The curlew lsland

Curlew Island

Islet in Tasmania, Australia

Curlew Island is a low-lying islet with an area of 0.415 ha in south-eastern Australia. It is part of the Partridge Island Group, lying close to the south-eastern coast of Tasmania, in the D'Entrecasteaux 

Curlew Island is a low mangrove-dominated island located near the head of Spencer Gulf, South Australia. It lies between Port Augusta and Point Lowly and is adjacent to the Playford B Power Station. Several ships ran aground in the shallow waters surrounding the island during the late 1800s and early 1900s. Several recreational boating accidents have also occurred in the vicinity (some involving fatalities). The locality is known for its fishing and for occasional whale sightings in the winter
Flora and fauna
The vegetation is dominated by introduced grasses. Recorded breeding seabird and wader species are the Pacific gull, kelp gull, sooty oystercatcher, pied oystercatcher and Caspian tern. The metallic skink is also present.
Wildlife
The mangroves of Curlew Island provide habitat for cormorants. Cormorants were considered competition by fishermen in the early 1900s. They were deliberately culled in efforts to improve the abundance of fish in South Australian waters.Humpback whales have been sighted by fishermen and coastal residents in

the winter near Curlew Island. Southern right whales are also sighted, though less frequently. Whale sightings in the vicinity date back to 1894 with the first Humpback whale sighting reported in 1913. A Bryde's whale was collected south of Curlew Island by a team from the South Australian Museum in April 1989. A baleen plate from the whale went on display at the museum in Adelaide in 2000

History

In 1863, the island was described to mariners as "merely a large, thick patch of mangroves, separated from the point by a narrow channel, dry at low water... has a small sandy knoll at its north end, which only covers at high water springs.

On June 29, 1882, the Government approved of a recommendation to construct a magazine for powder and a smaller one for dynamite at Port Augusta to be placed on Curlew Island.

In July 1889, the first load of sea shells removed from Curlew Island was shipped to Port Pirie for use at the smelters.

In 1932, the Port Augusta Yacht Club sailed to Curlew Island and held a picnic ashore there.Picnics have been enjoyed there by many social groups, businesses and residents of nearby towns including Wilmington and Quorn.Picnics were sometimes held to farewell a community member who was leaving the region.

In June 1950, the possibility of 'dredging away' Curlew Island was announced. A swinging basin was determined to provide deep-water access to the newly proposed northern power station. Such a basin would allow ships to turn easily and unload equipment imported from England