Green Island (Western Australia)

Green Island is an island in Oyster Harbour located approximately convert|6.5|km|mi|0 northeast of Albany in Western Australia.

The island has a total area of convert|2|ha|acre|0|lk=on and was designated as a Class 1A Nature Reserve in 1988. [cite web|url=http://www.environment.gov.au/parks/nrs/science/capad/2004/index.html/|title=Terrestrial Protected Areas of WA|year=2004|accessdate=2008-04-14]

The nearest point on the mainland is Bayonet Head that is located approximately convert|750|m|ft|0 North West of the island.

History

Green Island was named by George Vancouver who also named Oyster Harbour when he visited the area in 1791. [cite web|url=http://www.australianbusinessesforsale.com.au/WAinfo/Albany.htm|title=WA Information - Albany|year=2003|accessdate=2008-04-23]

When the colony in Albany was first settled in 1826 Green Island was planted for vegetables and by 1830 supported a vegetable garden and a hut was erected on the island for the gardener to live in. [cite web|url=http://www.latrobe.edu.au/australianstudies/shellam.pdf/|title=Complicating the Friendly Frontier - Snake Bite, Medicine and Sorcery at King George Sound , 1830|year=2004|accessdate=2008-04-14]

In 1827, a group of sealers took 5 Aborigines to Green Island to catch birds. The sealers rowed away, leaving the Aborigines behind, then returned the next day bringing water. The Aborigines attempted to take the boat and the sealers fired on them killing one Aboriginal man. [cite web|url=http://www.cerchi.net/sioe/09_albanysewa/09_albanysewa~0002.html|title=Southern Indian Ocean Expedition 2002|year=2003|accessdate=2008-04-23] The remaining Aborigines were removed to Michaelmas Island and left there making "great lamentations". [cite web|url=http://www.cerchi.net/sioe/09_albanysewa/09_albanysewa~0003.html|title=Southern Indian Ocean Expedition 2002|year=2003|accessdate=2008-04-23]

In 1991, the government department Fisheries Western Australia granted a fish farm license to the company Ocean Foods who have leases North and North East of Green Island where blue mussels are farmed". [cite web|url=http://www.rivercare.scric.org/resources/awrb/c7.3.html|title=Albany Waterways Resource Book|year=1999|accessdate=2008-04-23]

Fauna

The island is noted as an important breeding ground for small numbers of the Australian Pelican. It was estimated in 1993 that 7 active nests were located on the island. [cite web|url=http://www.aussieheritage.com.au/listings/wa/Emu%20Point/OysterHarbour/21220/|title=Aussie Heritage - Oyster Harbour|year=2007|accessdate=2008-04-17]

References