New Year Island, part of the New Year Group, is a 98.22-hectare (242.7-acre) granite island and game reserve located in the Great Australian Bight, lying off the north-west coast of Tasmania, Australia.[1]
 New Year Island, located top left, relative to King Island | |
  New Year Island Location of New Year Island in the Great Australian Bight, west of the Bass Strait | |
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Location | Roaring Forties, Great Australian Bight |
| Coordinates | 39°40′12″S 143°49′12″E / 39.67000°S 143.82000°E |
| Archipelago | New Year Group |
| Total islands | 5 |
| Major islands | King Island |
| Area | 98.22 ha (242.7 acres) |
| Administration | |
Australia | |
| State | Tasmania |
| LGA | Municipality of King Island |
New Year Group
editThere are four islands in the New Year Group. Besides New Year Island, these are:
While King Island has the largest area of the four islands, the group is named after New Year Island because it was discovered by Europeans a few days earlier than King Island.[2][3]
Fauna
editBreeding seabird and shorebird species include short-tailed shearwater, fairy prion, Pacific gull, silver gull and sooty oystercatcher. Reptiles include tiger snake, white's skink, metallic skink and eastern blue-tongued lizard. A species of mouse is present.[3]
The island forms part of the King Island Important Bird Area because of its importance for breeding seabirds and waders.[4]
Geography
editAccording to the International Hydrographic Organization, the line separating the Bass Strait from the Great Australian Bight runs through King Island, so New Year Island lies in the Great Australian Bight.
See also
edit
References
edit- ^ "New Year Island (TAS)". Gazetteer of Australia online. Geoscience Australia, Australian Government.
- ^ "Travel: King Island". The Sydney Morning Herald. 8 February 2004. Retrieved 5 July 2016.
- ^ a b Brothers, Nigel; Pemberton, David; Pryor, Helen; Halley, Vanessa (2001). Tasmania's Offshore Islands: seabirds and other natural features. Hobart: Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery. pp. 50–51. ISBN 0-7246-4816-X.
- ^ "King Island". Important Bird Areas factsheet. BirdLife International. 2011. Retrieved 16 July 2011.
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