Shag Rock (Houtman Abrolhos) facts for kids
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Location | Indian Ocean, off the coast of Western Australia |
| Coordinates | 28°28′33″S 113°42′44″E / 28.47583°S 113.71222°E |
| Archipelago | Houtman Abrolhos |
| Area | 0.1 ha (0.25 acres) |
| Length | 50 m (160 ft) |
| Width | 20 m (70 ft) |
| Highest elevation | 3 m (10 ft) |
| Administration | |
|
Australia
|
|
| State | Western Australia |
| Demographics | |
| Population | nil |
Shag Rock is a tiny, rocky island located in the Wallabi Group of the Houtman Abrolhos. This group is a chain of islands found off the coast of Western Australia in the Indian Ocean.
Contents
Exploring Shag Rock's Location
Shag Rock is a very small island. It sits about 1.5 kilometers (about 1 mile) east of West Wallabi Island. Its closest neighbor is Plover Island, which is about 700 meters (less than half a mile) away.
Island Size and Features
The island covers an area of about 0.1 hectares. That's roughly the size of a small sports field. The highest point on Shag Rock is only 3 meters (about 10 feet) above sea level. No people live on the island, and there are no buildings or structures there.
A Note on Names
It's important not to confuse this Shag Rock with another rocky island. There's a different rocky island west of North Island. That island doesn't have an official name, but some people also call it "Shag Rock."
How Shag Rock Was Formed
Shag Rock is mainly made of a type of rock called limestone. This limestone platform is very dense and was formed from ancient coral. It's like a solid base that supports all the islands in the Wallabi Group.
Ancient Reefs and Sea Levels
This rock platform is about 40 meters (130 feet) thick. It formed a very long time ago, during a period called the Quaternary. About 125,000 years ago, sea levels were much higher than they are today. During that time, coral reefs grew in these waters. When the sea levels dropped, parts of these ancient reefs became dry land. These exposed reefs now form the base of islands like Shag Rock.
Plants of Shag Rock
Even though Shag Rock is small and rocky, some plants manage to grow there.
Vegetation Zones
About half of the island, especially its center, is just bare rock with no plants. A very small area, just south of the center, has a plant called Tecticornia halocnemoides, also known as Shrubby Samphire. The rest of the island, mostly the northern part and a small section in the southwest, is home to other plants. These include Atriplex cinerea (Grey Saltbush), Nitraria billardierei (Nitre Bush), and Pittosporum phillyreoides (Weeping Pittosporum).
