
operated Cessna 402's
in an arrangement with ASA to replace the F27's in off-peak times.
Following the withdrawal of ASA, Kendell Airlines
(another Ansett subsidiary), operated 19-seat Fairchild Metroliners
and 34-seat SAAB
aircraft to the Island. Upon Ansett's ultimate demise in 2002, Regional Express
(Rex) acquired the Kendell aircraft and continued services which are maintained today.
In competition with the larger aircraft, and generally with more flexible timetables, a succession of smaller airlines from the 1970s tried with varying success to maintain a 'second string' presence. Island Air and Pagas operated briefly in the 1970s, whilst the most successful, Emu Airways
, commenced in 1980 and made its final flight in November 2005. Emu flew Piper Chieftain
aircraft to Kingscote, American River, Penneshaw and Parndana, before air regulations dictated abandonment of all airstrips except Kingscote
. Air Kangaroo Island (formerly Air Transit), flew Cessna 402's
to the Island during the 1990s. Keith Stevens operated Albatross Airlines for much of the 1980s and early 1990s.
From 1986 to 1990, Lloyd Aviation operated Embraer EMB 110 Bandeirante
aircraft, before flying the Irish-made Short 330. For several years during the 1980s, Commodore Airlines (eventually becoming State Air) offered another alternative service. QantasLink
briefly operated a service after the demise of Emu Airways, commencing 18 December 2005, but withdrew less than six months later. QantasLink
also operated direct flights from Kangaroo Island to Melbourne, the first time the route was operated.
In January 2007 Air South commenced four services daily using Titan nine seat aircraft, but ceased flights in October 2009.
More than half of the island has never been cleared of vegetation , and a quarter of it is conserved in National Park
s, Conservation Parks
, and five Wilderness Protection Areas. The main protected areas are:
Because of its isolation from mainland Australia, fox
es and rabbit
s are absent from and prohibited from entering the island. Registration and microchipping of cats is mandatory. The Kangaroo Island Kangaroo
, Rosenberg's Sand Goanna, Southern Brown Bandicoot
, Tammar Wallaby
, Common Brushtail Possum
, Short-beaked Echidna
and New Zealand Fur Seal
are native to the island, as well as six bat
and frog
species. The sole endemic (found nowhere else) vertebrate species is a small marsupial carnivore called the Kangaroo Island Dunnart
. The Koala
, Common Ringtail Possum
and Platypus
have been introduced and still survive there.
The introduced Koalas have flourished on the island, to the degree that their preferred food source, the Manna Gum
, is currently at risk of local extinction. Koalas have recently been forced to turn to other, less palatable, species. Management methods used include surgical sterilisation and transfer to suitable empty mainland sites. This does not appear to be keeping up with the breeding rate, though, so the only practical solution may be culling. The government is opposed to this though, fearing an economic backlash through tourism boycotts.
, the Kangaroo Island Emu
; however, it became extinct between 1802 and official European settlement in 1836, perhaps owing to bushfires or from hunting by sealers or whalers. The island is also the last South Australian refuge of the endangered Glossy Black Cockatoo.
Kangaroo Island has been identified by BirdLife International
as an Important Bird Area
(IBA) because it supports populations of the vulnerable
Fairy Tern
, the near threatened
Bush Stone-curlew
, Hooded Plover
and Western Whipbird
, and the biome
-restricted Rock Parrot
and Purple-gaped Honeyeater
. It also supports over 1% of the world populations of Cape Barren Geese
, Black-faced Cormorant
s, Pacific Gull
s and Pied Oystercatcher
s, and sometimes of Musk Duck
s, Blue-billed Duck
s, Freckled Duck
s, Australian Shelduck
s, Chestnut Teal
s and Banded Stilt
s.
Lightning strikes on Thursday 6 December 2007 caused several fires on the Island. Before being contained on 16 December 2007, over 900 square kilometres (or 20% of the Island) had been burnt, principally within National Park and Conservation Reserves. The most serious outbreak occurred in Flinders Chase, with 630 square kilometres (or 85% of the total Park area) having been burnt.
Kangaroo Island is one of South Australia's most popular tourist attractions, attracting over 140,000 visitors each year, with international visitors, primarily from Europe, accounting for more than 25% of these visits. Some of the most popular tourist spots are:
Numerous ships have been wrecked on the Kangaroo Island coastline, the largest being Portland Maru of 5,865 tons, which sank at Cape Torrens on 20 March 1935. The greatest loss of life occurred with the wreck of Loch Sloy
on 24 April 1899 at Maurpetius Bay, when 31 persons were drowned, and one initial survivor subsequently perished. 28 persons were drowned at West Bay in September 1905, when Loch Vennachar
was wrecked.
The first lighthouse built in South Australia was erected at Cape Willoughby in 1852. Cape Borda
lighthouse was built in 1858, whilst the Cape du Couedic
lighthouse was erected in 1906. All lighthouses continue to be operational.
Safe swimming is possible on the northern beaches, such as Emu Bay, Stokes Bay or Snellings Beach, and at Island Beach on the Dudley Peninsula. The south coast has dangerous undertows
and is more suitable for stronger and experienced swimmers only.
Kangaroo Island has several organised sporting competitions, including Australian rules football
(see Kangaroo Island Football League
), cricket
, darts
, go kart racing
, lawn bowls, netball
, sailing, softball
, squash
and tennis.
The winters between June and September are mild and wet, the summers usually warm and dry. Tempered by the ocean, particularly on the coastline, maximum temperatures in summer rarely exceed 35 degrees Celsius.
Average temperatures in August range between 13 to 16 degrees and in February, the hottest month, between 20 and 25 degrees.
Between May and September the island receives 2/3 of its annual rainfall, varying from 450 mm in Kingscote to around 900 mm near Roo Lagoon on the top of the central plateau. The wettest month is July.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
's third-largest island
Island
An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...
after Tasmania
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...
and Melville Island
Melville Island, Northern Territory
Melville Island or Yermalner Island lies in the eastern Timor Sea, off the coast of the Northern Territory of Australia. It is west of the Cobourg Peninsula in Arnhem Land and north of Darwin....
. It is 112 kilometres (69.6 mi) southwest of Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
at the entrance of Gulf St Vincent. Its closest point to the mainland is 13 kilometres (8 mi) off Cape Jervis
Cape Jervis, South Australia
Cape Jervis is a town at the southwestern tip of Fleurieu Peninsula in South Australia, approximately 108 km south of Adelaide. The population is approximately 300 people and growing rapidly, with a new estate situated behind the main town...
