East Wallabi Island
Geography | |
---|---|
Location | Indian Ocean, off the coast of Western Australia |
Coordinates | 28°26′23″S 113°43′33″E / 28.43972°S 113.72583°E[1][2] |
Archipelago | Houtman Abrolhos |
Area | 3.21 km2 (1.24 sq mi) |
Length | 3.3 km (2.05 mi) |
Width | 1.8 km (1.12 mi) |
Highest elevation | 15 m (49 ft) |
Highest point | Flag Hill |
Administration | |
Australia | |
State | Western Australia |
Demographics | |
Population | Uninhabited |
East Wallabi Island is an island in the Wallabi Group of the Houtman Abrolhos, located in the Indian Ocean off the west coast of mainland Australia.
History
East Wallabi Island played an important role in the story of the
In the context of the Batavia mutiny and massacre, East Wallabi Island is often referred to as "High island". This was the name given it in contemporary sources, and was used by historians for as long as it remained a lost toponym.
Geography
Nominally located at 28°26′23″S 113°43′33″E / 28.43972°S 113.72583°E,[1][2] East Wallabi Island is the second-largest island in Houtman Abrolhos archipelago, after West Wallabi Island. It is roughly circular in shape, except for Fish Point in the north-east. It is approximately 3.3 kilometres (2.1 mi) long (along the south-eastern edge) and about 1.8 kilometres (1.1 mi) wide,[3] giving it an area of about 321 hectares (790 acres).[4]
There are two named hills on the island. Flag Hill is located in the north-east of the island, at the foot of Fish Point; at 15 metres (49 ft), it is the highest point in the Houtman Abrolhos. In the south-east is another hill, named Eagle Hill. Other named localities include Fish Point and, on the point's western side, Turtle Bay. Immediately to the west of Flag Hill is an airstrip.
The island is surrounded by submerged
Geology and physiography
The basement of East Wallabi Island is the
The basement is capped by
Flora
As one of the few islands in the Houtman Abrolhos large enough to support dune systems, East Wallabi Island supports a relatively high diversity of plant life. Both the dunes and the pavement limestone support species-rich vegetation complexes dominated by
According to a survey published in 2001, 124 plant species occur on East Wallabi Island, the most of any island in the archipelago:[4]
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Birds
The island is part of the Houtman Abrolhos Important Bird Area, identified as such by BirdLife International because of its importance for supporting large numbers of breeding seabirds.[8]
References
- ^ a b Gazetteer of Australia (1996). Belconnen, ACT: Australian Surveying and Land Information Group.
- ^ a b "East Wallabi Island". Gazetteer of Australia online. Geoscience Australia, Australian Government.
- ^ Google Earth. Retrieved on 2009-01-17.
- ^ a b Harvey, J. M., Alford, J. J., Longman, V. M. and Keighery, G. J. (2001). "A flora and vegetation survey of the Houtman Abrolhos, Western Australia". CALMScience. 3 (4): 521–623.
{{cite journal}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Collins, Lindsay B.; Zhu, Zhong Rong; Wyrwoll, Karl-Heinz (1998). "Late Tertiary-Quaternary Geological Evolution of the Houtman Abrolhos Carbonate Platforms, Northern Perth Basin". In Purcell, R.; Purcell, P. (eds.). The sedimentary basins of Western Australia. Vol. 2. Perth, Western Australia: Petroleum Exploration Society of Australia. pp. 647–663. Archived from the original on 2008-07-22. Retrieved 2008-05-02.
- ^ ISBN 9780444516442.
- Storr, Glenn(1964). "The physiography, vegetation and vertebrate fauna of the Wallabi Group, Houtman Abrolhos". Journal of the Royal Society of Western Australia. 48 (1): 1–14.
- ^ "IBA: Houtman Abrolhos". Birdata. Birds Australia. Archived from the original on 2011-07-06. Retrieved 2011-08-12.