Meade Island is an uninhabited sand island located about 200 metres from

Dirk Hartog Island A dirk is a long bladed thrusting dagger.Chisholm, Hugh (ed.), ''Dagger'', The Encyclopædia Britannica, 11th ed., Vol. VII, New York, NY: Cambridge University Press (1910), p. 729 Historically, it gained its name from the Highland Dirk (Scot ...

in the Shark Bay World Heritage Site in

Western Australia Western Australia (commonly abbreviated as WA) is a state of Australia occupying the western percent of the land area of Australia excluding external territories. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to th ...

, and joined to that island at low tide. It has an area of about 800 square metres (0.2 acre), and an elevation of two metres (7 ft). The island's vegetation is a closed

heath A heath () is a shrubland habitat found mainly on free-draining infertile, acidic soils and characterised by open, low-growing woody vegetation. Moorland is generally related to high-ground heaths with—especially in Great Britain—a cooler ...

, of which the dominant plant species are ''

Nitraria billardierei ''Nitraria billardierei'', commonly known as nitre bush or dillon bush, is a perennial shrub native to Australia. It is often found in saline areas or other areas which have been disturbed. This species produces flowers predominantly in spring, ...

'' (Nitre Bush), '' Scaevola crassifolia'' (Thick-leaved Fan-flower) and ''

Spinifex longifolius ''Spinifex longifolius'', commonly known as beach spinifex, is a perennial grass that grows in sandy regions along the seacoast. It also lives in most deserts around Australia. Description It grows as a tussock from 30 centimetres to a metre ...

'' (Beach Spinifex). Other plant species include '' Exocarpos aphyllus'' (Leafless Ballart), ''Rhagodia preissii'' subsp. ''obovata'', '' Salsola tragus'' (Prickly Saltwort), ''

Sonchus oleraceus ''Sonchus oleraceus'' is a species of flowering plant in the tribe Cichorieae of the family Asteraceae, native to Europe and Western Asia. It has many common names including common sowthistle, sow thistle, smooth sow thistle, annual sow thistle, ...

'' (Common Sow-thistle), and a species of ''

Pelargonium ''Pelargonium'' () is a genus of flowering plants that includes about 280 species of perennials, succulents, and shrubs, commonly called geraniums, pelargoniums, or storksbills. '' Geranium'' is also the botanical name and common name of a separ ...

''. Eight species of

seabird Seabirds (also known as marine birds) are birds that are adapted to life within the marine environment. While seabirds vary greatly in lifestyle, behaviour and physiology, they often exhibit striking convergent evolution, as the same enviro ...

roost on the island.

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See also