Geography | |
---|---|
Location | Bass Strait |
Coordinates | 39°14′0″S 146°30′20″E / 39.23333°S 146.50556°E |
Area | 9 ha (22 acres) |
Administration | |
State | Tasmania |
West Moncoeur Island is a granite island, ringed by steep cliffs, with an area of 9.18 ha, in south-eastern Australia. It is part of Tasmania’s Rodondo Group, lying in northern Bass Strait south of Wilsons Promontory in Victoria. It is a nature reserve. [1] [2]
The island was sighted by Lieutenant James Grant on 9 December 1800 from the survey brig HMS Lady Nelson and named after "Captain Moncur of the Royal navy". [3]
Recorded breeding seabird and wader species include short-tailed shearwater, fairy prion, common diving-petrel, Pacific gull, and sooty oystercatcher. [1] The island is part of the Wilsons Promontory Islands Important Bird Area, identified as such by BirdLife International because of its importance for breeding seabirds. [4] The metallic skink is present. The island holds an important breeding colony of Australian fur seals, with about 250 pups being born there annually. [1]