Moncrieff Bay facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Moncrieff Bay |
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 Moncrieff Bay
Location in South Australia
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| Location | Kangaroo Island, South Australia |
| Coordinates | 35°49′30″S 138°07′29″E / 35.824955°S 138.124668°E |
| Type | Bay |
| Etymology | Alexander Bain Moncrieff |
| Part of | Backstairs Passage |
| Basin countries | Australia |
| Designation | Marine park |
| Max. length | about 4.5 kilometres (2.8 mi) |
| Max. width | about 1.0 kilometre (0.62 mi) |
| Max. depth | about 7 metres (23 ft) |
Moncrieff Bay is a bay found on the eastern side of Kangaroo Island in South Australia. It's located at the end of the Dudley Peninsula and looks out over the Backstairs Passage. This bay is about 106 kilometers southwest of Adelaide, the capital city of South Australia. It's also about 47 kilometers southeast of Kingscote, which is a main town on Kangaroo Island.
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Exploring Moncrieff Bay
Moncrieff Bay is a special part of the South Australian coastline. It stretches for about 4.5 kilometers and is about 1 kilometer wide. The deepest part of the bay is around 7 meters.
How Moncrieff Bay Got Its Name
The bay was officially named in September 1908. It was named after Alexander Bain Moncrieff, who was a very important engineer. He worked for the Department of Marine & Harbors. At that time, many places along the South Australian coast were being named to fill in blank spots on maps.
What the Coastline Looks Like
Moncrieff Bay is found between two headlands: Cape St Albans to the north and Cape Willoughby to the south. The coastline here is quite rugged, meaning it's rough and rocky. It has steep cliffs that are about 100 meters high and covered in plants.
The bay includes a smaller inlet called Pink Bay. Most of the beaches in Moncrieff Bay are made of boulders. However, there are two sandy beaches at the southern end.
Sandy Beaches in the Bay
- One sandy beach is at Pink Bay. It's about 40 meters long.
- The other sandy beach is near Cape Willoughby. This one is about 150 meters long.
These sandy beaches are places where people can swim, but they are not patrolled by lifeguards. The boulder beaches are considered very dangerous for swimming.
Life Under the Waves
Divers have explored the bottom of Moncrieff Bay. They found that the bay floor has large blocks of rock and boulders. As you go deeper, it turns into sand. The southern part of the bay also has a rocky bottom.
Many types of algae, which are like sea plants, grow here. Some common types include Ecklonia, Cystophora (like C.siliquosa), Acrocarpia, and Sargassum fallax. These algae are an important part of the bay's underwater ecosystem.
Protecting Moncrieff Bay
The waters along the shoreline of Moncrieff Bay are part of a special protected area. This area is called the Encounter Marine Park. Within this park, the bay's waters are in a "habitat protection zone." This means the area is managed to protect the plants and animals that live there.
