Maupertuis Bay

Maupertuis Bay (French: Baie Maupertuis) is a bay in the Australian state of South Australia located on the south-west coastline of Kangaroo Island.[1]

Maupertuis Bay
Maupertuis Bay Location in South Australia
Location	Flinders Chase, South Australia[1]
Coordinates	35°59′46″S 136°39′36″E[1]
Type	Bay
Primary inflows	Rocky River
Basin countries	Australia
Max. length	13 kilometres (8.1 mi)[2]
Max. width	about 3 kilometres (1.9 mi)[2]
Average depth	30–60 metres (98–197 ft)[2]

It faces to the south-west and extends for a distance of about 13 kilometres (8.1 mi) from an unnamed headland in the north-west to Cape du Couedic in the south-east.[2] Its coastline is located within the locality of Flinders Chase.[1]

Rivers draining into the bay includes the Rocky River which rises from within a catchment located in both the Flinders Chase National Park and the Ravine des Casoars Wilderness Protection Area.[3]

Maupertuis Bay was named after mathematician and philosopher Pierre Louis Maupertuis by the French explorer Nicolas Baudin.[4]

On 24 April 1899, the Scottish barque Loch Sloy was wrecked off the coast from Maupertuis Bay[5] resulting in the deaths of all but three crew and passengers.

Since 2012, the waters of the bay have been located within a "habitat protection zone" with the Western Kangaroo Island Marine Park which is managed by the Government of South Australia.[6]

See also

• Maupertuis (disambiguation)

References

1. "Search results for "Maupertuis Bay, Bay" with the following datasets selected – 'Surface Water Catchments', 'NPW and Conservation Reserve Boundaries', 'State Marine Park Network Zoning', 'Suburbs and Localities' and 'Gazetteer'". Location SA Map Viewer. South Australian Government. Retrieved 30 June 2019.
2. The Waters of South Australia. Port Adelaide: Department of Marine and Harbors, Government of South Australia. 1985. p. chart 14. ISBN 0-7243-7603-8.
3. "Groundwater - surface water interactions on Kangaroo Island, Progress report 1: Rocky River shallow piezometer drilling program" (PDF). WaterConnect. Government of South Australia. p. 7. Retrieved 19 December 2015.
4. "The discovery and exploration of Australia". australia for everyone. Retrieved 26 December 2015.
5. "Wreck of the Loch Sloy". Sydney Morning Herald. 12 May 1899. Retrieved 26 December 2015.
6. "Western Kangaroo Island Marine Park Management Plan 2012" (PDF). Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources, Government of South Australia. 2012. pp. 3, 5 & map 04. Retrieved 30 June 2019.