.jpg) Pelorus Rocks, off Kangaroo Island, ca 1925 | |
  Pelorus Islet | |
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Location | Great Australian Bight |
| Administration | |
Australia | |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 0 |
Pelorus Islet (also known asPelorus Reef andPelorus Rock) is anislet in the Australian state ofSouth Australia located inGreat Australian Bight off the south coast ofKangaroo Island approximately 7 kilometres (4.3 miles) east south-east ofCape Gantheaume. It was named by Captain Francis Harding,RN afterHMSPelorus.
Pelorus Islet is about 7 kilometres (4.3 miles) east south-east of Cape Gantheaume. It consists of three separate islets - a main round topped peak of 12 metres (39 feet) height with a reef with several rocks sitting above water level to its east and another exposed rock to its south-west. It is inaccessible by boat as it is subject to continuousswells.[1]
Peloris Islet was formed between 7500 and 8900 years ago after sea levels rose at the start of theHolocene when Kangaroo Island became separated fromYorke andFleurieu Peninsulas.[2] Pelorus Islet is the remains of avolcanic intrusion reported as being some 506 million years old.[1] The islet rises abruptly from a depth of 35 metres (115 feet).[3]
As of 1996, no terrestrial vegetation was present as the islet has been ‘scoured of any soil and small eroded fragments, leaving only a few large boulders’ while the only vertebrate animals observed wereNew Zealand fur seals andcrested terns.[1]
Nicolas Baudin is reported as being the first European to describe the islet, however he did not name the islet. The islet was surveyed in May 1838 by HMSPelorus under the command of Captain Francis Harding RN. It is reported that Harding named the islet after the ship.[4][5] The Pelorus Islet is reported as being the site of the wrecking ofYou Yangs on 14 June 1890.You Yangs was a 672 gross tonnage barque rigged screw steamer owned by Howard Smith and Sons.[6]
Pelorus Islet originally obtainedprotected area status as a fauna reserve under the formerFauna Conservation Act 1964[7] As of 1996, it was described as being vacant crown land.[8] It obtained status as a fauna conservation reserve declared under theCrown Lands Act 1929-1966 on 16 March 1967.[9] As of 2016, the islet is part of theCape Gantheaume Conservation Park.[10] As of 2012, the waters surrounding its shores are part of a habitat protection zone located within the boundaries of theSouthern Kangaroo Island Marine Park.[11]
| West coast ofEyre Peninsula |
| ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spencer Gulf |
| ||||||||
| Investigator Strait | |||||||||
| Kangaroo Island |
| ||||||||
| Gulf St Vincent | |||||||||
| Backstairs Passage | |||||||||
| Encounter Bay and adjoining waters | |||||||||
| South east coast | |||||||||
| Mainland |
| ||||||||
