Seal Island is very low lying, and is small in area close to 5.5 hectares (14 acres). It can be awash in severe weather.
When viewed from beaches at sea level on adjacent coast, its height above sea level is negligible, however one map shows 9 metres maximum height of any part of the rock[4] and its name was slightly altered in 1972, and 1979.[5]
Murray and Hercock[6] consider its naming was by Vancouver in 1791, however, it is located near a series of unmarked and barely detectable below surface rocks (the reason for the sinking of the
SS Pericles in 1913), however the name was also recorded by Archdeacon in 1878.
^The Point Matthew lookout is the highest point of land on the road leading to the
Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse. It is the location of a plaque commemorating Captain
Matthew Flinders' circumnavigation of the continent in 1801-1803.
^ Leeuwin 1929-III-SE, Western Australia, Pt 250k-S150-09 MGA Zone 50 dated 11/05/2011
It was vested as an A class reserve with the WA Wildlife Authority in 1960 for the conservation of fauna <rev> 27/05/1960, Government Gazette of WA, p.1445
^ In 1972, Government Gazette, 22/12/1972. p.4771 it was known as the Seal Island Wildlife Sanctuary, by 1979 this was changed to Seal Island Nature Reserve Government Gazette, 04/05/19779, p.1447
^Murray, Ian; Hercock, Marion; Murray, Ian; Hercock, Marion (2008), Where on the coast is that?, Hesperian Press,
ISBN978-0-85905-452-2