, on the tip of the Fleurieu Peninsula
Fleurieu Peninsula
The Fleurieu Peninsula is a peninsula located south of Adelaide in South Australia, Australia. It was named after the French explorer and hydrographer Charles Pierre Claret de Fleurieu by the French explorer Nicolas Baudin as he mapped the south coast of Australia in 1802.Towns of interest in the...
in the state of South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
. The island is 150 km (93 mi) long and between 900 m (984.3 yd) and 57 km (35 mi) wide, its area covering 4405 km² (1,701 sq mi). Its coastline is 540 kilometres (335.5 mi) long and highest altitude is 307 m (1,007.2 ft). It is separated from Yorke Peninsula
Yorke Peninsula
The Yorke Peninsula is a peninsula located north-west and west of Adelaide in South Australia, Australia, between Spencer Gulf on the west and Gulf St Vincent on the east. It has geographic coordinates of...
to the northwest by Investigator Strait
Investigator Strait
Investigator Strait is a body of water lying between the Yorke Peninsula, on the Australian mainland, and Kangaroo Island in South Australia. It was named by Matthew Flinders after his ship, HMS Investigator, on his voyage of 1801–1802.-References:...
and from Cape Jervis to the northeast by Backstairs Passage
Backstairs Passage
Backstairs Passage is a body of water lying between Cape Jervis on the Australian mainland and Kangaroo Island in South Australia. It disappeared under the rising sea around 13,000 years ago, at the end of the Pleistocene era....
.
History
Known as Karta (island of the dead) by mainland AboriginesIndigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
, Kartan stone tools
Kartan stone tools
Kartan industry is the archaeological production, probably more than 10,000 years ago, of a large quantity of exceptionally large stone tools that were found on Ramindjeri Karta also known since 1802 as Kangaroo Island, South Australia.-An island mystery:...
and shell middens suggest that Aboriginal people continuously occupied Kangaroo Island until at least 10,000 years ago when the island separated from mainland Australia due to a rise in sea level
Sea level
Mean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...
. The island apparently remained accessible to watercraft at low tide until the sea stabilised around 6,000 years ago when the Backstairs Passage
Backstairs Passage
Backstairs Passage is a body of water lying between Cape Jervis on the Australian mainland and Kangaroo Island in South Australia. It disappeared under the rising sea around 13,000 years ago, at the end of the Pleistocene era....
became too rough. As a result of the complete separation, from around 5,000 to 2,000 years ago the climate gradually deteriorated. Several small campsites dated 6,000, 5,200 and 4,300 years have been found but it is unknown whether these belong to visitors or to a remnant population. As the available technology precludes intentional visits by Aboriginals, a remnant population of up to 200 individuals is the preferred option with the last dying 2,500 years ago which is indicated by signs of the regular burning of vegetation which ceased at this time. Mainland Aboriginal oral history tells the story of the Backstairs Passage flooding.
"Long ago, Ngurunderi's two wives ran away from him, and he was forced to follow them. He pursued them and as he did so he crossed Lake Albert and went along the beach to Cape Jervis. When he arrived there he saw his wives wading half-way across the shallow channel which divided Naroongowie from the mainland. He was determined to punish his wives, and angrily ordered the water to rise up and drown them. with a terrific rush the waters roared and the women were carried back towards the mainland. Although they tried frantically to swim against the tidal wave they were powerless to do so and were drowned."Theories about the extinction of the remnant population include disease and inbreeding, warfare, climatic change or exodus.
In 1802 British explorer 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...
, Commanding HMS Investigator, named the land "Kanguroo (sic) Island" after landing near Kangaroo Head on the north coast of Dudley Peninsula. He was closely followed by the French explorer Nicolas Baudin
Nicolas Baudin
Nicolas-Thomas Baudin was a French explorer, cartographer, naturalist and hydrographer.Baudin was born a commoner in Saint-Martin-de-Ré on the Île de Ré. At the age of fifteen he joined the merchant navy, and at twenty joined the French East India Company...
, who mapped much of the island (which is why so many areas have French names). Although the French and the British were at war at the time, the men met peacefully. They both used the fresh water seeping at what is now known as Hog Bay near Frenchman's Rock; the community is now called Penneshaw.
An unofficial community of sealers and others was set up on Kangaroo Island from 1802 to the time of South Australia's official settlement in 1836. The sealers were rough men and several kidnapped Aboriginal women from Tasmania and mainland South Australia. The women were forced to do the work of sealers, amongst other activities. Three Aboriginal women tried to escape and swim back to the mainland; one is on record as having survived the journey. The first ship to arrive was the Duke of York
Duke of York (ship)
The Duke of York was a barque under the command of Captain Robert Clark Morgan and owned by the South Australia Company.-History:...
commanded by Captain Robert Clark Morgan
Robert Clark Morgan
Captain Robert Clark Morgan was the captain of the ship that brought the first settlers to South Australia in the Duke of York in 1836. The diaries that he kept are held in the collection of the State Library of New South Wales...
(1798–1864).
In 2011, fossils of six compound eyes dated to the Cambrian
Cambrian
The Cambrian is the first geological period of the Paleozoic Era, lasting from Mya ; it is succeeded by the Ordovician. Its subdivisions, and indeed its base, are somewhat in flux. The period was established by Adam Sedgwick, who named it after Cambria, the Latin name for Wales, where Britain's...
period (515 million years ago) were recovered from an archaeological dig on the Island. Described as one of the greatest fossils finds in modern history the eyes, similar in complexity to modern day arthropod
Arthropod
An arthropod is an invertebrate animal having an exoskeleton , a segmented body, and jointed appendages. Arthropods are members of the phylum Arthropoda , and include the insects, arachnids, crustaceans, and others...
s, had evolved at a time when it was thought creatures still possessed only a very basic vision or proto-eyes.
Townships
The biggest town on Kangaroo Island is KingscoteKingscote, South Australia
- Facilities :Kingscote has a school offering years 1 to 12, a hospital, supermarket, post office and Government offices. It is the administrative centre for the Kangaroo Island Council, whose offices have recently undergone a significant upgrade....
