Swan Island (Victoria)

Infobox Australian Place | type = suburb
name = Swan Island
city =
state = vic


caption = Map of Swan Island
lga = Borough of Queenscliffe
postcode = 3225
est =
pop =
area = 1.40
propval =
stategov = Bellarine
fedgov = Corangamite
near-nw = "Swan Bay"
near-n = "Port Phillip Bay"
near-ne = "Port Phillip Bay"
near-w = "Swan Bay"
near-e = "Port Phillip Bay"
near-sw = Queenscliff
near-s = Queenscliff
near-se = "Port Phillip Bay"
dist1 =
location1=

Swan Island is a barrier island which, with Duck Island and the Edwards Point spit, separate Swan Bay from Port Phillip Bay in Victoria, Australia. It can be reached via a small one-way vehicular bridge from the town of Queenscliff on the Bellarine Peninsula.

It is a small island, 1.4 square kilometres in area, home only to the Queenscliff Golf Club and a strictly off-limits Department of Defence facility. Access to the golf club can only be reached via a guarded security gate. The Department of Defence prefers not to discuss what currently goes on at the island, and information on the facility, aside from its history, is not found on any government website. Current use includes an exercise area where Australia's Special Forces carry out counter terrorism training. [Cite news| first=Kenneth| last=Nguyen| coauthors=Ben Cubby, Christian Catalano| url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/plunge-into-bay-kills-three-soldiers/2007/04/09/1175971023021.html| title=Plunge into bay kills three soldiers| date=2007-04-10| work=Sydney Morning Herald| publisher=Fairfax| accessdate=2007-04-10] The base is shared with the Australian Secret Intelligence Service. [cite book|last=Toohey|first=Brian|coauthors=William Pinwell|title=Oyster: The Story of the Australian Secret Intelligence Agency|date=1990] It has been described as a finishing school for learning "non-gun stuff" [Cite news| first=Ian| last=McPhedran| coauthors=Mark Buttler| url=http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,21530300-2862,00.html| title=Mystery island for our spies| date=2007-04-10| work=Herald Sun| publisher=News Limited| accessdate=2007-04-10] The base includes a small demolition range, used by the Australian Army. [Cite news| first=Jane| last=Holroyd| url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/general/counter-terror-trio-die-in-crash/2007/04/09/1175970983832.html| title=Counter terror trio die in crash| date=2007-04-09| work=Sydney Morning Herald| publisher=Fairfax| accessdate=2007-04-10]

Swan Island is ornithologically notable as one of the few regular wintering sites for the Critically Endangered Orange-bellied Parrot.

History

Swan Island has a long history of military use, being part of the fortifications built to protect the entrance to Port Phillip Bay from a feared Russian invasion during the Crimean war in the 1870s. The fortifications of Swan Island were controlled by the fire command at Fort Queenscliff.

References

External links

* [http://www.deh.gov.au/heritage/commonwealth/vic.html Commonwealth Heritage Sites in Victoria]
* [http://www.queenscliffgolfclub.com.au/ Queenscliff Golf Club]
* [http://www.cerberus.com.au/russian_attack.pdf History of Russian Attack fears and fortifications]