Breaksea Island (Western Australia)

Breaksea Island in King George Sound in the Great Southern region of Western Australia is 12 kilometres (7 mi) south-east of Albany.[1]

Breaksea Island
Location of Breaksea Island (Western Australia)

Description

The island was declared a nature reserve in 1969[2]) managed by the Department of Environment and Conservation; its reserve number is 27614. The island is also registered as a national estate. The island is 103 hectares (250 acres) in area,[3] 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) in length, and 600 metres (2,000 ft) at its widest part. The closest island is Michaelmas Island, located 1.5 kilometres (0.93 mi) north of Breaksea Island.

History

The island was named by George Vancouver during his expedition in 1791. While in the area he also took possession of the lands for England. He named the island after its beaten appearance and the protection it offered to the landward side from the south-westerly winds.[4]

In early April 1827, the island was visited by Major Edmund Lockyer, who found that the island, which had been previously assumed to be bare rock, actually featured between eight and ten acres of soil. He also noted the presence of seals, little penguins, sooty petrels, quail and bronze-winged pigeons.[5]

Lighthouse
Main article: Breaksea Island (Western Australia) Lighthouse

A lighthouse was built on the island in 1858 by English convicts using pre-made cast iron sheeting.[6] This lighthouse was replaced in 1902 by a cylindrical granite tower which remains in generally good condition. However, a major refurbishment taking 21 weeks was undertaken in early 2020, under a contract from the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA).[7]

Breaksea Island Lighthouse (1860s)
Breaksea Island Lighthouse
Breaksea Island from the Flinders Peninsula to the south-west, near Albany
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References
  1. "Breaksea Island Lighthouse". Aussie Heritage. 2007. Archived from the original on 11 September 2007. Retrieved 20 September 2007.
  2. "Terrestrial Protected Areas of WA". Department of Environment. 2007. Retrieved 20 September 2007.
  3. "South Coast Region Management Plan 1992-2002" (PDF). 2002. Retrieved 20 September 2007.
  4. "Albany names". Albany Advertiser. Albany, Western Australia: National Library of Australia. 11 January 1937. p. 2. Retrieved 7 September 2015.
  5. "HISTORY in NAMES Albany's Harbour". The West Australian. 17 May 1947. p. 5. Retrieved 18 December 2015.
  6. "Aust. guide - Breaksea Island Albany". 2002. Archived from the original on 13 September 2007. Retrieved 20 September 2007.
  7. The challenge of maintaining lighthouses, still important in a modern world, Ellie Honeybone and Tom Edwards, ABC News Online, 2020-02-10
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