Salisbury Island (Recherche Archipelago)

Salisbury Island is located in the Recherche Archipelago off the south coast of Western Australia.[1][2]

For other uses, see Salisbury Island.

Salisbury Island
Location of Salisbury Island in Western Australia

The island occupies an area of 320 hectares (791 acres), the third largest island in the Recherche Archipelago.[3] It is situated approximately 140 kilometres (87 mi) east of Esperance[4] and 60 kilometres (37 mi) off the coast near the edge of the continental shelf making it one of the southernmost islands in the archipelago.[5]

The island is formed from a massive limestone scarp that sits atop a granite dome. Many caves are found throughout the island both above and below water.[4]

Indigenous Australians are thought to have inhabited the island up to 18,000 years ago. Archeologists have found ancient artefacts on the island such as stone blades, lizard traps, axe heads, grinding stones and granite watering holes. The objects are believed to be 5,000 to 18,000 years old from a time when many of the islands were joined to the mainland.[6]

The Rodondo was thought to be wrecked on Polloch Reef off Salisbury Island in 1895.[7]

The island is a breeding ground for the Australian fur seal and the New Zealand fur seal and also supports a population of the black-flanked rock-wallaby[8] and the bush rat.[9]

In the waters surrounding the island great white sharks are known to congregate in large numbers preying on the seals and the many schools of fish that live among the limestone reefs and granite outcrops.[4]

References
  1. Gazetteer of Australia (1996). Belconnen, ACT: Australian Surveying and Land Information Group.
  2. "Place names of Australia". Geoscience Australia. 2004.
  3. "Esperance and Recherche parks and reserve draft management plan 2012" (PDF). Department of Environment and Conservation. 2012. Retrieved 18 June 2016.
  4. Stan Shaw (14 June 2016). "Isolated cave system off Esperance reveals vibrant underwater world and ancient Aboriginal history". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 18 June 2016.
  5. "Aquaculture Plan for the Recherche Archipelago" (PDF). Fisheries Western Australia. June 2000. Retrieved 18 June 2016.
  6. Angela Pownall (15 March 2012). "Island a precious time capsule". The West Australian. Yahoo7. Retrieved 18 June 2016.
  7. Angela Pownall (18 April 2012). "Scanning for shipwrecks". The West Australian. Yahoo7. Retrieved 18 June 2016.
  8. "Petrogale lateralis lateralis – Black-flanked Rock-wallaby". Department of Environment. 2007. Retrieved 18 June 2016.
  9. "IBAs - - Recherche Archipelago". Bird Life International. 2013. Retrieved 18 June 2016.
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