Lion Island (New South Wales)

Infobox_protected_area | name = Lion Island
iucn_category = Ia

---

caption = Lion Island viewed from West Head
location = New South Wales
nearest_city = Gosford
area = 8 ha
established = 1956
governing_body = NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service

Lion Island is located at the entrance to the Hawkesbury River inside Broken Bay and is considered part of the Gosford local government area." [http://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/PDFs/pom_final_kuringgai_islands.pdf Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park and Lion Island, Long Island and Spectacle Island Nature Reserves Plan of Management] ", [http://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/ NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service] , May 2002.] It is a descriptive name because it resembles a Sphinx, a mythical figure of a crouching lion.Lion Island sign board at West Head Lookout] The island was originally named Elliott Island by Governor Arthur Phillip in 1789, because it resembled Gibraltar where his friend, General Elliott, had inflicted defeats on French and Spanish fleets. [Pratt, Eileen (1978) "Place Names of the Central Coast". Brisbane Water Historical Society and The Entrance and District Society. p29] This name continued to be used by cartographers until the 1920s. [National Library of Australia nla.map-rm3117-sl-e]

In 1956 the entire area of the island became a Fauna Reserve. It was reclassified as a Nature Reserve under the "National Parks and Wildlife Act 1967".

The island contains the largest population of little penguins in the Sydney area and is free of feral cats and foxes. It is listed in the Register of the National Estate as a breeding habitat for shearwaters and little penguins [ [http://www.deh.gov.au/heritage/ahdb/ Australian Heritage Database] , " [http://www.deh.gov.au/cgi-bin/ahdb/search.pl?mode=place_detail;place_id=105817 Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, Lion, Long and Spectacle Island Nature Reserves, Ku-ring-gai Chase Rd, Bobbin Head, NSW] ", [http://www.deh.gov.au Department of the Environment and Heritage] ] .

The cap at the Eastern end of Lion Island is composed of Hawkesbury Sandstone. The shores of the island are composed of the older Narrabeen Group of sandstones and shales.

The island has a weed infestation problem, with problem weeds including Bitou Bush and Lantana.

Access to the island is restricted by permit to conservation, education and research purposes.

In 2005, a documentary film claimed erroneously that the wreckage of a Japanese midget submarine, which disappeared after the attack on Sydney Harbour in 1942, was buried under sand on the seabed, just east of Lion Island [Steve Meacham, " [http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/down-to-the-wire--solving-a-60year-mystery/2005/11/28/1133026410278.html Down to the wire ... solving a 60-year mystery] ", [http://www.smh.com.au/ Sydney Morning Herald] , November 29, 2005] [" [http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200512/s1534365.htm Investigation fails to find midget sub] ", [http://www.abc.net.au/ Australian Broadcasting Corporation] , December 19, 2005. 5:34pm (AEDT)] . The wreck has since been located near Bungan Head. [" [http://www.heritage.nsw.gov.au/07_subnav_01_2.cfm?itemid=5060289 M24 Japanese Midget Submarine wreck site] ", [http://www.heritage.nsw.gov.au/07_subnav_01.cfm State Heritage Inventory Search] , [http://www.heritage.nsw.gov.au/ New South Wales Heritage Office] (Accessed 2007-08-16)]

Lion Island was added to the Australian National Heritage List in December 2006. [ [http://www.environment.gov.au/heritage/places/national/ku-ring-gai-chase/index.html Australian National Heritage listing for Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, Lion Island, Long Island and Spectacle Island Nature Reserves] ]

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