Paisley Islet facts for kids

Paisley Islet, also known as West Bay Islet, is a small island located in the Great Australian Bight. It sits right off the west coast of Kangaroo Island in South Australia. This special islet is about 104 kilometers (65 miles) west-south-west of Kingscote. Today, it is part of the beautiful Flinders Chase National Park.

What is Paisley Islet?

Paisley Islet is a tiny island that is actually an extension of the land at West Bay. It's so close to the mainland that sometimes it's only separated by ocean waves! When the tide is low, you can even walk across a rocky strip of land to reach it.

How Paisley Islet Formed

Paisley Islet was formed about 7,500 years ago. This happened when sea levels rose after the last ice age, during a time called the Holocene period. The islet is made of old rock called metasandstone, which is the same rock found on the nearby mainland. On top of this, there are layers of other rocks like calcarenite and calcrete. There are also thin layers of soil in some spots. The waters around the islet are about 9.1 meters (30 feet) deep and have strong waves.

Plants and Animals of Paisley Islet

Paisley Islet is home to several interesting plants and animals.

Plants on the Islet

In 1996, scientists found different types of plants growing on the islet. Along the edges, you can see plants like roundleaved pigface and sea celery. In the middle of the islet, there are smaller plants such as dwarfed marsh saltbush, nitre-bush, southern sea-heath, and ruby saltbush. After it rains, you might also spot feather spear-grass and variable groundsel.

Animal Life and Reproduction

Many animals, especially birds, use Paisley Islet. In 1996, a survey showed that the islet is a breeding spot for greater crested terns, especially when the weather is calm. Other birds like red-capped plovers, sooty oystercatchers, rock parrots, welcome swallows, and Australasian pipits use the islet to rest and find food.

The islet is also a place where male Australian sea lions come ashore to rest. The only reptile found during the 1996 survey was the four-toed earless skink.

Protecting Paisley Islet

Paisley Islet is a very important place, which is why it is protected.

Part of a National Park

The islet is part of the Flinders Chase National Park. It has been made a special "prohibited area" to keep it safe. This helps protect the seabirds, like the crested terns, that come here to breed.

Marine Park Protection

Since December 2012, the waters around Paisley Islet have also been protected. They are part of a "habitat protection zone" within the Western Kangaroo Island Marine Park. This means the marine life and their homes in the water are also kept safe.