. Originally established at Reeves Point on 27 July 1836, it is South Australia's first official European settlement. It was later suggested that Kingscote could serve as the capital of South Australia, but the island's resources were insufficient to support such a large community, so the settlement of Adelaide was chosen.
Penneshaw, the second largest town on Kangaroo Island, has a population of around 300, and is located on the north eastern tip of the Dudley Peninsula, on the eastern end of the island. It contains the ferry terminal which brings most of the visitors to the island, along with all the necessary freight to sustain the local population. Parndana is the third largest town on Kangaroo Island, and is home to a population of around 150, however most of this population do not live in the town, they are sprawled within a few kilometres. The historic area to the south-east of the township, known as the Research Centre to locals, was home to the research station that was set up in the 1940s and 1950s to research the viability of agriculture in the area, and is still home to a small settlement of about 20 people. American River
American River, South Australia
American River is a town situated on the western shore of Eastern Cove, on Australia's third largest island, Kangaroo Island.- History :The area now known as American River was first visited by Europeans in 1802 when Matthew Flinders sailed around Kangaroo Island. In 1803, a group of American...
is the fourth largest town on the Island and is home to about 120 residents. Penneshaw, Parndana and American River each have basic facilities, including a general store and fuel and all are home to hotels. Facilities such as banking and large supermarkets are only available in Kingscote, although all towns have EFTPOS
EFTPOS
EFTPOS is the general term used for debit card based systems used for processing transactions through terminals at points of sale. In Australia and New Zealand it is also the brand name of the specific system used for such payments...
facilities of some sort.
Population and Economy
According to the 2006 Census, the island has a population of 4,259. Population growth has slowed in past years, with the attraction of mainland Australia for younger adults being the key factor in this. Census information indicates the number of residents aged over 55 increased from 24.1% in 2001 to 29.8% in 2006.The economy is mostly agricultural
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
(wine, honey, wool, meat and grain). Traditionally sheep grazing has been the key element in agriculture on the Island, however in recent times, more diverse crops, such as potatoes and canola
Canola
Canola refers to a cultivar of either Rapeseed or Field Mustard . Its seeds are used to produce edible oil suitable for consumption by humans and livestock. The oil is also suitable for use as biodiesel.Originally, Canola was bred naturally from rapeseed in Canada by Keith Downey and Baldur R...
have been introduced. Cattle farming has grown as well, with good quality beef cattle being grown in the higher rainfall areas. Tourism and fishing also play significant roles, with the island experiencing over 186,000 visitors per annum (www.tomm.info), and some of the best southern rock lobster being sourced from the island's rugged south coast. Kangaroo Island has South Australia's only eucalyptus oil
Eucalyptus oil
Eucalyptus oil is the generic name for distilled oil from the leaf of Eucalyptus, a genus of the plant family Myrtaceae native to Australia and cultivated worldwide. Eucalyptus oil has a history of wide application, as a pharmaceutical, antiseptic, repellent, flavouring, fragrance and industrial uses...
distillery with oil distilled from the endemic Kangaroo Island Narrow Leaf Mallee
Eucalyptus cneorifolia
Eucalyptus cneorifolia, the Kangaroo Island narrow-leaf mallee, is a native tree of Kangaroo Island, South Australia. It will grow to roughly 5m in height, and produces a small white flower...
.
The island also has 28 wine growers. The first vineyard was planted at Eastern Cove in 1976 and the first wine made in 1982. This was blended with Tolleys Barossa wine and sold from the cellar door of Eastern Cove Wine as KI-Barossa blend. The Florance vineyard was established under supervision of B. Hayes of Eastern Cove, who produced its first wine - Eastern Cove Cygnet - and introduced it at the University of South Australia, 1990. The wine carried a Kangaroo Island appellation label as first wine 100% of the region.
The future of over 19,000 hectares, which had been planted (or due to be planted ) with blue gum for future harvesting is now in doubt following the collapse of Great Southern Plantation Ltd in May 2009.
Ligurian Bees
Kangaroo Island is famous for its honeyHoney
Honey is a sweet food made by bees using nectar from flowers. The variety produced by honey bees is the one most commonly referred to and is the type of honey collected by beekeepers and consumed by humans...
and for being the oldest bee sanctuary in the world. Ligurian honey bees came to Kangaroo Island when an Italian colony was set up. The bees flourished and are the only surviving Ligurian honey bees after disease killed all Ligurian honey bees in Italy. The Australian and Italian Prime Ministers made laws that the bees would not leave the island or be sent to Italy, because of risk of all Ligurian honey bees dying.
It’s impossible to identify the pedigree of the first two Ligurian hives of bees distributed to Kangaroo Island, one in Easter 1884 and the second in June. However, they were directly linked to the hive Arthur E. Bonney received from Queensland in December 1883. There are several lineage possibilities. Of the first five Ligurian queens Chas Fullwood of Brisbane, Queensland, personally took delivery of in London from Messrs. Neighbour – who presumably sourced the bees from Italy on Fullwood’s behalf – Fullwood retained two in October 1880. By May 1881 he’d increased their number to six. In April 1882 “I have two imported queens still in my apiary besides a number of their daughters that are giving satisfactory results.” In August 1882 Fullwood received five queens alive out of 12 sent from Italy. He may have given two away – possibly to his friend Jas Carroll - for he retained only three of them. A second importation from Italy was made and in August 1883 ten were received alive.
The Advertiser, 24 December 1883, reported “A few weeks since the Chamber of Manufactures forwarded an order to Mr. Carroll, a bee master, near Brisbane, for a swarm of Ligurian bees.” The American Bee Journal, 25 November 1885, stated “Several pure colonies were reared from this one, [the first hive from Queensland] and two of them were sent to Kangaroo Island, where they appear to thrive well.” An almost word perfect report in the British Bee Journal, 1 November 1885, added “They came from the apiary of Mr. Chas. Fullwood.” Whether forwarded by Carroll or Fullwood, the bees shipped to Adelaide must have been sourced from the latter’s importations and/or subsequent breeding activities by either of them.
Bonney’s first hive, ordered by the Chamber of Manufactures, was most likely a daughter or subsequent generation queen bred in Queensland. Knowing Carroll’s long held desire – and failed attempts – to source Italian bees over the previous decade, he would have relinquished Italian born queens only under duress. Fullwood most likely forwarded to South Australia a Queensland born queen for he highly valued the queens sourced directly from Italy, or initially, via England.
