Mewstone facts for kids
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Nickname: Mewstone Island; The Mewstone
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Mewstone is an important breeding site for shy albatrosses
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 Mewstone
Location in Tasmania
Location off the south coast of Tasmania
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| Etymology | Great Mew Stone, an island near Plymouth, United Kingdom |
| Geography | |
| Location | South coast Tasmania |
| Coordinates | 43°44′17″S 146°22′16″E / 43.73806°S 146.37111°E |
| Archipelago | Pedra Branca |
| Adjacent bodies of water | Southern Ocean |
| Area | 13.1 ha (32 acres) |
| Highest elevation | 150 m (490 ft) |
| Administration | |
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Australia
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| State | Tasmania |
| Region | South coast |
| Demographics | |
| Population | Unpopulated |
Mewstone is a small, rocky island off the south coast of Tasmania, Australia. It's made of a type of rock called muscovite granite. The island is unpopulated, meaning no people live there.
Mewstone is about 13.1-hectare (32-acre) in size. It has very steep cliffs and a small flat area at the top. The island is part of the Pedra Branca group of islands. It lies about 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) southeast of Maatsuyker Island. It is also about 22 kilometres (14 mi) away from the main coast of Tasmania.
This special island is part of the Southwest National Park. It is also part of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Site. This means it is protected for its natural beauty and importance. The highest point of Mewstone is about 150 metres (490 ft) above sea level.
Mewstone is home to many birds. BirdLife International has named it an Important Bird Area (IBA). This is because it's a key breeding spot for shy albatrosses and fairy prions. More than 1% of the world's population of these birds live here!
Contents
How Mewstone Got Its Name
The island was first described in 1642 by a Dutch explorer named Abel Tasman. He thought the island looked like a lion.
Later, in 1773, Tobias Furneaux named the island. He was sailing on a ship called HMS Adventure. It's thought that he named it after another island. This island, called the Great Mew Stone, is near his hometown of Plymouth, United Kingdom.
The word "mew" is an old English name for the herring gull. So, the Great Mew Stone was likely named after these gulls. Even though people sometimes call it Mewstone Island or The Mewstone, its official name is just Mewstone.
Amazing Animals and Plants
Mewstone is very rocky, so there isn't much plant life. The few plants that grow there find homes in small cracks in the rocks. This is where soil has gathered over time.
Seabirds and Their Reproduction
Mewstone is a very important place for seabirds to breed. Many different types of birds come here to lay their eggs and raise their young.
- Fairy Prion: About 20,000 pairs of fairy prions breed on Mewstone.
- Shy Albatross: Around 7,500 pairs of shy albatrosses also breed here. Mewstone is the biggest of only three places in the world where shy albatrosses breed. The other two are Albatross Island and Pedra Branca.
- Other Birds: You can also find silver gulls and black-faced cormorants breeding on the island.
Other Wildlife
Besides birds, other animals visit Mewstone. Australian fur seals often come to the small ledges on the island to rest. The Tasmanian tree skink, a type of lizard, also lives on Mewstone.
