The Beagle Islands are a small group of islands in
Western Australia, found approximately north-west of
Leeman.
Island group
The Beagle Islands are a group of three individual islands:
* North West Beagle Island with an area of located from the mainland.
* East Beagle Island with an area of located from the mainland.
* South West Beagle Island with an area of located from the mainland.
[
The group is at the northern end of the Turquoise Coast islands group, a chain of 40 islands spread over a distance of .]
Geology
The islands formed approximately 10,000 years ago after large fluctuations in sea levels caused erosion on large areas of the continental shelf
A continental shelf is a portion of a continent that is submerged under an area of relatively shallow water, known as a shelf sea. Much of these shelves were exposed by drops in sea level during glacial periods. The shelf surrounding an island ...
during periods of glaciation. Large parallel sand dunes then formed and hardened into limestone, forming islands, most of which have been separated from the mainland for 6,500 years.[
Well preserved Tamala limestone geological features can be found on all of the Turquoise Coast islands, with supra-tidal hard coral fossils being found on the Beagle Islands.][
]
Sea lions
The islands are home to the largest population of Australian sea lion
The Australian sea lion (''Neophoca cinerea''), also known as the Australian sea-lion or Australian sealion, is a species of sea lion that is the only endemic pinniped in Australia. It is currently monotypic in the genus ''Neophoca'', with the e ...
s in Western Australia, The breeding colony is estimated to be between 150 and 250 animals depending on the breeding cycle. East Beagle island is also home to the tree-like form of the Nitre Bush
''Nitraria'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Nitrariaceae, native to Africa, Europe, Asia, Russia and Australia.
There are about 9 species including:
*''Nitraria billardierei'' DC., known as nitre bush or dillon bush
*''Nitra ...
, an important habitat for sea lions when pupping.[
]
Wreck
In 1905 a boat was reported as being wrecked near the islands and in 1934 a fisherman drowned after being swept overboard.
See also
* List of islands of Western Australia
References
Islands of the Mid West (Western Australia)
Nature reserves in Western Australia
Turquoise Coast (Western Australia)
{{coord, 29, 48, 30, S, 114, 52, 31, E, display=title, region:AU_type:isle_source:GNS-enwiki