Satellite Island is a small island in south-eastern 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...

. It is part of the Partridge Island Group, lying close to the south-eastern coast of Tasmania

Tasmania

Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...

, in the D'Entrecasteaux Channel

D'Entrecasteaux Channel

The D'Entrecasteaux Channel is a region of water between Bruny Island and the south-east of the mainland of Tasmania. It extends between the estuaries of the Derwent, and the Huon Rivers...

 between Bruny Island and the mainland. It is surrounded by an ancient fossil clad rock shelf, home to an array of local shellfish, including crayfish, native scallops, abalone and oysters.
Satellite Island was discovered by the french expedition led by Bruni D'Entrecasteaux. It was originally used as an observatory for the night sky.

Flora and fauna

Satellite Island has a variety of native bird life including resident osprey and the red breasted robin. The island is encircled by a variety of native scrub and trees including ancient blue gums and some introduced species.

Sources

• Brothers, Nigel; Pemberton, David; Pryor, Helen; & Halley, Vanessa. (2001). Tasmania’s Offshore Islands: seabirds and other natural features. Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery: Hobart. ISBN 0-7246-4816-X