Goose Island (Tasmania)

Infobox_lighthouse
name=Goose Island
location=Bass Strait, Australia

---

caption=
coordinates =
yearlit= 1846
yeardeactivated=
automated=
intensity= 60,000 cd
elevation= 36 m
range= convert|18|nmi|km|0
foundation=
construction= Rubblestone
shape=Conical
marking=White
height=30 m
lens=
currentlens =
intensity =
range =
characteristic = Fl. (2) 10 s
fogsignal =
admiralty =K3600
NGA =6644
ARLHS =AUS-064

Goose Island is an elongated granite island, with an area of 109 ha, in south-eastern Australia. It is part of Tasmania’s Badger Island Group, lying in eastern Bass Strait west of Flinders and Cape Barren Islands in the Furneaux Group. It has a lighthouse at the narrow southern end, and is a conservation area.

Lighthouse

The lighthouse is operated by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority and has been unmanned since 1931. It was originally constructed in 1846 with the use of convict labour. On 31 March 1857 the station was raided by pirates. From 1985 to 1990 a wind generator was used as a power source for the light, today the electricity is generated by solar panels.cite web|url=http://www.unc.edu/~rowlett/lighthouse/tas.htm|author=Rowlett, Russ|title=The Lighthouse Directory] The tower was built as a 30 metres tall rubblestone construction employing a Fresnel lens, which today is on display in Hobart at the Maritime Museum of Tasmania.cite web|url=http://www.unc.edu/~rowlett/lighthouse/tas.htm|author=Rowlett, Russ|title=The Lighthouse Directory] The focal plane of the lightsource is located 36 m above sea level, the light's characteristic is a double flash every ten seconds.

The island contains historic relics from the time when the lighthouse was manned, such as the remains of a wooden tramway used to supply the lighthouse, as well as the graves of light keepers, or members of their families, who died by drowning.cite web|url=http://www.lighthouse.net.au/lights/TAS/Goose%20Island/Goose%20Island.htm|author=Lighthouses of Australia Inc.|title=The Goose Island Lighthouse]

Flora and fauna

There are patches of the introduced noxious weed African Boxthorn at the wider northern end of the island. Otherwise the flora is dominated by mats of Aizoaceae succulents, "Poa" and "Stipa", with some "Acacia" and "Leptospermum" woody plants.

Recorded breeding seabird and wader species are Little Penguin, Short-tailed Shearwater, Pacific Gull, Silver Gull and Sooty Oystercatcher. Reptiles present include the Metallic Skink and Spotted Skink.Brothers, Nigel; Pemberton, David; Pryor, Helen; & Halley, Vanessa. (2001). "Tasmania’s Offshore Islands: seabirds and other natural features". Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery: Hobart. ISBN 0-7246-4816-X]

References