Sibsey Island is an island off the coast of South Australia

South Australia

South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...

. Located at 34°39′S 136°11′E in the Sir Joseph Banks Group

Sir Joseph Banks Group

The Sir Joseph Banks Group is an archipelago of about 20, mostly small, islands, with a collective land area of 1275 ha, lying in Spencer Gulf about 20 km off the eastern coast of the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia...

, it was discovered in 1801 by Matthew Flinders

Matthew Flinders

Captain Matthew Flinders RN was one of the most successful navigators and cartographers of his age. In a career that spanned just over twenty years, he sailed with Captain William Bligh, circumnavigated Australia and encouraged the use of that name for the continent, which had previously been...

. In modern times, the island is uninhabited, but it does have an automated lighthouse

Lighthouse

A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses or, in older times, from a fire, and used as an aid to navigation for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways....

 upon it. English Island is nearby.

Geography

There are two anchorages on the island, one on the western side of the island, and another on the east. There is a navigational light set up on the highest point on the island. Dangerous Reef, a nearby reef, makes approaching the island in large craft hazardous.

Wildlife

Australian Sea Lion

Australian Sea Lion

The Australian Sea Lion , also known as the Australian Sea-lion or Australian Sealion, is a species of sea lion that breeds only on the south and west coasts of Australia...

s from nearby English Island are often seen on the rocks near to Sibsey. Seabirds nest on the island, but there are no other large animals present. Marine predators often hunt in the channel between Sibsey and English Islands. The island is part of the Sir Joseph Banks Islands 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...

, identified as such by BirdLife International

BirdLife International

BirdLife International is a global Partnership of conservation organisations that strives to conserve birds, their habitats and global biodiversity, working with people towards sustainability in the use of natural resources...

 because of its importance as a breeding site 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 and for Cape Barren Geese

Cape Barren Goose

The Cape Barren Goose is a large goose resident in southern Australia. The species is named for Cape Barren Island, where specimens were first sighted by European explorers.-Taxonomy:...

.

Economy

The island has no native economy, being uninhabited. However, the waters surrounding it are used extensively by recreational fishermen. The nearby Dangerous Reef is also a popular tourism spot, with scuba diving operators taking advantage of the natural formations and fish stocks. It is a significant bird, sea lion and great white shark breeding area. The area is also covered under the Lower Eyre Peninsula Aquaculture

Aquaculture

Aquaculture, also known as aquafarming, is the farming of aquatic organisms such as fish, crustaceans, molluscs and aquatic plants. Aquaculture involves cultivating freshwater and saltwater populations under controlled conditions, and can be contrasted with commercial fishing, which is the...

Policy.

External links

• Account of Matthew Flinders' discovery of the island
• Google Maps photograph of Sibsey and surrounding islands
• The Sir Joseph Banks Island Group
• EYre Peninsula Parks guide - Department for Environment and Heritage