Wardang Island
Encyclopedia
Wardang Island, also known as Wauraltee Island, is a low-lying 20 km2 island in the Spencer Gulf
close to the western coast of the Yorke Peninsula
, South Australia. It acts as a natural breakwater, protecting the former grain port of Port Victoria
and providing a sheltered anchorage. Historically it has been used for mining lime sand and in rabbit disease research. The much smaller Goose Island
and the other rocks and islets in the Goose Island Conservation Park lie off the northern end.
people of the Yorke Peninsula who camped there regularly to fish, hunt and gather food. With European settlement of South Australia, the first pastoral lease
on Wardang Island was issued in the late 19th century to Stephen Goldsworthy for a term of 14 years. The lease gave the Narungga the continued right to travel to and from the island. In 1884 Goldsworthy transferred the lease to the Point Pearce
Aboriginal
Mission. The island was used to graze sheep
. Shearing shed
s were built as well as living quarters to cater for the families living there. In 1909 a lighthouse was built on the island to serve the large number of ships visiting nearby Port Victoria, though its effectiveness was limited by low visibility. Several shipwreck
s have occurred in the vicinity of the island.
In 1900 mineral leases were issued over parts of the island. These were gradually acquired from 1910 by Broken Hill Associated Smelters
(BHAS), and by 1939 they held all of the leases on the island. Until 1968 BHAS quarried lime
sand on the island, and shipped it by barge to use as flux
in smelters at Port Pirie. Between 1910 and 1968 over a million tons of sand was quarried from the island. As the population of the Island increased, BHAS built homes, a school and other infrastructure to provide for its employees and their families. When BHAS discovered limeshell deposits in Coffin Bay they surrendered their leases and abandoned the island. In 1969, Wardang was made a fauna sanctuary. The lease for Wardang is now held by the Narungga of Point Pearce; those wishing to visit the island must obtain prior permission from the Point Pearce Community Council.
began to use Wardang to conduct its first field trials of myxomatosis
, establishing the methodology for the first successful release of the myxoma virus
throughout the country in the early 1950s. The myxomatosis program was a successful pioneering experiment in the biological control of pest mammals, reducing Australia’s wild rabbit population from 600 million to 100 million in only two years.
In March 1995 trials started on Wardang Island of the rabbit calicivirus causing rabbit haemorrhagic disease
(RHD). In October that year the virus escaped prematurely from the island to the mainland, believed to have been carried by bushflies
on the afternoon sea-breezes, and spread rapidly through the country. It initially caused widespread mortality among the wild rabbit population but, like myxomatosis before it, has not led to extermination of the pest species.
. A dive trail showcases eight of nine shipwrecks around the island, which are associated with the trading port of Port Victoria in the early 1900s. Of the wrecks, five are of schooners and coastal steamers – the Monarch, Australian, Investigator, MacIntyre and Moorara – that carried wheat and other local cargo, and four – the Aagot, Notre Dame, D’Arvor and Songvaar – are larger vessels that transported grain to Europe.
Spencer Gulf
The Spencer Gulf is the westernmost of two large inlets on the southern coast of Australia, in the state of South Australia, facing the Great Australian Bight. The Gulf is 322 km long and 129 km wide at its mouth. The western shore of the Gulf is the Eyre Peninsula, while the eastern side is the...
close to the western coast of the Yorke Peninsula
Yorke Peninsula
The Yorke Peninsula is a peninsula located north-west and west of Adelaide in South Australia, Australia, between Spencer Gulf on the west and Gulf St Vincent on the east. It has geographic coordinates of...
, South Australia. It acts as a natural breakwater, protecting the former grain port of Port Victoria
Port Victoria, South Australia
Port Victoria is a town on the Spencer Gulf coast of southern Yorke Peninsula. At the 2006 census, Port Victoria had a population of 345.Like many other coastal towns on the peninsula, it has a jetty and used to be a thriving port for the export of grain to England. Its anchorage is sheltered from...
and providing a sheltered anchorage. Historically it has been used for mining lime sand and in rabbit disease research. The much smaller Goose Island
Goose Island (South Australia)
-Description:Goose Island is a small , rocky island lying about 550 m from the northern end of the much larger Wardang Island, off the west coast of the Yorke Peninsula, in the Spencer Gulf of South Australia. Rising to a height of 26 m, its vegetation is dominated by African Boxthorn on...
and the other rocks and islets in the Goose Island Conservation Park lie off the northern end.
History
The island is part of the traditional lands of the NarunggaNarungga
The Narungga are a group of Indigenous Australians whose traditional lands are located on Yorke Peninsula, South Australia. The boundary of their traditional lands runs roughly between the towns of Port Broughton and Port Wakefield....
people of the Yorke Peninsula who camped there regularly to fish, hunt and gather food. With European settlement of South Australia, the first pastoral lease
Pastoral lease
A pastoral lease is Crown land that government allows to be leased, generally for the purposes of farming.-Australia:Pastoral leases exist in both Australian commonwealth law and state jurisdictions....
on Wardang Island was issued in the late 19th century to Stephen Goldsworthy for a term of 14 years. The lease gave the Narungga the continued right to travel to and from the island. In 1884 Goldsworthy transferred the lease to the Point Pearce
Point Pearce, South Australia
Point Pearce is a town in South Australia. The town is located in the District Council of Yorke Peninsula local government area, north west of the state capital, Adelaide. At the 2006 census, Point Pearce had a population of 147....
