Bonaparte Archipelago
Encyclopedia
The Bonaparte Archipelago is a group of islands off the coast of Western Australia
in the Kimberley region. The closest inhabited place is Kalumburu
located about 100 kilometres (62 mi) to the east of the island group.
The archipelago is made up of the islands and islets lying off a stretch of 150 kilometres (93 mi) of coastline, roughly between Collier Bay
to the SW and Admiralty Gulf
to the NE, including islands in Admiralty Gulf itself. The islands are mostly small, and many are best described as islets or emergent rocks. They number several hundred in total. Several submerged banks and shoals are also found within the archipelago.
The largest island in the group is Augustus Island
which has an area of 190 square kilometres (73 sq mi). Another significant island is the 3 ha Booby Island
, which is classified as an Important Bird Area
.
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
in the Kimberley region. The closest inhabited place is Kalumburu
Kalumburu, Western Australia
Kalumburu and Kalumburu Community are both bounded localities within the Shire of Wyndham-East Kimberley Western Australia. Kalumburu Community is the northernmost settlement in Western Australia...
located about 100 kilometres (62 mi) to the east of the island group.
The archipelago is made up of the islands and islets lying off a stretch of 150 kilometres (93 mi) of coastline, roughly between Collier Bay
Collier Bay
Collier Bay is a natural bay off the island of Newfoundland in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.-References:...
to the SW and Admiralty Gulf
Admiralty Gulf
Admiralty Gulf is a gulf in the Kimberley of Western Australia that opens into the Indian Ocean.The Gulf is bounded by the Bougainville Peninsula to the North and Bigge Point to the South. The nearest populated place is Kalumburu, located to the East....
to the NE, including islands in Admiralty Gulf itself. The islands are mostly small, and many are best described as islets or emergent rocks. They number several hundred in total. Several submerged banks and shoals are also found within the archipelago.
The largest island in the group is Augustus Island
Augustus Island (Western Australia)
Augustus Island is an island off the Kimberley coast of Western Australia.The island is in length and has a maximum width of with a total area of and has an irregular shape...
which has an area of 190 square kilometres (73 sq mi). Another significant island is the 3 ha Booby Island
Booby Island (Kimberley)
Booby Island, once known as White Island, is a small , uninhabited island in the Bonaparte Archipelago of the Kimberley region of Western Australia. It was renamed in 2004 to avoid confusion with another ‘White Island’ in the Kimberley region...
, which is classified as an Important Bird Area
Important Bird Area
An Important Bird Area is an area recognized as being globally important habitat for the conservation of bird populations. Currently there are about 10,000 IBAs worldwide. The program was developed and sites are identified by BirdLife International...
.