Ninth Island facts for kids
 Ninth Island
Location in Tasmania
Location of Ninth Island off the coast of Tasmania
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| Geography | |
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| Location | Bass Strait |
| Coordinates | 40°50′S 147°16′E / 40.833°S 147.267°E |
| Archipelago | Waterhouse Island Group |
| Area | 32 ha (79 acres) |
| Length | 1.3 km (0.81 mi) |
| Width | 550 m (1,800 ft) |
| Administration | |
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Australia
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| State | Tasmania |
| Demographics | |
| Population | uninhabited |
Ninth Island is a small, uninhabited island located in the Bass Strait, a sea passage that separates mainland Australia from Tasmania. It is part of the Waterhouse Island Group. This island is made of granite and covers about 32 hectares (which is about 79 acres). It lies very close to the north-eastern coast of Tasmania.
In November 2018, Ninth Island was put up for sale for the fourth time. It was listed for $1.98 million. The part of the island that was for sale is a special kind of land title. It means you can only reach it by helicopter, and it is protected by a conservation agreement.
Amazing Animals on Ninth Island
Ninth Island is a very important place for many kinds of birds. It is home to thousands of little penguins, which are also known as fairy penguins. Many other seabirds and waders (birds that feed in shallow water) also breed here. These include:
- Short-tailed shearwaters, sometimes called mutton-birds
- Common diving petrels
- White-faced storm-petrels
- Pacific gulls
- Silver gulls
- Sooty oystercatchers
- Crested terns
You can also find black-faced cormorants and Cape Barren geese breeding on the island. Besides birds, European rabbits have been introduced to the island, and the southern grass skink also lives there.
The island is about 1.3 kilometers (0.8 miles) long and 550 meters (1,800 feet) wide. It is located about 11.7 kilometers (7.3 miles) from the north-eastern coast of Tasmania.
Ninth Island has faced some challenges in the past. It was affected by animals grazing, frequent fires, and a big oil spill in July 1995. This oil spill, from a ship called the MV Iron Baron, sadly killed between 2,000 and 6,000 little penguins.
Because of its importance for birds, Ninth Island is part of a special area called the Ninth and Little Waterhouse Islands Important Bird Area (IBA). This area was identified by BirdLife International because it supports more than 1% of the world's population of black-faced cormorants.
Protecting Ninth Island
Around 1988–1989, Ninth Island was bought for about A$64,000. In February 2015, it was advertised for sale again with a price of A$500,000. However, in July of that year, it was sold at auction for A$1.19 million.
The island does not have a jetty (a landing place for boats) or an airstrip (a place for planes to land). This means the only way to get to the island is by helicopter.
In 2012, a special protected area was created on the island called the Ninth Island Conservation Area. This area covers 26.4 hectares (about 65 acres). It completely surrounds the central hill of the island and reaches all the way to the shoreline. Also, the entire tidal region of the island's shoreline is considered Tidal Crown Land. This land is managed by the Tasmanian National Parks and Wildlife Service. There is also a special agreement called a conservation covenant on the island. This agreement helps protect the mutton-bird rookery (a breeding colony) that exists on the island.
Nearby Islands
Ninth Island is part of the Waterhouse Group of islands. Other islands in this group include:
- St Helens Island
- Tenth Island
- Waterhouse Island
- Little Waterhouse Island
- Maclean Island
- Baynes Island
- Foster Islands
- Swan Island
- Little Swan Island
- Cygnet Island
- Paddys Island
There are also two smaller rock formations called Bird Rock and George Rocks.
Ninth Island is located within the Dorset Municipality in Tasmania.