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....
Mission. The island was used to graze sheep
Sheep husbandry
Sheep husbandry is a subcategory of animal husbandry specifically dealing with the raising and breeding of domestic sheep. Sheep farming is primarily based on raising lambs for meat, or raising sheep for wool. Sheep may also be raised for milk or to sell to other farmers.-Shelter and...
. Shearing shed
Shearing shed
Shearing sheds are large sheds located on sheep stations to accommodate large scale sheep shearing activities.In countries where large numbers of sheep are kept for wool, sometimes many thousands in a flock, shearing sheds are vital to house the necessary shearing equipment, and to ensure that the...
s were built as well as living quarters to cater for the families living there. In 1909 a lighthouse was built on the island to serve the large number of ships visiting nearby Port Victoria, though its effectiveness was limited by low visibility. Several shipwreck
Shipwreck
A shipwreck is what remains of a ship that has wrecked, either sunk or beached. Whatever the cause, a sunken ship or a wrecked ship is a physical example of the event: this explains why the two concepts are often overlapping in English....
s have occurred in the vicinity of the island.
In 1900 mineral leases were issued over parts of the island. These were gradually acquired from 1910 by Broken Hill Associated Smelters
BHP Billiton
BHP Billiton is a global mining, oil and gas company headquartered in Melbourne, Australia and with a major management office in London, United Kingdom...
(BHAS), and by 1939 they held all of the leases on the island. Until 1968 BHAS quarried lime
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
sand on the island, and shipped it by barge to use as flux
Flux (metallurgy)
In metallurgy, a flux , is a chemical cleaning agent, flowing agent, or purifying agent. Fluxes may have more than one function at a time...
in smelters at Port Pirie. Between 1910 and 1968 over a million tons of sand was quarried from the island. As the population of the Island increased, BHAS built homes, a school and other infrastructure to provide for its employees and their families. When BHAS discovered limeshell deposits in Coffin Bay they surrendered their leases and abandoned the island. In 1969, Wardang was made a fauna sanctuary. The lease for Wardang is now held by the Narungga of Point Pearce; those wishing to visit the island must obtain prior permission from the Point Pearce Community Council.
Rabbit disease research
Since the 19th century the island has had an introduced population of wild rabbits. In November 1937, the Council for Scientific and Industrial ResearchCommonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation is the national government body for scientific research in Australia...
began to use Wardang to conduct its first field trials of myxomatosis
Myxomatosis
Myxomatosis is a disease that affects rabbits and is caused by the Myxoma virus. It was first observed in Uruguay in laboratory rabbits in the late 19th century. It was introduced into Australia in 1950 in an attempt to control the rabbit population...
, establishing the methodology for the first successful release of the myxoma virus
Myxoma virus
The Myxoma virus causes Myxomatosis in rabbits and was used as a pest control in Australia.- Structure :Virions are enveloped, have a surface membrane with lateral bodies. The envelope contains host-derived lipids and self-synthesized glycolipids. They are brick shaped and are about 250 nm in...
throughout the country in the early 1950s. The myxomatosis program was a successful pioneering experiment in the biological control of pest mammals, reducing Australia’s wild rabbit population from 600 million to 100 million in only two years.
In March 1995 trials started on Wardang Island of the rabbit calicivirus causing rabbit haemorrhagic disease
Rabbit haemorrhagic disease
Rabbit haemorrhagic disease , also known as rabbit calicivirus disease or viral haemorrhagic disease , is a highly infectious and often fatal disease that affects wild and domestic rabbits of the species Oryctolagus cuniculus...
(RHD). In October that year the virus escaped prematurely from the island to the mainland, believed to have been carried by bushflies
Musca vetustissima
Musca vetustissima — commonly known as the Australian bush fly — is a species of fly found in Australia. It is the specific fly that has given rise to the expression "Aussie salute".- Description :...
on the afternoon sea-breezes, and spread rapidly through the country. It initially caused widespread mortality among the wild rabbit population but, like myxomatosis before it, has not led to extermination of the pest species.
Diving
The waters around Wardang are popular with recreational divers because of the opportunities for wreck divingWreck diving
Wreck diving is a type of recreational diving where shipwrecks are explored. Although most wreck dive sites are at shipwrecks, there is an increasing trend to scuttle retired ships to create artificial reef sites...
. A dive trail showcases eight of nine shipwrecks around the island, which are associated with the trading port of Port Victoria in the early 1900s. Of the wrecks, five are of schooners and coastal steamers – the Monarch, Australian, Investigator, MacIntyre and Moorara – that carried wheat and other local cargo, and four – the Aagot, Notre Dame, D’Arvor and Songvaar – are larger vessels that transported grain to Europe.