 The archipelago is an important area for crested terns | |
  Lowendal Islands Location of the Lowendal Islands in Western Australia | |
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Location | Indian Ocean |
| Coordinates | 20°38′47″S115°33′56″E / 20.64639°S 115.56556°E /-20.64639; 115.56556 |
| Administration | |
| State | Western Australia |
| LGA | Shire of Ashburton |
TheLowendal Islands comprise anarchipelago, with a total area of about 160 ha of land on the Pilbara coast ofWestern Australia. It is important for breedingseabirds.
The islands are part of the Lowendal Islands Nature Reserve, which was established in 1976 and has a size of 179 hectares (440 acres).[1]
The archipelago lies 10 km north-east of the much largerBarrow Island, and 15 km south of theMontebello Islands, about 120 km west of the port ofDampier. Of the 34 islands, the largest is 83 haVaranus Island, 2.5 km long by 600 m wide. Other large islands are Bridled (27 ha),Abutilon (27 ha), Parkinsonia (10 ha), and Beacon (1.5 ha). Geologically, the islands are formed of uplifted and sparsely vegetatedlimestone. The inshore waters of the archipelago supportcoral reefs and beds ofseagrass andseaweed. Varanus Island houses agas separation plant, oil storage tanks, and apipeline for loading offshoretankers.[2]
The archipelago has been identified byBirdLife International as anImportant Bird Area (IBA) because it regularly supports over 1% of the world's population ofcrested andbridled terns.[3] Other seabirds recorded as having bred on the islands includewedge-tailed shearwaters,pied cormorants,roseate,lesser crested andCaspian terns, andsilver gulls.[2]
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