West Island (South Australia) facts for kids
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West Island viewed from The Bluff
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 West
Location in South Australia
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| Geography | |
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| Location | Great Australian Bight |
| Coordinates | 35°36′30″S 138°35′30″E / 35.60833°S 138.59167°E |
| Highest elevation | 40 m (130 ft) |
| Administration | |
West Island is a small granite island in South Australia. It's about 10 hectares (the size of 10 football fields). The island is located about 0.8 kilometers off the southern coast of the Fleurieu Peninsula. It's also about 7 kilometers southwest of the town of Victor Harbor.
The highest point on West Island is about 40 meters tall. This island is very important because it's home to many seabird colonies.
Contents
History of West Island
West Island got its name because it's located about 2 kilometers west of a headland called Rosetta Head.
- In the 1880s, people took granite from the island. This granite was used to build the foundations of Parliament House, Adelaide.
- From 1913 until the mid-1960s, the island was a special area for government use.
- For a short time, the Adelaide Universities Regiment used it for gunnery practice. They would shoot at targets during their training.
- In 1966, West Island became a special reserve for animals.
- Until about 1970, fishers would catch little penguins and rabbits from the island. They used them as bait for catching crayfish.
- By 1971, all the rabbits on the island were gone.
- In 1972, West Island was officially made a Conservation Park. This means it's a protected area for nature.
- In 1973 and 1975, Pearson Island rock-wallabies were brought to the island.
Amazing Animals on West Island
West Island is a great place for many animals.
- Seabirds: Many seabirds breed here. These include little penguins, silver gulls, and different types of terns like crested, Caspian, and fairy terns.
- Reptiles: You can find several types of lizards on the island. These include Cunningham's spiny-tailed, White's, and Peron's earless skinks.
- Sea Lions: Sometimes, Australian sea lions visit the island. This was first reported in 1977.
- Caspian Terns: The island is a very important place for Caspian terns to have their babies. In 2020, 50 of these birds were counted there.
Decline of Little Penguins
West Island used to be full of little penguins.
- In 1926, a visitor named Geoffrey Salter said there was "a penguin's nest under every other rock."
- Penguins were also seen on the island in 1928 and 1950.
However, the number of little penguins on West Island has dropped a lot since the 1990s.
- In December 1991, about 700 penguins were counted.
- In 1992, experts thought there were around 4,000 penguins.
- But by June 2011, the number was estimated to be less than 20 penguins.
This big drop in penguins is similar to what happened on nearby Granite Island.
- In January 2013, the mayor of Victor Harbor, Graham Philp, said that the penguin groups on West Island and Wright Island were "extinct." He meant there were no penguins left. The group on Granite Island was also very small, with only about 20 penguins.
- Later in 2013, a penguin expert named Dr. Diane Colombelli-Négrel from Flinders University did a count. She found no penguins and no active nests on West Island. Her report said the penguin group had not recovered from its earlier collapse.
Good news came in 2020! Nesting little penguins were found on West Island again. This means penguins have started to come back and live there since 2013.
Protecting West Island
West Island has been a protected area for a long time.
- On November 10, 1966, it was first made a Fauna Reserve. This was under a law called the Fauna Conservation Act 1964-1965.
- It was declared a Fauna Conservation Reserve again in 1970.
- Then, in 1972, it became a Conservation Park. This happened after a new law, the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972, was passed.
- In 1971, the waters within 100 meters of West Island were also protected. They became an Aquatic Reserve. This was to protect areas used for studying abalone.
- Since 2012, the waters around West Island are part of the Encounter Marine Park. This park helps protect the ocean and its creatures.
Images for kids
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West Island viewed from The Bluff
