Who first discovered Macquarie Island?

The Russian expedition led by Thaddeus von Bellinghausen, collected flora and fauna on the island in 1820. They were followed by Charles Wilkes's US Exploring Expedition and two New Zealand scientists, JH Scott and A.

What is Macquarie Island famous for?

Macquarie was created a nature reserve in 1933, and it was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1997. The island is the only known breeding ground of the royal penguin, one of some 25 bird species that breed there. It has a colony of fur seals, reestablished in 1956 after their near extermination in the 1830s.

Where is Macquarie Island found?

Macquarie Island (34 km long x 5 km wide) is an oceanic island in the Southern Ocean, lying 1,500 km south-east of Tasmania and approximately halfway between Australia and the Antarctic continent.

Does anyone live on Macquarie Island?

The population of the base, constituting the island's only human inhabitants, usually varies from 20 to 40 people over the year. A heliport is located nearby. In September 2016, the Australian Antarctic Division said it would close its research station on the island in 2017.

How did cats get Macquarie Island?

Cats were introduced to the Macquarie Island in 1818; sealers introduced rabbits 60 years later. The rabbits tore through the island's vegetation.

Edge of Nowhere: Journey to Macquarie Island (Full Documentary) | TRACKS

How did introduced species arrive on Macquarie Island?

Rabbit and rodent invasion

European rabbits were introduced to Macquarie Island in the 1870s, while ship rats and house mice were first recorded on the island in the 1890s. Following the eradication of feral cats in 2000, rabbits and rodents became the dominant pest species on the island.

Are there any rabbits on Macquarie Island?

The eradication of rabbits from Macquarie Island has led to a rapid recovery of vegetation on albatross breeding colony slopes, with early improvements in the birds' reproductive ability, and lessons for future conservation measures.

When was Macquarie Island discovered?

Macquarie Island. Macquarie Island was accidentally discovered in 1810 by Frederick Hasselburg, who recorded an earlier shipwreck.

Why is Macquarie Island protected?

The Federal Macquarie Island Marine Park was declared in 1999. Covering more than 16 million hectares, it was declared to protect the habitat of threatened species such as the royal and southern rockhopper penguins, the subantarctic fur seal, southern elephant seal and five species of albatross.

Does Macquarie Island have snow?

Rain and snow are frequent, with only a few days each year with no precipitation. Days can be quite sunny in December and January but the winter months are generally cloudy.

Can you visit Macquarie Island?

You can only visit Macquarie Island on a small ship expedition cruise, so, sharing an onboard home with up to 50 other passengers, hopping on and off to explore unfamiliar surrounds, you'll need your sea legs.

What penguins live on Macquarie Island?

Royal penguins are endemic to Macquarie Island where the vast majority lives, and the nearby Bishop and Clerk Islets where about 1,000 pairs breed. Royals at Macquarie Island live in very large colonies. The largest colony at Hurd Point on Macquarie Island has around 500,000 pairs.

Who owns Campbell island?

The Campbell Islands (or Campbell Island Group) are a group of subantarctic islands, belonging to New Zealand. They lie about 600 km south of Stewart Island.

How many animals live on Macquarie?

There are 299 native invertebrate species known on Macquarie Island, with 18 non-native invertebrates also established on the island. The study is surveying the invertebrates, over three consecutive summers, covering a range of plant communities and habitats which were impacted by rabbit grazing to varying degrees.

What are some of the features of the Macquarie Island that make it so unique?

It is the only island in the world composed entirely of oceanic crust and rocks from the mantle, deep below the earth's surface.

What did cats do Macquarie Island?

At their height it is estimated feral cats were killing 60,000 seabirds a year. The cats were finally vanquished from the island in 2000, but not before they had helped drive two native bird sub-species into extinction – the Macquarie Island parakeet and the Macquarie Island rail.

What Flora is on Macquarie Island?

All of the vegetation of Macquarie Island is herbaceous, with no woody species present. Megaherbs are a distinctive and unique feature of the sub-Antarctic, occurring nowhere else in Tasmania. There are two megaherbs on Macquarie Island – Stilbocarpa polaris (Macquarie Island cabbage) and Pleurophyllum hookeri.

What is Penguin oil used for?

Feathers were used for clothing decorations and as mattress stuffing. The extraction of oil from penguins' fat layers became economically important in the 1800s and early 1900s. Oil was used for lighting, tanning leather, and fuel.

What's the closest island to Antarctica?

Bouvet Island is the most remote island in the world. The closest land is Queen Maud Land of Antarctica, which is 1,700 kilometres (1,100 mi) to the south, and Gough Island, 1,600 kilometres (990 mi) to the north.

What did the Europeans do on Macquarie Island?

The Macquarie Island expedition also established the first radio link between Australia and Antarctica by setting up a radio relay station on Wireless Hill. This station could communicate with both Mawson's main expedition group at Commonwealth Bay, and Australia.

Which island lies to the west of Australia?

Montebello Islands, Australian coral islands in the Indian Ocean off the northwest coast of Western Australia, 60 mi (100 km) west of the Dampier Archipelago. The largest of the uninhabited group are North West, Trimouille, South East, and Hermite.

Does anyone live on Campbell Island?

At 520° 53'S and 1690° 10'E, Campbell Island is New Zealand's only permanently inhabited subantarctic island. It is southernmost of a scattering of islands which include the Bounty Islands (named after the ship which is better known for its mutiny), the Antipodes, the Snares and the Auckland Islands.

Who owns Stewart Island?

Almost all the island is owned by the New Zealand government and over 80 per cent of the island is set aside as the Rakiura National Park, New Zealand's newest national park.

Who owns Raoul Island?

The islands are part of New Zealand, 33.6 km² (13.0 sq mi) in total area and uninhabited, except for the permanently manned Raoul Island Station, the northernmost outpost of New Zealand.