Five Islands Nature Reserve
Encyclopedia
Five Islands Nature Reserve is a 26 ha
reserve comprising five islands close to Port Kembla, New South Wales
, Australia
. The islands - Flinders Islet (Toothbrush Island), Bass Islet, Martin Islet, Big Island and Rocky Islet - lie between 0.5 and 3.5 km off the coast. The reserve was originally dedicated as a Fauna Reserve in 1960; it is considered significant for its biological
and Aboriginal
heritage values and is managed by the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service
.
(or Dharawal) people.
Cattle
and rabbit
s were introduced to the islands before 1861. In 1867 a house was built on Big Island by the Perkins family, who lived there until 1872, grazing cattle and catching sharks. In the early 20th century the sea floor to the west of Big Island was mined for shells.
s.
The reserve is important for seabird
s, on which ongoing research is carried out by the Southern Oceans Seabird Study Association
. Species recorded as breeding on one or more islands of the reserve include the Sooty Oystercatcher
, Little Penguin
, Wedge-tailed Shearwater
, Short-tailed Shearwater
, Crested Tern, White-faced Storm-petrel
, Silver Gull
, Kelp Gull
and Australian Pelican
. Reptile
s present in the reserve include the Eastern Water Skink, Common Garden Skink
, Weasel Skink and Three-toed Skink. Marine mammal
s recorded as occasionally hauling-out
on the intertidal fringes of the islands include the Australian Fur Seal and the Leopard Seal
.
Hectare
The hectare is a metric unit of area defined as 10,000 square metres , and primarily used in the measurement of land. In 1795, when the metric system was introduced, the are was defined as being 100 square metres and the hectare was thus 100 ares or 1/100 km2...
reserve comprising five islands close to Port Kembla, New South Wales
Port Kembla, New South Wales
Port Kembla is a suburb of Wollongong 8 km south of the CBD and part of the Illawarra region of New South Wales. The suburb comprises a seaport, industrial complex , a small harbour foreshore nature reserve, and a small commercial sector. It is situated on the tip of Red Point, first sighted...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. The islands - Flinders Islet (Toothbrush Island), Bass Islet, Martin Islet, Big Island and Rocky Islet - lie between 0.5 and 3.5 km off the coast. The reserve was originally dedicated as a Fauna Reserve in 1960; it is considered significant for its biological
Biology
Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
and Aboriginal
Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
heritage values and is managed by the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service
National Parks and Wildlife Service (New South Wales)
The National Parks and Wildlife Service is part of the Office of Environment and Heritage - the main government conservation agency in New South Wales, Australia....
.
History
At the height of the last ice-age some 18,000 years ago, with a lower sea-level, the islands were part of the mainland. When Europeans first visited the area around and immediately south of Sydney in the late 18th century, the mainland coast opposite the Five Islands was occupied by the TharawalTharawal people
The Tharawal people were the Aboriginal inhabitants of southern Sydney and the Illawarra region in 1788, when the first European colonists arrived. The Tharawal people lived in the areas from south side of Botany Bay, around Port Hacking to north of the Shoalhaven River and inland to Campbelltown...
(or Dharawal) people.
Cattle
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
and rabbit
Rabbit
Rabbits are small mammals in the family Leporidae of the order Lagomorpha, found in several parts of the world...
s were introduced to the islands before 1861. In 1867 a house was built on Big Island by the Perkins family, who lived there until 1872, grazing cattle and catching sharks. In the early 20th century the sea floor to the west of Big Island was mined for shells.
Flora and fauna
The vegetation communities of the Five Islands, and especially Big Island have been degraded because of previous human usage and the introduction of exotic species of animals and plants. A major problem is the presence of Kikuyu grass on Big Island, which hinders the recovery of native vegetation and the burrowing activities of petrelPetrel
Petrels are tube-nosed seabirds in the bird order Procellariiformes. The common name does not indicate relationship beyond that point, as "petrels" occur in three of the four families within that group...
s.
