Sibsey Island is an island in the Australian state of
South Australia
South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories ...
located in
Spencer Gulf within the
Sir Joseph Banks Group
The Sir Joseph Banks Group is an archipelago in the Australian state of South Australia located in Spencer Gulf about off the eastern coast of the Eyre Peninsula. It consists of 21 islands of which eighteen are in the Sir Joseph Banks Group Co ...
. It was discovered on 21 February 1802 by
Matthew Flinders. Currently, the island is uninhabited.
Geography
Sibsey Island is the westernmost member of the Sir Joseph Banks group. There are two anchorages on the island, one on the western side of the island, and another on the east. The nearest island within the Sir Joseph Banks Group is
English Island, which lies to the north-east. There is a
navigational aid located on 2m high pile on the island's highest point, i.e. 26m above sea level.
Dangerous Reef
Dangerous Reef is an island and reef system located in the Spencer Gulf in the Australian state of South Australia about east-southeast of the city, Port Lincoln. It is the southernmost member of the Sir Joseph Banks Group. It has been the s ...
, a nearby reef, makes approaching the island in large craft hazardous.
Wildlife
Australian sea lions from nearby English Island are often seen on the rocks near to Sibsey. Seabirds nest on the island, but there are no other large animals present. Marine predators often hunt in the channel between Sibsey and English Islands. The island is part of the Sir Joseph Banks Islands
Important Bird Area, identified as such by
BirdLife International because of its importance as a breeding site for
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 ...
s and for
Cape Barren geese
The Cape Barren goose (''Cereopsis novaehollandiae'') is a large goose resident in southern Australia.
Etymology
The species' common name is derived from Cape Barren Island, where specimens were first sighted by European explorers. It is known ...
.
Guano was collected from the island in the early 20th century. One party to the island left two members on the island for twelve days, during which time they survived by eating
little penguins and their eggs. In 2004, "few" little penguins were present on Sibsey Island. As of 2011, the colony's status is unknown.
Economy
The island has no native economy, being uninhabited. However, the waters surrounding it are used extensively by recreational fishermen. The nearby Dangerous Reef is also a popular tourism spot, with scuba diving operators taking advantage of the natural formations and fish stocks. It is a significant bird, sea lion and great white shark breeding area.
The area is also covered under the ''Lower Eyre Peninsula
Aquaculture Policy''.
Protected area status
Sibsey Island first obtained
protected area status as a fauna conservation reserve declared under the ''Crown Lands Act 1929-1966'' on 16 March 1967.
See also
*
List of islands of Australia
This is a list of selected Australian islands grouped by State or Territory. Australia has 8,222 islands within its maritime borders.
Largest islands
The islands larger than are:
* Tasmania (Tas) ;
* Melville Island, Northern Territory (NT ...
*
Sir Joseph Banks Group Important Bird Area
References
External links
Account of Matthew Flinders' discovery of the islandGoogle Maps photograph of Sibsey and surrounding islandsEYre Peninsula Parks guide Department for Environment and Heritage
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sibsey Island
Islands of South Australia
Spencer Gulf