Bonney quickly commenced queen bee breeding near Adelaide at his Upper Kensington apiary in January 1884. In the South Australian Advertiser, 7 March 1884, Bonney stated “About three weeks ago I divided the original colony, and the Chamber of Manufactures now possesses three good swarms of Ligurians; two of these will probably be ready to send out towards the end of the month.” And on 9 May 1884 “To show that I think highly of the Ligurians, I may say that in March I imported two more colonies from Queensland. … During Easter holidays Mr. Justice Boucaut took one queen [bred and mated in Adelaide] in a full colony to Mr. Buick, of American River, Kangaroo Island.” From the South Australian Advertiser, 1 August 1884 "On June 25 the original hive of Ligurian bees, imported by the chamber from Queensland, was sent safely to Mr. Turner, at Smith's Bay, Kangaroo Island.”
Twelve Ligurian queen bees were subsequently imported from the Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
province of Liguria
Liguria
Liguria is a coastal region of north-western Italy, the third smallest of the Italian regions. Its capital is Genoa. It is a popular region with tourists for its beautiful beaches, picturesque little towns, and good food.-Geography:...
in October 1885, four of which were to be distributed to residents on the island, however one died so only three were sent, one each to Hog Bay (today's Penneshaw), Kingscote and Cygnet River. Island residents continued to request Ligurian queens and more mainland bred queens may well have been sent, including one to Mrs Willson of Hog Bay some time after July 1886. In October and November 1885, August Fiebig and his son Rudolph took to Hog Bay more than 24 hives of "black" bees, each headed by a Ligurian queen bred on the mainland or containing a mature queen cell, the queen to mate on the island once hatched. By November 1887 another apiary was reported at Cape Cassini. August and Rudolph Fiebig at Hog Bay produced their first batch of Ligurian queen bees for dispatch to customers soon after November 1887.
Kangaroo Island beekeepers claim to have the only pure strain of Ligurian bee in the world. The bees and their sanctuary are a living testament to the pioneering zeal of South Australia's leading 1880's beekeepers. The importation to Kangaroo Island of bees or any honey products is prohibited.
Local government
The Kangaroo Island CouncilKangaroo Island Council
The Kangaroo Island Council is a local government area of South Australia that covers the entirety of Kangaroo Island, 13 km off the coast of the mainland. The council was formed in 1996 by the amalgamation of two previous councils - the District Council of Kingscote and the District Council...
provides local government for the entire island, and was formed in 1996 following amalgamation of the previous District Councils of Kingscote and Dudley. Kangaroo Island is in the federal Division of Mayo
Division of Mayo
The Division of Mayo is an Australian Electoral Division located in the hills, east of Adelaide, South Australia and currently includes the towns of Victor Harbor, Lobethal, Mount Barker, Strathalbyn, Woodside and Kingscote....
, represented by Jamie Briggs, and in the state Electoral district of Finniss
Electoral district of Finniss
Finniss is an electoral district of the House of Assembly in the Australian state of South Australia. It is named after Boyle Finniss, the first Premier of South Australia...
, represented by Michael Pengilly
Michael Pengilly
Michael Redding Pengilly is an Australian politician who took over from retiring sitting member and former Premier Dean Brown for the safe Liberal seat of Finniss at the 2006 election....
, a former mayor of the Kangaroo Island Council.
A 2005 enquiry into the financial sustainability of local government in South Australia, determined that Kangaroo Island Council was unsustainable, due to its large land area, extensive road network, low population and high tourism visitation. A long term financial plan adopted by council includes a rate increase of 2% above CPI for the ten years from 2010.
On 13 May 2010 a new Development Plan was authorised, representing a comprehensive review of Kangaroo Island's planning regulations.
Sea Transport
Following withdrawal from service of Karatta, RW. Miller operated the M.V. Troubridge, in later years as a joint venture with the South Australian Government. M.V. Troubridge was a roll on, roll off vessel of 1996 tons, which utilised specially designed loading gantries at Port Adelaide
Port Adelaide
Port Adelaide is a suburb of Adelaide lying about 14 kilometres northwest of the City of Adelaide. It lies within the City of Port Adelaide Enfield and is the main port for the city of Adelaide...
, Port Lincoln and Kingscote.
M.V. Troubridge operated until 1 June 1987, when it was replaced by the Government run AU
Australian dollar
The Australian dollar is the currency of the Commonwealth of Australia, including Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, and Norfolk Island, as well as the independent Pacific Island states of Kiribati, Nauru and Tuvalu...
$23 million Island Seaway. Built locally in Port Adelaide by Eglo Engineering, Island Seaway utilised the same loading platforms as Troubridge. Island Seaway was severely criticised as being unsuitable for the Backstairs Passage crossing. Seventy-five sheep and cattle died on the inaugural trip due to carbon monoxide poisoning, and the ship was once described as 'steering like a shopping trolley'. The vessel subsequently underwent a A$1 million refit of its propulsion system in September 1989 which improved its reliability.
Island Seaway began to experience competition from Kangaroo Island SeaLink
Kangaroo Island SeaLink
Kangaroo Island SeaLink is a privately owned South Australian ferry company and tour operator which has plied the crossing from mainland South Australia to Kangaroo Island since 1989. From 1989 to 1994, Kangaroo Island Sealink was owned by the Malaysian company MBF. In 1994 the company was sold to...
which began services from Cape Jervis to Penneshaw in the 1980s. SeaLink acquired the ferry service originally introduced by Peter March. His "Philanderer Ferries" pioneered the crossing from Cape Jervis to Penneshaw, with Philanderer 3 being a passenger and vehicle carrying catamaran style vessel. During the 1980s, two passenger only services, Hydroflite H33, and Islander, operated for a short time from Glenelg to Kingscote.
SeaLink has outlasted several competing companies since it began operations. Boat Torque, a Western Australian company, operated Superflyte from 1994 until 1997, sailing from Glenelg to Kingscote. Kangaroo Island Ferries had a short-lived venture with SeaWay, which travelled from Wirrina Cove to Kingscote from September 2004 until February 2005. SeaWay could not handle rough weather as well as SeaLink vessels which impacted the service's reliability. Under different proprietorship, SeaWay recommenced services in August 2007. However, in May 2008, the operator of SeaWay announced suspension of services until October 2008, citing increased fuel prices. In June 2008 the SeaWay's operating company was placed in administration and the vessel advertised for sale.
