Royston Island

Coordinates: 35°11′43″S 136°50′19″E / 35.19537°S 136.83873°E / -35.19537; 136.83873
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Royston Island
Royston Island is located in South Australia
Royston Island
Royston Island
Geography
LocationSpencer Gulf
Coordinates35°11′43″S 136°50′19″E / 35.19537°S 136.83873°E / -35.19537; 136.83873
Highest elevation38 m (125 ft)[1]
Administration

Royston Island (also known as North Island) is an

Innes National Park
.

Description

Royston Island is an island located on the

talus slope rises to a “relatively flat, plateau-like summit” at a height of 38 metres (125 feet) above sea level. The island is connected to Royston Head by a “shallow, partially drying reef.”[1] Access to the island is reported as being “probably most accessible by small boat via the north-eastern coast.”[1]

Formation, geology and oceanography

Royston Island was formed about 7000 years ago following the rise of sea levels at the start of the Holocene.[3] Royston Island consists of a calcarenite upper layer over a “pronounced ridge of Lincoln Complex granite.”[1] Royston Island is fringed partly on its north-west and south-east ends by fringing reefs while the waters surrounding its extent drop to a depth of 20 metres (66 feet) within a distance of 1 kilometre (0.62 miles) on its westside.[2]

Flora and fauna

Flora

A survey carried out during 1982 on Royston Island recorded a total of nineteen plant species. The island's summit is dominated by a “low, windswept shrubland” consisting of

bower spinach.”[1][4]

Fauna

Vertebrate animals are represented by birds and reptiles. As of 1982,

marbled geckos.”[1][5][6]

History

European discovery and use

Royston Island is reported as being named after Lord Royston, eldest son of Lord Hardwicke by Matthew Flinders in 1802.[1] The island is also known as “North Island”.[7]

Protected areas status

Further information:
Innes National Park

Royston Island first received protected area status along with Middle Island in Pondalowie Bay as a fauna conservation reserve declared under the Crown Lands Act 1929-1966 on 16 March 1967.[8] Since 1972, it has been part of the Innes National Park. Since 2012, the waters adjoining the shoreline of Royston Island have been within a habitat protection zone in the South Spencer Gulf Marine Park.[9][10] Since at least 2014, Royston Island and the other two islands in Pondalowie Bay (from north to south), Middle Island and South South Island, are closed to access by visitors to the national park.[7] Penguin breeding sites were noted there in a 1996 survey of South Australia's offshore islands.[11]

See also

Citations and references

Citations

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Robinson et al, 1996, page 283
  2. ^ a b DMH, 1985, charts 22 & 23
  3. ^ Robinson et al, 1996, Page 15
  4. ^ Robinson et al, 1996, pages 445-455 & 499
  5. ^ Robinson et al, 1996, pages 454, 455 & 457
  6. ^ Wiebkin, 2011, pages 11 & 65
  7. ^ a b DEWNR, 2014
  8. ^ "CROWN LANDS ACT, 1929-1966: FAUNA CONSERVATION RESERVES DEDICATED" (PDF). THE SOUTH AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT GAZETTE. Government of South Australia. 16 March 1967. pp. 961–962. Retrieved 5 February 2018.
  9. ^ DEH, 2003, page 58
  10. ^ DEWNR, 2012, page 24
  11. ISBN 0-644-35011-3
    .

References
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