Pental Island, Victoria
Encyclopedia
Pental Island is a rural locality in Victoria
, Australia
, bordering Swan Hill, Victoria
in the north. It is an island bounded by the Murray River
in the north and the Little Murray River
in the south; the Little Murray diverging from the Murray at Fish Point
and converging at Swan Hill. Pental Island is also a parish of the County of Tatchera
and the boundaries of the three entities are identical. At the 2006 census
, Pental Island had a population of 380.
Two bridges allow access to the island from Victoria, on Pental Island Road at Swan Hill in the west, and on Fish Point Road at Fish Point in the east. There are no crossings to the island over the Murray from New South Wales
.
) which were the subject of border disputes between the states of Victoria and New South Wales. When the Murray was opened for navigation the question arose as to whether all navigable channels were part of New South Wales, as claimed by that state, or whether the Little Murray River was a continuation of the Loddon River
enclosing Pental Island as claimed by Victoria. The dispute was raised in 1871 and was resolved in favour of Victoria by the Judicial Committee, with no detailed reason given.
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
, Australia
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...
, bordering Swan Hill, Victoria
Swan Hill, Victoria
Swan Hill is a city in the northwest of Victoria, Australia. It is located on the Murray Valley Highway, on the south bank of the Murray River, downstream from the junction of the Loddon River. At the 2006 census, Swan Hill had a population of 9,684.-History:...
in the north. It is an island bounded by the Murray River
Murray River
The Murray River is Australia's longest river. At in length, the Murray rises in the Australian Alps, draining the western side of Australia's highest mountains and, for most of its length, meanders across Australia's inland plains, forming the border between New South Wales and Victoria as it...
in the north and the Little Murray River
Little Murray River (Victoria)
The Little Murray River is a river of the state of Victoria in Australia. It is an anabranch of the Murray River beginning near Fish Point, Victoria and reentering the Murray near Swan Hill...
in the south; the Little Murray diverging from the Murray at Fish Point
Fish Point, Victoria
Fish Point is a locality in Victoria, Australia, located approximately 25 km from Swan Hill, Victoria.Fish Point Post Office opened on 7 November 1890 and closed in 1962....
and converging at Swan Hill. Pental Island is also a parish of the County of Tatchera
County of Tatchera
The County of Tatchera is one of the 37 counties of Victoria which are part of the cadastral divisions of Australia, used for land titles. It is located to the south of the Murray River, and to the south west of Swan Hill, with its western boundary at 143°E, and part of the southern boundary at...
and the boundaries of the three entities are identical. At the 2006 census
Census in Australia
The Australian census is administered once every five years by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The most recent census was conducted on 9 August 2011; the next will be conducted in 2016. Prior to the introduction of regular censuses in 1961, they had also been run in 1901, 1911, 1921, 1933,...
, Pental Island had a population of 380.
Two bridges allow access to the island from Victoria, on Pental Island Road at Swan Hill in the west, and on Fish Point Road at Fish Point in the east. There are no crossings to the island over the Murray from New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
.
Boundary dispute
Pental Island is one of two areas (the other is Beveridge IslandBeveridge Island (Victoria)
Beveridge Island is an island in Victoria, Australia, within the locality of Tyntynder in the Rural City of Swan Hill.It is enclosed by the Murray River, and an anabranch of the river in the south and has an area of approximately 1116 hectares....
) which were the subject of border disputes between the states of Victoria and New South Wales. When the Murray was opened for navigation the question arose as to whether all navigable channels were part of New South Wales, as claimed by that state, or whether the Little Murray River was a continuation of the Loddon River
Loddon River
The Loddon River is a 392-km long tributary of the Murray River that flows through central and northern Victoria, Australia. The river rises near Trentham and flows by Glenlyon. It then flows generally northward through Guildford and Newstead, 40 km west of Bendigo through the Cairn Curran...
enclosing Pental Island as claimed by Victoria. The dispute was raised in 1871 and was resolved in favour of Victoria by the Judicial Committee, with no detailed reason given.
External links
- County of Tatchera, Cadastral map showing county and parish boundaries, categories of lands holdings and reserves., 1880s. National Library of Australia