Champagny Island facts for kids
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 15°18′03″S 124°15′29″E / 15.30078376°S 124.2581349°E |
| Total islands | 1 |
| Area | 1,337 ha (3,300 acres) |
| Administration | |
| State | Western Australia |
| Region | Kimberley |
| Shire | Wyndham-East Kimberley |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 0 |
Champagny Island, known as Nimenba to its Traditional Owners, is an island off the coast of the Kimberley region in Western Australia. It is located on the western side of Camden Sound. This island is part of the Champagny Islands group, which belongs to the Bonaparte Archipelago. Champagny Island covers an area of about 1,337 hectares (3,304 acres).
Who Owns the Land?
The original Traditional Owners of this area are the Aboriginal Australian Dambimangari peoples. They are part of the Worrorran languages group. Their special name for the island is Nimenba. These groups have a deep connection to the land and its history.
How Did It Get Its Name?
The island was named by a French explorer named Nicolas Baudin in 1801. He named it after a French diplomat and important statesman, Jean-Baptiste de Nompère de Champagny. This person was also known as the 1st duc de Cadore.
What Animals Live There?
Champagny Island is home to many different kinds of birds. Some of the birds you might find there include:
- the brown quail
- the eastern reef egret
- the brown falcon
- the whimbrel
- the beach stone-curlew
- the sooty oystercatcher
- the bar-shouldered dove
- the Horsfield's bronze-cuckoo
- the rainbow bee-eater
- the red-capped plover
Protecting the Ocean
Champagny Island is located within the Camden Sound Marine Park. This park was created in 2012 to help protect the ocean and its creatures. It covers a very large area of about 7,062 square kilometers (2,727 square miles).
The Camden Sound Marine Park is the second largest marine park in Western Australia. Only Shark Bay is bigger. This park is also connected to the Prince Regent National Park, which helps protect even more of the natural environment. Important natural features like Montgomery Reef and St George Basin are also found within this protected area.