With the introduction by SeaLink of the Island Navigator, the fate of Island Seaway was sealed, with the service subsequently withdrawn and SeaLink drawing on Government subsidies to operate all freight services to and from the Island. SeaLink now holds a virtual monopoly on sea transport to Kangaroo Island, primarily due to its long term lease of the Cape Jervis berth. Sealink's agreement with the SA Government, expiring in 2024, precludes other operators from utilising the Cape Jervis facility for one hour before, and one hour after any scheduled SeaLink service. Kangaroo Island residents have expressed displeasure with the exclusive arrangement granted to SeaLink.
Air Transport
Guinea Airways operated the first commercial service to Kangaroo Island, commencing in the 1930s. In 1959, the airline was acquired by Airlines of South AustraliaAirlines of South Australia
Airlines of South Australia refers to*A subsidiary of Ansett Airlines that operated from 1959 until 1986, and*An independent airline that operated between 1987 and 2005.- Ansett subsidiary :...
(ASA), a subsidiary of Ansett Airlines. The airline's final service was on 4 April 1986. ASA primarily operated Convair
Convair
Convair was an American aircraft manufacturing company which later expanded into rockets and spacecraft. The company was formed in 1943 by the merger of Vultee Aircraft and Consolidated Aircraft, and went on to produce a number of pioneering aircraft, such as the Convair B-36 bomber, and the F-102...
s, Douglas DC-3
Douglas DC-3
The Douglas DC-3 is an American fixed-wing propeller-driven aircraft whose speed and range revolutionized air transport in the 1930s and 1940s. Its lasting impact on the airline industry and World War II makes it one of the most significant transport aircraft ever made...
and Fokker F-27 aircraft. A Piaggio P166 was used infrequently in the 1970s, whilst Rossair
Rossair (Australia)
Rossair Charter is an air charter company based in Adelaide, Australia.-History:The company was established in 1963. In 2004 it was bought by Aus-Air Pty...
operated Cessna 402's
Cessna 402
The Cessna 401 and 402 are series of 6 to 10 place, light twin, piston engine aircraft. This line was manufactured by Cessna from 1966 to 1985 under the name Utiliner and Businessliner...
in an arrangement with ASA to replace the F27's in off-peak times.
Following the withdrawal of ASA, Kendell Airlines
Kendell
Kendell Airlines was a regional airline in Australia, at times the largest in the country. It served major regional centres in New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania from Melbourne, Adelaide, and Sydney...
(another Ansett subsidiary), operated 19-seat Fairchild Metroliners
Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner
The Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner or the Fairchild Aerospace Metro is a 19-seat, pressurised, twin turboprop airliner first produced by Swearingen Aircraft and later by Fairchild at a plant in San Antonio, Texas, United States....
and 34-seat SAAB
Saab
Saab AB is a Swedish aerospace and defence company, founded in 1937. From 1947 to 1990 it was the parent company of automobile manufacturer Saab Automobile, and between 1968 and 1995 the company was in a merger with commercial vehicle manufacturer Scania, known as Saab-Scania.-History:"Svenska...
aircraft to the Island. Upon Ansett's ultimate demise in 2002, Regional Express
Regional Express Airlines
Regional Express Pty Ltd is an airline based in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia. It operates scheduled regional services. It is Australia's largest regional airline outside the Qantas group of companies and serves New South Wales, South Australia, Victoria, North Queensland and Tasmania...
(Rex) acquired the Kendell aircraft and continued services which are maintained today.
In competition with the larger aircraft, and generally with more flexible timetables, a succession of smaller airlines from the 1970s tried with varying success to maintain a 'second string' presence. Island Air and Pagas operated briefly in the 1970s, whilst the most successful, Emu Airways
Emu Airways
Emu Airways was an airline based in Adelaide in Australia operating tourist flights to nearby Kangaroo Island. It was part of the RegionalLink Airlines group which also included Airnorth and Airlines of South Australia .- History :...
, commenced in 1980 and made its final flight in November 2005. Emu flew Piper Chieftain
Piper PA-31 Navajo
The Piper PA-31 Navajo is a family of cabin-class, twin-engine aircraft designed and built by Piper Aircraft for the general aviation market, most using Lycoming engines. It was also licence-built in a number of Latin American countries. Targeted at small-scale cargo and feeder liner operations and...
aircraft to Kingscote, American River, Penneshaw and Parndana, before air regulations dictated abandonment of all airstrips except Kingscote
Kingscote Airport
Kingscote Airport is roughly 13 km out of Kingscote, South Australia the main town on Kangaroo Island. The airport is the main airport for Kangaroo Island. The airport is serviced by RPT and many charter flights...
. Air Kangaroo Island (formerly Air Transit), flew Cessna 402's
Cessna 402
The Cessna 401 and 402 are series of 6 to 10 place, light twin, piston engine aircraft. This line was manufactured by Cessna from 1966 to 1985 under the name Utiliner and Businessliner...
to the Island during the 1990s. Keith Stevens operated Albatross Airlines for much of the 1980s and early 1990s.
From 1986 to 1990, Lloyd Aviation operated Embraer EMB 110 Bandeirante
Embraer EMB 110 Bandeirante
The Embraer EMB 110 Bandeirante is a general purpose 15-21 passenger twin-turboprop light transport aircraft suitable for military and civil duties...
aircraft, before flying the Irish-made Short 330. For several years during the 1980s, Commodore Airlines (eventually becoming State Air) offered another alternative service. QantasLink
QantasLink
QantasLink is a regional brand of Australian airline Qantas and is an affiliate member of the Oneworld airline alliance. It is a major competitor to Regional Express Airlines, Virgin Australia and Skywest Airlines. As of September 2010 QantasLink provides 1900 flights each week to 54 domestic and...
briefly operated a service after the demise of Emu Airways, commencing 18 December 2005, but withdrew less than six months later. QantasLink
QantasLink
QantasLink is a regional brand of Australian airline Qantas and is an affiliate member of the Oneworld airline alliance. It is a major competitor to Regional Express Airlines, Virgin Australia and Skywest Airlines. As of September 2010 QantasLink provides 1900 flights each week to 54 domestic and...
also operated direct flights from Kangaroo Island to Melbourne, the first time the route was operated.
