Adolphus Island facts for kids
 Adolphus
Location in Western Australia
Location of Adolphus Island
|
|
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Location | Cambridge Gulf |
| Coordinates | 15°7′00″S 128°9′00″E / 15.11667°S 128.15000°E |
| Area | 4,157 ha (10,270 acres) |
| Length | 18.59 km (11.551 mi) |
| Width | 9 km (5.6 mi) |
| Coastline | 44.9 km (27.9 mi) |
| Highest elevation | 235 m (771 ft) |
| Administration | |
|
Australia
|
|
| Demographics | |
| Population | 0 |
Adolphus Island is an island where no one lives. It is found in the Kimberley area of Western Australia. The island is in Cambridge Gulf, about 35 kilometers (22 miles) north of Wyndham.
It covers a large area of about 4,157 hectares (10,270 acres). The highest point on the island is around 235 meters (770 feet) tall.
Discovering Adolphus Island
The island, the gulf, and many other places nearby were named by Philip Parker King. He was an explorer who visited the area in 1819. King was on a survey ship called HMS Mermaid.
He spent eleven days exploring the gulf. However, he could not find fresh water. This was because of the mudflats, rivers, and hills around Cambridge Gulf. King named the island after Prince Adolphus, who was the Duke of Cambridge at that time.
The First European Burial
One of the earliest European burials in Western Australia happened on Adolphus Island. This was at a spot called Nicholls Point. It took place in 1819, ten years before the Swan River Colony was started.
A crew member named William Nicholls sadly passed away. He had been unwell for some time. Philip Parker King wrote about this event in his journals.
King mentioned that William Nicholls was a very helpful crew member. He was buried on the island the next morning. The north-west point of the island was named Nicholls Point in his memory.
Wildlife on the Island
Adolphus Island is home to many interesting plants and animals. Some plants found here are quite rare. One example is the Brachychiton incanus.
The island is also a great place for birdwatching. You might see birds like the rufous night heron or the little eagle. Other birds include the brown falcon and the whimbrel.
You can also spot the tawny frogmouth and the great bowerbird. The colorful rainbow bee-eater lives here too. The agile wallaby is a common animal on the island.
