Flinders Island

Flinders Island, the largest island in the

James Cook named the islands Furneaux's Islands, after Tobias Furneaux. Flinders named the largest island in the group "Great Island". He also named a group of mountains on Flinders Island, the "Three Patriarchs". The small island just to the east, Flinders named "Babel Island" from the noises made by the seabirds there. Phillip Parker King later named the largest island Flinders Island, after Matthew Flinders.^[4][5][6] Flinders named Mount Chappell Island after his wife Ann née Ann Chappelle. There are three islands named "Flinders' Island"—the large island on the east side of Bass Strait, named by Phillip Parker King; an island in the Investigator Group of South Australia, named by Matthew Flinders after his young brother Samuel Flinders (midshipman on the Investigator); and an island in the Flinders Group north of Cooktown, Queensland was named after Matthew Flinders.

Settlement

In the late 18th century, the island was often frequented by

From 1830, the remnants of the Tasmanian Aboriginal population were exiled to Settlement Point (or Wybalenna, meaning "Black Man's House" in the language of the Ben Lomond people) on Flinders Island. These 160 survivors were deemed to be safe from white settlers here, but conditions were poor, and the relocation scheme was short-lived. In 1847, after a campaign by the Aboriginal population against their Commandant, Henry Jeanneret, which involved a petition to Queen Victoria, the remaining 47 Aboriginal people were again relocated, this time to Oyster Cove Station, an ex-convict settlement 56 kilometres south of Tasmania's capital, Hobart.^[7] Land on the neighbouring Cape Barren Island was formally reserved for the Aboriginal community in 1881.^[8]

From the late 19th century freehold land was given out, but it was not until the 1950s that a proper settlement scheme was initiated, mainly drawing settlers from mainland Tasmania and central New South Wales to Flinders Island's eastern shore. The Municipality of Flinders Island was instituted in 1903.^[9]

Geography and nature

The island forms part of the state of Tasmania, and part of the Municipality of Flinders Island local government area. Flinders Island is only one of the many islands included in the Municipal area. Of these islands Flinders Island is the only island with more than one permanent settlement, and is by far the largest in the Furneaux Group.

The island is about 62 kilometres (39 mi) from north to south, and 37 kilometres (23 mi) from east to west.^[10] with a total land area of 1,333 square kilometres (515 sq mi). Mount Strzelecki in the south west is the island's highest peak at 782 metres (2,566 ft). About a third of the island is mountainous and rugged with ridges of granite running the length of the island. The coastal areas are dominated by sandy deposits often taking the shape of dunes. Many coastal lagoons punctuate the eastern shore, formed by dunes blocking further drainage. This drainage is mainly provided by many small streams, few of them permanently flowing directly leading to the waters of Bass Strait or such a lagoon.

The coastal areas are mainly covered in

Climate

Flinders Island has a mild oceanic climate (Cfb) that is strongly moderated by the Bass Strait. The summers are drier and less cloudy than the winters, and annual average rainfall totals less than 800 mm (31 in).

Central Flinders Island Important Bird Area

A 30 km² tract of land on the island, lying mainly to the north and east of Whitemark, has been identified as an

A 187 km² strip of land extending the full 70 km length of Flinders Island's eastern coastline has also been identified as an IBA. it supports small numbers of fairy terns, large numbers of hooded plovers and over 1% of the world populations of chestnut teal, pied oystercatchers and sooty oystercatchers.^[18]

Demographics

The population in 2011 was 700 people; the median age being 45.^[19]

Settlements include

The 2016 census shows that the population is rising. The population of the Local Government Area, i.e. Flinders and Cape Barren Islands is 906; up from 776 in the 2011 Census[22] and to 1010 in 2019.

The population of the 7255 postal code area, i.e. Flinders, is 833 up from 702 in 2011, a rise of over 16% for the Municipality and over 18% for Flinders over the 5-year period.

The median age of people in the Municipality has risen from 52 to 53, and the number of families has increased from 218 to 243.

Communications

As of 4 October 2010, Sharp Airlines has been operating services between Essendon, Flinders Island and Launceston. Using 19-seat Metroliners, they fly between Essendon Airport and Flinders Island Airport three return flights a week (65 minutes) and Launceston Airport and Flinders Island Airport at least daily (25 minutes). The Tasmanian Aeroclub,^{[citation needed]} Kirkhope Aviation^[23] and Vortex Air^{[citation needed]} also offer charter services between Launceston, Flinders Island and Victoria (as well as surrounding Islands).

A ferry service delivering food and perishable goods is operated to the island weekly by Furneaux Freight between Bridport, Tasmania and Lady Barron, Tasmania and also monthly from Port Welshpool, Victoria.^[24][25]

Australian telecom provider Telstra offers the only mobile phone service on the island, providing 3G and 4G coverage across both Flinders and Cape Barren Island.^[26]

Internet access is limited to either a satellite dish connection or to use the 3G/4G network.

See also

• List of islands of Tasmania

References