Five Islands Nature Reserve
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Location | Tasman Sea |
| Total islands | 5 |
| Major islands |
|
| Highest elevation | 16 m (52 ft) |
| Highest point | Big Island |
| Administration | |
| State | New South Wales |
|
Five Islands Nature Reserve New South Wales |
|
|---|---|
|
IUCN category Ia (strict nature reserve)
|
|
 Five Islands Nature Reserve
|
|
| Nearest town or city | Port Kembla |
| Coordinates | 34°29′S 150°56′E / 34.483°S 150.933°ECoordinates: 34°29′S 150°56′E / 34.483°S 150.933°E |
| Established | 10 June 1960 |
| Area | 0.26 km2 (0.1 sq mi) |
| Managing authorities | NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service |
| Website | Five Islands Nature Reserve |
| See also | Protected areas of New South Wales |
The Five Islands Nature Reserve is a protected nature reserve located in the Tasman Sea, off the Illawarra east coast of the state of New South Wales, Australia. The 26-hectare (64-acre) reserve comprises five continental islands that are situated between 0.5 and 3.5 kilometres (0.31 and 2.17 mi) east of Port Kembla. The Five Islands are Flinders Islet (Toothbrush Island), Bass Islet, Martin Islet, Big Island (also called Rabbit or Perkins Island) and Rocky Islet.
The reserve was originally dedicated as a fauna reserve in 1960; it is considered significant for its biological and Aboriginal heritage values and is managed by the NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service.
At the height of the last ice-age some 18,000 years ago, with a lower sea-level, the islands were part of the mainland. When Europeans first visited the area around and immediately south of Sydney in the late 18th century, the mainland coast opposite the Five Islands was occupied by the Tharawal people.
Cattle and rabbits were introduced to the islands before 1861. In 1867 a house was built on Big Island by the Perkins family, who lived there until 1872, grazing cattle and catching sharks. In the early 20th century the sea floor to the west of Big Island was mined for shells.
In Dreamtime legend, the West Wind, lived on top of Merrigong (the Illawarra Range) With the West Wind were his six little daughters Mimosa, Wilga, Lilli Pilli, Wattle, Clematis and Geera.
...
Wikipedia