The reserve is important for seabird
Seabird
Seabirds are birds that have adapted to life within the marine environment. While seabirds vary greatly in lifestyle, behaviour and physiology, they often exhibit striking convergent evolution, as the same environmental problems and feeding niches have resulted in similar adaptations...
s, on which ongoing research is carried out by the Southern Oceans Seabird Study Association
Southern Oceans Seabird Study Association
The Southern Oceans Seabird Study Association is an Australian natural history research and conservation organisation. It is based in Wollongong, New South Wales...
. Species recorded as breeding on one or more islands of the reserve include the Sooty Oystercatcher
Sooty Oystercatcher
The Sooty Oystercatcher, Haematopus fuliginosus, is a species of oystercatcher. It is a wading bird native to Australia and commonly found on its coastline. It prefers rocky coastlines, but will occasionally live in estuaries....
, Little Penguin
Little Penguin
The Little Penguin is the smallest species of penguin. The penguin, which usually grows to an average of in height and in length , is found on the coastlines of southern Australia and New Zealand, with possible records from Chile.Apart from Little Penguins, they have several common names...
, Wedge-tailed Shearwater
Wedge-tailed Shearwater
The Wedge-tailed Shearwater, Puffinus pacificus is a medium-large shearwater in the seabird family Procellariidae. It is one of the shearwater species that is sometimes referred to as a Muttonbird, like the Sooty Shearwater of New Zealand and the Short-tailed Shearwater of Australia...
, Short-tailed Shearwater
Short-tailed Shearwater
The Short-tailed Shearwater or Slender-billed Shearwater , also called Yolla or Moonbird, and commonly known as the muttonbird in Australia, is the most abundant seabird species in Australian waters, and is one of the few Australian native birds in which the chicks are commercially harvested...
, Crested Tern, White-faced Storm-petrel
White-faced Storm-petrel
The White-faced Storm Petrel , also known as White-faced Petrel is a small seabird of the storm-petrel family. It is the only member of the monotypic genus Pelagodroma....
, Silver Gull
Silver Gull
The Silver Gull also known simply as "seagull" in Australia, is the most common gull seen in Australia. It has been found throughout the continent, but particularly coastal areas. The South African Hartlaub's Gull and the New Zealand Red-billed Gull The Silver Gull (Chroicocephalus...
, Kelp Gull
Kelp Gull
The Kelp Gull , also known as the Dominican Gull, breeds on coasts and islands through much of the southern hemisphere. The race L. d. vetula occurs around southern Africa, and nominate L. d...
and Australian Pelican
Australian Pelican
The Australian Pelican is a large water bird, widespread on the inland and coastal waters of Australia and New Guinea, also in Fiji, parts of Indonesia and as a vagrant to New Zealand.-Taxonomy:...
. Reptile
Reptile
Reptiles are members of a class of air-breathing, ectothermic vertebrates which are characterized by laying shelled eggs , and having skin covered in scales and/or scutes. They are tetrapods, either having four limbs or being descended from four-limbed ancestors...
s present in the reserve include the Eastern Water Skink, Common Garden Skink
Common Garden Skink
The Pale-flecked Garden Sunskink or Common Garden Skink is a small common skink often seen in suburban gardens in Melbourne and Sydney in Australia, but is common across most of Southern Australia and some of New South Wales.-Description:It grows to a maximum of 14 cm, but rarely exceeds a...
, Weasel Skink and Three-toed Skink. Marine mammal
Mammal
Mammals are members of a class of air-breathing vertebrate animals characterised by the possession of endothermy, hair, three middle ear bones, and mammary glands functional in mothers with young...
s recorded as occasionally hauling-out
Hauling-out
Hauling-out is the behaviour associated with pinnipeds , of temporarily leaving the water between periods of foraging activity for sites on land or ice...
on the intertidal fringes of the islands include the Australian Fur Seal and the Leopard Seal
Leopard Seal
The leopard seal , also referred to as the sea leopard, is the second largest species of seal in the Antarctic...
.