In January 2007 Air South commenced four services daily using Titan nine seat aircraft, but ceased flights in October 2009.
Wildlife and its protection
National park
A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or...
s, Conservation Parks
Conservation park
Conservation park is a type of specially protected status for land held by the Crown for conservation purposes.In New Zealand this land is administered by the Department of Conservation and was set up under the Conservation Act 1987. As of 31 March 2005, New Zealand's Conservation parks consisted...
, and five Wilderness Protection Areas. The main protected areas are:
- Flinders Chase National ParkFlinders Chase National ParkFlinders Chase is a national park on Kangaroo Island, South Australia, 213 km southwest of Adelaide. It is a sanctuary for endangered species and home to a few geological phenomena....
- Seal Bay Conservation ParkSeal Bay Conservation ParkSeal Bay Conservation Park is located on Kangaroo Island, South Australia.There is a large Australian Sea Lion colony on the beach, making it one of the most popular tourist destinations on Kangaroo Island. In order to protect the colony, visitors are only allowed on the beach by paying to go on a...
- Cape Gantheaume Conservation ParkCape Gantheaume Conservation ParkCape Gantheaume Conservation Park is located on Kangaroo Island, South Australia. Attractions include Murray Lagoon and D'Estrees Bay....
- Cape Bouguer Wilderness Protection Area
- Ravine des Casoars Wilderness Protection AreaRavine des Casoars Wilderness Protection AreaRavine des Casoars Wilderness Protection Area is located on Kangaroo Island, South Australia.-External links:* - Department for Environment and Heritage...
Because of its isolation from mainland Australia, fox
Fox
Fox is a common name for many species of omnivorous mammals belonging to the Canidae family. Foxes are small to medium-sized canids , characterized by possessing a long narrow snout, and a bushy tail .Members of about 37 species are referred to as foxes, of which only 12 species actually belong to...
es and rabbit
Rabbit
Rabbits are small mammals in the family Leporidae of the order Lagomorpha, found in several parts of the world...
s are absent from and prohibited from entering the island. Registration and microchipping of cats is mandatory. The Kangaroo Island Kangaroo
Western Grey Kangaroo
The Western Grey Kangaroo is a large and very common kangaroo or macropod, found across almost the entire southern part of Australia, from just south of Shark Bay to coastal South Australia, western Victoria, and the entire Murray-Darling Basin in New South Wales and Queensland...
, Rosenberg's Sand Goanna, Southern Brown Bandicoot
Southern Brown Bandicoot
The Southern Brown Bandicoot , also known as the Quenda from the local Noongar tongue from South Western Australia, is a short-nosed bandicoot found mostly in southern Australia....
, Tammar Wallaby
Tammar Wallaby
The Tammar Wallaby , also known as the Dama Wallaby or Darma Wallaby, is a small member of the kangaroo family and is the model species for research on kangaroos and marsupials. It is found on offshore islands on the South Australian and Western Australian coast...
, Common Brushtail Possum
Common Brushtail Possum
The Common Brushtail Possum is a nocturnal, semi-arboreal marsupial of the family Phalangeridae, it is native to Australia, and the largest of the possums.Like most possums, the Common Brushtail is nocturnal...
, Short-beaked Echidna
Short-beaked Echidna
The short-beaked echidna , also known as the spiny anteater because of its diet of ants and termites, is one of four living species of echidna and the only member of the genus Tachyglossus...
and New Zealand Fur Seal
New Zealand Fur Seal
The Australian fur seal , or New Zealand fur seal or southern fur seal, is a species of fur seal found around the south coast of Australia, the coast of the South Island of New Zealand, and some of the small islands to the south and east of there...
are native to the island, as well as six bat
Bat
Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera "hand" and pteron "wing") whose forelimbs form webbed wings, making them the only mammals naturally capable of true and sustained flight. By contrast, other mammals said to fly, such as flying squirrels, gliding possums, and colugos, glide rather than fly,...
and frog
Frog
Frogs are amphibians in the order Anura , formerly referred to as Salientia . Most frogs are characterized by a short body, webbed digits , protruding eyes and the absence of a tail...
species. The sole endemic (found nowhere else) vertebrate species is a small marsupial carnivore called the Kangaroo Island Dunnart
Kangaroo Island Dunnart
The Kangaroo Island Dunnart is a dark sooty-grey coloured dunnart species first discovered in 1969, with paler underparts of its body. It has an average body length of 170mm-198mm, a snout to anus length of 80-93 mm, a tail measurement of 90-105 mm, a hind foot of 17.5mm, ear length of 18mm and a...
. The Koala
Koala
The koala is an arboreal herbivorous marsupial native to Australia, and the only extant representative of the family Phascolarctidae....
, Common Ringtail Possum
Common Ringtail Possum
The common ringtail possum is an Australian marsupial. It lives in a variety of habitats and eats a variety of leaves of both native and introduced plants, as well as flowers and fruits. These dietary factors have, over time, aided burgeoning introduced populations in New Zealand...
and Platypus
Platypus
The platypus is a semi-aquatic mammal endemic to eastern Australia, including Tasmania. Together with the four species of echidna, it is one of the five extant species of monotremes, the only mammals that lay eggs instead of giving birth to live young...
have been introduced and still survive there.
The introduced Koalas have flourished on the island, to the degree that their preferred food source, the Manna Gum
Manna Gum
Eucalyptus viminalis, Manna Gum, also known as White Gum, Ribbon Gum or Viminalis is an Australian eucalypt.It is a straight erect tree, often around 40 metres tall, with rough bark on the trunk and base of larger branches, its upper bark peels away in long "ribbons" which can collect on the...
, is currently at risk of local extinction. Koalas have recently been forced to turn to other, less palatable, species. Management methods used include surgical sterilisation and transfer to suitable empty mainland sites. This does not appear to be keeping up with the breeding rate, though, so the only practical solution may be culling. The government is opposed to this though, fearing an economic backlash through tourism boycotts.
Birds
Kangaroo Island had a native species of EmuEmu
The Emu Dromaius novaehollandiae) is the largest bird native to Australia and the only extant member of the genus Dromaius. It is the second-largest extant bird in the world by height, after its ratite relative, the ostrich. There are three subspecies of Emus in Australia...
