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The Purdy Islands (or Mwilitau Islands) are an uninhabited island group in the
The Purdy Islands (or Mwilitau Islands) are an uninhabited island group in the Bismarck Sea
The Bismarck Sea (, ) lies in the southwestern Pacific Ocean within the nation of Papua New Guinea. It is located northeast of the island of New Guinea and south of the Bismarck Archipelago. It has coastlines in districts of the Islands Regi ...
, belonging to the people of M'Buke Island in Manus, Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea (abbreviated PNG; , ; tpi, Papua Niugini; ho, Papua Niu Gini), officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea ( tpi, Independen Stet bilong Papua Niugini; ho, Independen Stet bilong Papua Niu Gini), is a country i ...
. The Purdy Islands, Mole, Mouse, Rat, plus Bat and Alim (or North Bat and South Bat), form part of the Admiralty Islands
The Admiralty Islands are an archipelago group of 18 islands in the Bismarck Archipelago, to the north of New Guinea in the South Pacific Ocean. These are also sometimes called the Manus Islands, after the largest island.
These rainforest-co ...
group, in Manus Province
Manus Province is the smallest province in Papua New Guinea in terms of both land area and population, with a land area of , but with more than of water, and the total population is 60,485 (2011 census). The provincial town of Manus is Lorengau.
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.
History
The islands are owned by the Mbuke people. They were named after hydrographer John Purdy by his friend CaptainAbraham Bristow
Abraham Bristow (c1771-1846) was a British mariner, sealer and whaler. In August 1806 he discovered the Auckland Islands.
Life and early maritime career
Bristow was baptised 22 March 1771 at Begbroke, Oxfordshire; the fifth child and third so ...
on 16 February 1817. Bat Island was the site of RAAF
"Through Adversity to the Stars"
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march =
, mascot =
, anniversaries = RAAF Anniversary Commemoration ...
radar
Radar is a detection system that uses radio waves to determine the distance ('' ranging''), angle, and radial velocity of objects relative to the site. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, we ...
station 340 RS between March 1944 and April 1944 during the Second World War. It was one of five such radar stations located within the Admiralty Islands
The Admiralty Islands are an archipelago group of 18 islands in the Bismarck Archipelago, to the north of New Guinea in the South Pacific Ocean. These are also sometimes called the Manus Islands, after the largest island.
These rainforest-co ...
to support the American Invasion. Bat Island proved to be a very dangerous location because it was infested with rats that carried mites which in turn carried Scrub typhus
Scrub typhus or bush typhus is a form of typhus caused by the intracellular parasite '' Orientia tsutsugamushi'', a Gram-negative α-proteobacterium of family Rickettsiaceae first isolated and identified in 1930 in Japan.Scrub typhus
Scrub typhus or bush typhus is a form of typhus caused by the intracellular parasite '' Orientia tsutsugamushi'', a Gram-negative α-proteobacterium of family Rickettsiaceae first isolated and identified in 1930 in Japan.LW-AW radar station and all the equipment that had been left behind. There is one survivor of this radar station still living in Australia as at July 2018.
Map including the Purdy Islands
{{Islands of Papua New Guinea Uninhabited islands of Papua New Guinea
Geography
Located in the Bismarck Sea, the Purdys are part of the Admiralty Islands group, which also contains Admiralty Island, Jesus Maria Island, Los Reyes Islands, La Vandola Island, Hayrick Island, Platform Island, Small Round Island, High Island, Low Island, San Miguel Island, Elizabeth Island, Anachoretes Island, Los Monjos Island, Boudeuse Island, L'Echiquier Island, Los Eremitanos Islands, Matty Island, Durour Island, and Tiger Island. The Purdy Island group lies to the southwest ofManus Island
Manus Island is part of Manus Province in northern Papua New Guinea and is the largest of the Admiralty Islands. It is the fifth-largest island in Papua New Guinea, with an area of , measuring around . Manus Island is covered in rugged jungles w ...
and belongs administratively to Manus Province
Manus Province is the smallest province in Papua New Guinea in terms of both land area and population, with a land area of , but with more than of water, and the total population is 60,485 (2011 census). The provincial town of Manus is Lorengau.
...
.
The Purdy group includes five islands. These are Alim and Bat (or North Bat and South Bat), as well as Mole, Mouse, and Rat. Bat Island is to the west, Mouse and Mole Islands are to the east, Mole Island is to the northwest of Mouse and Mole. About west of Mouse Island can be found Latent Reef. Another reef is southwest of Bat Island. Other formations nearby include the shoals named Sherburne and Sydney, as well as the reefs named Circular and Albert. They consist of coral formations.
Fauna and flora
The uninhabited islands are a breeding ground for the green sea turtle. The islands are visited by people only to exploit the turtle and coconut palm oil.Further reading
* Krauss, Noel Louis Hilmer (1979), ''Bibliography of the Purdy Islands, New Guinea''References
External links
Map including the Purdy Islands
{{Islands of Papua New Guinea Uninhabited islands of Papua New Guinea