Boongaree Island facts for kids
Boongaree Island is a special island located off the Kimberley coast in Western Australia. It is part of a group of islands called the Bonaparte Archipelago.
This island sits in the southern part of a large bay called Prince Frederick Harbour. It's also near the southern end of York Sound. Boongaree Island is one of many islands found in this beautiful harbour. The island is quite large, covering about 4,215 hectares (which is about 10,415 acres).
Island History
The original people who have lived on this land for thousands of years are the Indigenous Australians. Specifically, the Uunguu peoples from the Wunambal language group are the traditional owners of Boongaree Island. They have their own names for the island: Wunundarra or Bunjinii.
In 1820, a explorer named Philip Parker King explored this area. He was sailing on a ship called the HMS Mermaid. King decided to name the island after an Indigenous Australian man named Boongaree. This man was traveling with King on his ship.
Amazing Animals
Boongaree Island is home to some unique and interesting animals. These animals are native to Australia and thrive in this island environment.
Some of the cool creatures you might find there include:
- The monjon, which is a small type of wallaby.
- The northern quoll, a meat-eating marsupial.
- The scaly-tailed possum, known for its long, scaly tail.
- The northern leaf-nosed bat, a bat with a special leaf-shaped nose.
These animals help make Boongaree Island a really important place for wildlife.