, the Kangaroo Island Emu
Kangaroo Island Emu
Kangaroo Island Emu or Dwarf Emu is an extinct member of the bird family Casuariidae. It was restricted to Kangaroo Island, South Australia, which was known as Ile Decrés by the members of the Baudin expedition. It differed from the mainland Emu mainly in its smaller size...
; however, it became extinct between 1802 and official European settlement in 1836, perhaps owing to bushfires or from hunting by sealers or whalers. The island is also the last South Australian refuge of the endangered Glossy Black Cockatoo.
Kangaroo Island has been identified by BirdLife International
BirdLife International
BirdLife International is a global Partnership of conservation organisations that strives to conserve birds, their habitats and global biodiversity, working with people towards sustainability in the use of natural resources...
as an Important Bird Area
Important Bird Area
An Important Bird Area is an area recognized as being globally important habitat for the conservation of bird populations. Currently there are about 10,000 IBAs worldwide. The program was developed and sites are identified by BirdLife International...
(IBA) because it supports populations of the vulnerable
Vulnerable species
On 30 January 2010, the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species identified 9694 Vulnerable species, subspecies and varieties, stocks and sub-populations.-References:...
Fairy Tern
Fairy Tern
The Fairy Tern is a small tern which occurs in the southwestern Pacific.There are three subspecies:* Australian Fairy Tern, Sterna nereis nereis - breeds in Australia...
, the near threatened
Near Threatened
Near Threatened is a conservation status assigned to species or lower taxa that may be considered threatened with extinction in the near future, although it does not currently qualify for the threatened status...
Bush Stone-curlew
Bush Stone-curlew
The Bush Stone-curlew or Bush Thick-knee is a large, ground-dwelling bird endemic to Australia...
, Hooded Plover
Hooded Plover
The Hooded Dotterel or Hooded Plover is a species of bird in the Charadriidae family. It is endemic to southern Australia and Tasmania. There are two recognized subspecies, both of which are classifed as Endangered....
and Western Whipbird
Western Whipbird
The Western Whipbird is a passerine bird found in several scattered populations across southern Australia. It is predominantly olive green in colour....
, and the biome
Biome
Biomes are climatically and geographically defined as similar climatic conditions on the Earth, such as communities of plants, animals, and soil organisms, and are often referred to as ecosystems. Some parts of the earth have more or less the same kind of abiotic and biotic factors spread over a...
-restricted Rock Parrot
Rock Parrot
The Rock Parrot , also known as the Rock Elegant, is a parrot which is endemic to coastal South Australia, southern Western Australia, and that continent's offshore islands, including Rottnest Island. It is a small, predominantly olive-green parrot...
and Purple-gaped Honeyeater
Purple-gaped Honeyeater
The Purple-gaped Honeyeater is a species of bird in the Meliphagidae family.It is endemic to Australia.Its natural habitat is Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation.-References:...
. It also supports over 1% of the world populations of Cape Barren Geese
Cape Barren Goose
The Cape Barren Goose is a large goose resident in southern Australia. The species is named for Cape Barren Island, where specimens were first sighted by European explorers.-Taxonomy:...
, Black-faced Cormorant
Black-faced Cormorant
The Black-faced Cormorant , also known as the Black-faced Shag, is a medium-sized member of the cormorant family. Upperparts, including facial skin and bill, are black, with white underparts. It is endemic to coastal regions of southern Australia.-Ecology:The Black-faced-Cormorant feeds largely on...
s, Pacific Gull
Pacific Gull
The Pacific Gull is a very large gull, native to the coasts of Australia. It is moderately common between Carnarvon in the west, and Sydney in the east, although it has become scarce in some parts of the south-east, as a result of competition from the Kelp Gull, which has "self-introduced" since...
s and Pied Oystercatcher
Pied Oystercatcher
The Pied Oystercatcher, Haematopus longirostris, is a species of oystercatcher. It is a wading bird native to Australia and commonly found on its coastline. The similar South Island Pied Oystercatcher The Pied Oystercatcher, Haematopus longirostris, is a species of oystercatcher. It is a wading...
s, and sometimes of Musk Duck
Musk Duck
The Musk Duck is a highly aquatic, stiff-tailed duck native to southern Australia. It is the only living member of the genus Biziura. An extinct relative, the New Zealand Musk Duck or de Lautour's Duck , once occurred on New Zealand, but is only known from prehistoric subfossil bones...
s, Blue-billed Duck
Blue-billed Duck
The Blue-billed Duck is a small Australian stiff-tailed duck, with both the male and female growing to a length of 40 cm . The male has a slate-blue bill which changes to bright-blue during the breeding season, hence the duck’s common name . The male has deep chestnut plumage during breeding...
s, Freckled Duck
Freckled Duck
The Freckled Duck is a moderately large, broad-bodied duck native to southern Australia. The duck is protected by law...
s, Australian Shelduck
Australian Shelduck
The Australian Shelduck, Tadorna tadornoides, is a shelduck, a group of large goose-like birds which are part of the bird family Anatidae, which also includes the swans, geese and ducks. The Anatidae article should be referred to for an overview of this group of birds.This is a bird which breeds...
s, Chestnut Teal
Chestnut Teal
The Chestnut Teal is a dabbling duck found in southern Australia. It is protected under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974.-Description:The Chestnut Teal is darker and a slightly bigger bird than the Grey Teal....
s and Banded Stilt
Banded Stilt
The Banded Stilt is a nomadic stilt from Australia. It belongs to the monotypical genus Cladorhynchus. It gets its name from the red-brown breast band found on breeding adults, but this is mottled or entirely absent in non-breeding adults and juveniles. Its remaining plumage is pied and the eyes...
s.
Fires
Tourism
- Seal Bay with ranger guided walks among basking Australian sea lionSea LionSea lions are pinnipeds characterized by external ear-flaps, long fore-flippers, the ability to walk on all fours, and short thick hair. Together with the fur seal, they comprise the family Otariidae, or eared seals. There are six extant and one extinct species in five genera...
s. - Flinders Chase National ParkFlinders Chase National ParkFlinders Chase is a national park on Kangaroo Island, South Australia, 213 km southwest of Adelaide. It is a sanctuary for endangered species and home to a few geological phenomena....
which includes Remarkable Rocks, Admiral's Arch, lighthouses at Cape Borda and Cape du CouedicCape du CouedicCape du Couedic is the south-western point of Kangaroo Island, off the coast of South Australia. Cape du Couedic was named in 1803 by French explorer Nicolas Baudin in honour of his friend and famous French sea captain Charles Louis, Chevalier du Couedic de Kergoualer .thumb|300px|left|Cape du...
