Little Island (South Australia)
 Little Island
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| Location | Spencer Gulf |
| Coordinates | 34°56′57″S 136°01′30″E / 34.9493°S 136.0251°ECoordinates: 34°56′57″S 136°01′30″E / 34.9493°S 136.0251°E |
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Australia
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Little Island is an island in the Australian state of South Australia located in Spencer Gulf off the east coast of Jussieu Peninsula on Eyre Peninsula approximately 28 kilometres (17 mi) south-east of Port Lincoln. It was named by Matthew Flinders in memory of John Little who was one of the eight crew lost from a cutter that capsized sometime after being launched from the HM Sloop Investigator to search for water on 21 February 1802. Since 2004, the island has been part of the Memory Cove Wilderness Protection Area.
Little Island which is located approximately 28 kilometres (17 mi) south-east of Port Lincoln and is located 926 m (3,038 ft) north of Lewis Island, has a maximum height of 8 m (26 ft). Access to the island is limited by the absence of a coastline sheltered from swells and tidal streams, and the unsuitability of the island’s terrain for the landing of helicopters.
Little Island was formed about 8400 years ago when sea levels rose at the start of the Holocene. The island is predominantly granite which is eroded to the extent that the island is divided into two sections. Each section has a calcarenite capping that reaches a height of 8 m (26 ft) above sea level. The island rises from the seabed at 30 m (98 ft) almost vertically on its south east face while the same transition occurs over a distance of almost 200 m (660 ft) on its north west face.
As of 1996, the flora is reported as being a shrubland composed of marsh saltbush while the fauna is reported as consisting of the following vertebrate animals: sooty oystercatchers and Pacific gulls and ‘a large colony’ of Australian sea lions.
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