King Island (Tasmania)
King Iceland is a Tasmanian island with an area of 1,098 km ². It lies at the western end of Bass Strait (Bass Strait) between Tasmania and Australia. Together with the Furneaux Group on the eastern side of Tasmania, these islands visible remnants of the former land bridge to mainland Australia. The island is named after Philip Gidley King. This was then governor of New South Wales, to which the region of Tasmania belonged at that time. The island belongs administratively to the Local Government Area King Iceland Council.
The population was 2005 1.570 inhabitants, with a median age of 43.1 years. The largest city on the island is Currie on the west side of the island.
Grassy on the east side was once a mining town. Here scheelite was mined in the open pit. After the mine closed, the town was, however, almost a ghost town, in recent years, the population began to rise again. Grassy is also known for the penguin colonies at the port.
The southernmost point of the island is Stokes Point, the northernmost Cape Wickham.
History
About the discovery of the island for Europeans, there are different information; the official homepage of the island are at the first sighting for the year 1797 by a Captain Campbell, another source 1791. In 1801 was attended King Iceland from the brig Harbinger, after the dangerous Harbinger Rocks are named off the northwest coast of the island. It was found that the island was rich in fur seals and elephant seals; these were soon exploited to the brink of extinction. 1802 the French explorer Nicolas Baudin visited the islands with his flotilla. Then a ship from Sydney was sent to formally for Britain to claim the island and forestall a French settlement. As a result, British settlements at Port Phillip Bay, Port Dalrymple and the Derwent River were. In 1825 was Van Diemen 's Land, as Tasmania was then known ( until 1856 ) explains, involving, inter alia, King of Iceland to an independent colony. King of Iceland was occasionally but more often enter in the following decades by hunters, shipwrecked, until the 1880s, the permanent use began as pasture. The settlement of farmers meant the beginning of cultural development in the European sense: in the 1890s there was the first commercial ship connections, in 1896 opened the first store, seven years later the first hotel, and in 1905 the first local newspaper. The first flight connection there was in 1932.
More information can also be found under the entry history of Tasmania.
Climate
Source:
Flora and Fauna
Soon after their settlement, the island was known for its seals, which were once almost eradicated by years of hunting. In addition, the fishing grounds are rich in large lobsters, crayfish and abalone.
Along the coast, which is still untouched to over 100 km, breed numerous colonies of shearwaters. Likewise, albatrosses, eagles, seagulls and penguins can be observed.
The terrestrial fauna is rich in native and introduced species. So there is Bennet wallabies, peacocks, pheasants, platypus, echidna, and turkeys. Protection, see the animals in the vast scrubland that covers the island about half. Originally there was an endemic Emu Type, the Black Emu ( Dromaius ater). This was however already extinct shortly after its discovery by hunting and repeated fire clearance for the conversion of forest and bush land to grassland.
Close to Surprise Bay ( to the south) is a calcified forest to its formation is still puzzled.
Shipwrecks
The rough seas around the island demanded in the history often take their toll. To date, over 60 wrecks were found along the coast. About 700 lives these accidents have cost. Due to the dangerous sea on the island there are a total of four lighthouses.
The greatest maritime disaster occurred on 4 August 1845. During the stranding of the British emigrant ship Cataraqui 399 passengers and crew died, only nine survivors were saved.
More shipwrecks on the island were:
The partial easily accessible shipwrecks off the coast of the island is now a popular destination for wreck diving.
Economy and culture
The island is known by gourmets for its dairy products, especially the handmade cheeses.
Until 1990, the industrial production of tungsten is an important branch of production until the scheelite mine and the factory was closed in December of this year.
Other products include lobster, mineral water, kelp and beef. The island serves as a safe haven for passing yachts and has wind turbines from Hydro Tasmania.