, and multiple walking trails and camping areas. - Cape Willoughby
- Kelly Hill Caves
- Little SaharaLittle Sahara (Kangaroo Island)Little Sahara on Kangaroo Island is a heritage area, naturally occurring sand dune system roughly covering two square kilometres. The dunes vary in size with plenty of small dunes and the highest dune is approximately 70 metres above sea level....
, huge sand dunesDuneIn physical geography, a dune is a hill of sand built by wind. Dunes occur in different forms and sizes, formed by interaction with the wind. Most kinds of dunes are longer on the windward side where the sand is pushed up the dune and have a shorter "slip face" in the lee of the wind...
on the south coast. - the lookout Mount Thisby (officially designated Prospect Hill in 2002 to honour Matthew FlindersMatthew FlindersCaptain 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...
' original naming) with a 360 degree view around the island. - Murray Lagoon with its abundant aquatic bird life.
- Parndana Wildlife Park
- Kangaroo Island Penguin Centre (formerly Kangaroo Island Marine Centre) at Kingscote.
Shipwrecks and lighthouses
Loch Sloy
Loch Sloy was a Scottish sailing barque that operated between Great Britain and Australia from the late 19th century until 1899. Her name was drawn from Loch Sloy, a freshwater lake which lies to the north of the Burgh of Helensburgh, in the region of Argyll and Bute, Scotland.In the early hours of...
on 24 April 1899 at Maurpetius Bay, when 31 persons were drowned, and one initial survivor subsequently perished. 28 persons were drowned at West Bay in September 1905, when Loch Vennachar
Loch Vennachar
Loch Vennachar was a three-masted iron sailing ship that operated between Great Britain and Australia between the late 19th century and 1905. The name was drawn from Loch Venachar, a lake which lies to the south-west of the burgh of Callander, in the Stirling region of Scotland...
was wrecked.
The first lighthouse built in South Australia was erected at Cape Willoughby in 1852. Cape Borda
Cape Borda
Cape Borda is a headland with a lighthouse on the west coast of Kangaroo Island, South Australia and is situated 70 kilometres west from the town of Kingscote.- Cape Borda Lightstation :...
lighthouse was built in 1858, whilst the Cape du Couedic
Cape du Couedic
Cape du Couedic is the south-western point of Kangaroo Island, off the coast of South Australia. Cape du Couedic was named in 1803 by French explorer Nicolas Baudin in honour of his friend and famous French sea captain Charles Louis, Chevalier du Couedic de Kergoualer .thumb|300px|left|Cape du...
lighthouse was erected in 1906. All lighthouses continue to be operational.
Lifestyle
Rip current
A rip current, commonly referred to by the misnomer rip tide, is a strong channel of water flowing seaward from near the shore, typically through the surf line. Typical flow is at 0.5 metres per second , and can be as fast as 2.5 metres per second...
and is more suitable for stronger and experienced swimmers only.
Kangaroo Island has several organised sporting competitions, including Australian rules football
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
(see Kangaroo Island Football League
Kangaroo Island Football League
The Kangaroo Island Football League is an Australian rules football competition based on Kangaroo Island in South Australia, Australia. It is an affiliated member of the South Australian National Football League and is zoned to the South Adelaide Football Club....
), cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
, darts
Darts
Darts is a form of throwing game where darts are thrown at a circular target fixed to a wall. Though various boards and games have been used in the past, the term "darts" usually now refers to a standardised game involving a specific board design and set of rules...
, go kart racing
Kart racing
Kart racing or karting is a variant of open-wheel motorsport with small, open, four-wheeled vehicles called karts, go-karts, or gearbox/shifter karts depending on the design. They are usually raced on scaled-down circuits...
, lawn bowls, netball
Netball
Netball is a ball sport played between two teams of seven players. Its development, derived from early versions of basketball, began in England in the 1890s. By 1960 international playing rules had been standardised for the game, and the International Federation of Netball and Women's Basketball ...
, sailing, softball
Softball
Softball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
, squash
Squash (sport)
Squash is a high-speed racquet sport played by two players in a four-walled court with a small, hollow rubber ball...
and tennis.
Climate
Average temperatures in August range between 13 to 16 degrees and in February, the hottest month, between 20 and 25 degrees.
Between May and September the island receives 2/3 of its annual rainfall, varying from 450 mm in Kingscote to around 900 mm near Roo Lagoon on the top of the central plateau. The wettest month is July.
- Average Annual Temperature: 11.6 - 19.1 °C
- Average January Temperature: 14.9 - 23.6 °C
- Average July Temperature: 8.4 - 14.6 °C
- Days over 30 °C: 10.3
- Days over 35 °C: 1.6
- Days under 2 °C: 0.3
- Days under 0 °C: 0.0
- Annual Rainfall: 485.1 mm
- Average Annual Windspeed: 14.7 - 17.7 km/h
See also
- Lighthouses and lightvessels in AustraliaLighthouses and lightvessels in AustraliaThis is a list of lighthouses and lightvessels in Australia.Australia has a coastline of , with over 350 lighthouses and navigational aids around the Australian coastline, and a single inland lighthouse, the Point Malcolm lighthouse....
- Proclamation DayProclamation DayProclamation Day is the name of a number of official or unofficial holidays or other anniversaries which commemorate or mark an important proclamation. In some cases it may be the day of, or the anniversary of, the proclamation of a monarch's accession to the throne...
- South Australian wineSouth Australian wineThe South Australian wine industry is responsible for more than half the production of all Australian wine. The state of South Australia has a vast diversity in geography and climate which allows the state to be able to successfully produce a wide range of grape varieties-from the cool climate...
- Loch VennacharLoch VennacharLoch Vennachar was a three-masted iron sailing ship that operated between Great Britain and Australia between the late 19th century and 1905. The name was drawn from Loch Venachar, a lake which lies to the south-west of the burgh of Callander, in the Stirling region of Scotland...
- List of islands of Australia
External links
- Kangaroo Island - South Australian Tourism Commission site
- ABC Radio National, Hindsight program "Kangaroo Island unearthed" broadcast 22/02/2004
- Online guide to Kangaroo Island bird wildlife and vertebrates wildlife