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Wardang Island

August 21, 2023

Wardang Island, also known as Waralti (also spelled Waraldi or Wauraltee) is a low-lying 20 km2 island in the Spencer Gulf close to the western coast of the Yorke Peninsula, South Australia. It acts as a natural breakwater, protecting the former grain port of Port Victoria and providing a sheltered anchorage. After European colonisation it was used for the grazing of sheep, for rabbit disease research, was quarried for lime to supply the lead smelter at Port Pirie and is currently leased to the island's traditional owners: the Narungga. The much smaller Goose Island and the other rocks and islets in the Goose Island Conservation Park lie off the northern end. Anyone seeking to visit the island must obtain prior permission from the Point Pearce Community Council.[1]

Wardang Island
Native name:
Waralti
Wardang Island viewed from Port Victoria
Wardang Island
Geography
LocationSpencer Gulf
Coordinates34°30′S 137°22′E / 34.500°S 137.367°E / -34.500; 137.367
Administration
Australia
From the air

Nomenclature

Both names for the island are indigenous words. Wardang means "crow" while Wauraltee means "bandicoot island".[2]

History

 
The remains of the Aagot, not long after it was wrecked in 1907

The island is part of the traditional lands of the Narungga people of the Yorke Peninsula who camped there regularly to hunt and gather food including shellfish, fish and the eggs of seabirds.[3] Ceremony was also conducted there, including burials.[2]

Following the European settlement of South Australia, the first pastoral lease on Wardang Island was issued in 1861[2] to Stephen Goldsworthy for a term of 14 years. Natural vegetation was cleared and replaced with sown pasture.

The lease gave the Narungga the continued right to travel to and from the island. In 1884 Goldsworthy transferred the lease to the Point Pearce, a mission for Aboriginal Australians, then known as the Yorke Peninsula Aboriginal Mission, "for the use and benefits of the inhabitants of the province".[4]

In 1877, the island was considered as a candidate site for a permanent quarantine station for South Australia,[5] but was ultimately rejected.

The mission used the island to graze sheep. Shearing sheds were built as well as living quarters to cater for the families living there. Mineral leases were later issued for the quarrying of lime. From 1915 the mission became an Aboriginal reserve under state government control.

The Aboriginal reserve was cancelled from 1915 to 1924 and abolished in 1948.[2][further explanation needed]

Lighthouse and shipwrecks

In 1909 a lighthouse was erected at the highest point on the island's West coast to serve the large number of ships visiting nearby Port Victoria, though its effectiveness was limited by low visibility. The lighthouse tower from Wedge Island was moved to Wardang Island on 23 July 1918 where it replacing the previous light, which was simply supported by a post. The Wedge Island light was a Chance Bros 250mm lens. In 1988 the navigation light from Wedge Island was converted to solar power and the old tower was replaced with a fibreglass hut.[6]

Accounts of the total number of shipping casualties and wrecks around Wardang Island vary. Between the years 1898 and 1929, there were at least 18 shipping casualties in the vicinity, of which eleven were total wrecks.[7] It was reported that in 1916, ten wrecks lined the island's coast. In 1926, Wardang Island was referred to as "The Island of Wrecks" by The World's News.[8]

The Advertiser published the claim that prior to 1950, twenty-two shipwrecks had occurred in the vicinity of the island.[1][9]

The legacy of shipping losses has made the waters around Wardang Island popular with recreational divers interested in wreck diving. A dive trail showcases eight of nine identified shipwrecks around the island, which are associated with the trading port of Port Victoria in the early 1900s. Of the wrecks, five are of schooners and coastal steamers – the Monarch, S.S. Australian, S.S. Investigator, MacIntyre and Moorara – that carried wheat and other local cargo, and three – the Aagot, Notre Dame D'Arvor and Songvaar – are larger vessels that transported grain to Europe.[10]

The dive trail is also known as the Wardang Island Maritime Heritage Trail.[11]

Ship Origin Vessel class Year Day Fate Notes Maritime Heritage Trail node References
Candida   British barque 1898 February 20 Refloated in April. Crew survived and traveled to Wallaroo after the incident. Captain was found responsible. Cargo was saved. Ship was refloated and beached at North Arm, Port Adelaide. No [12][13][14][15]
Maid of Australia   British ketch 1899 July Sunk Sank off west coast of Wardang Island with a cargo of flux. Refloat unsuccessful. Crew survived. Captain found negligent. No [16][17][18]
Lady Daly Schooner 1901 December 30 Refloated and repaired. Driven ashore during a gale. Ship abandoned. Salvage attempts made. Was refloated successfully and repaired. No [19][20][21][22]
Cockermouth 1905 November Refloated. Grounded after leaving Port Victoria with wheat bound for England. Cargo unloaded. Damage to hull suspected. No [22][23][24]
Torridor 1907 [22]
Aagot   Norwegian barque 1907 October 12 Sunk Traveling from Semaphore to Port Victoria. Wrecked at West Point, Wardang Island, under Captain Neilsen's command. Ship was abandoned and broke apart. All crew saved. Yes [11][25][26]
Monarch Schooner 1909 1 April Sunk Drifted onto rocks at Wardang Island. Yes [11][27]
S.S. Australian Steamer 1912 9 May Sunk Bound from Venus Bay to Port Victoria. Sank while loaded with 3200 bags of wheat on reef at the southern end of Wardang Island. Vessel was primarily used to load larger wheat transport ships. All hands saved. Vessel abandoned. Yes [11][28][29][30][31]
Songvaar   Norwegian iron ship 1912 May Sunk Sank laden with a cargo of wheat. Attempts made to sell both cargo and wrecked vessel. Sold at auction as a salvage prospect. Yes [11][32][33]
Jean Bart   French barque 1913 March 7 Salvaged, repaired and renamed "Wardang" En route from Antwerp to Wallaroo with a cargo of coke and pig iron. Wrecked on west coast of Wardang Island. All hands saved. Refloat attempted but failed. Sails destroyed by winds. Ship was incorrectly reported as having broken in half and sunk. It was salvaged and towed to Melbourne where it was repaired and sold under the new name Wardang. Later captured by British authorities off South Africa after the outbreak of World War I. No [34][35][36][37][38][39]
General de Sonis   French 1913 March 12 Refloated. Torpedoed by German submarine in 1915. Went ashore at Port Victoria laden with wheat. No [22][40]
Albatross 1913 March 12 Sunk Hit Eclipse Rock off Port Victoria during a gale. Crew rescued. Ship broke up half an hour after the rescue. No [22][41]
Harold 1917 [22]
S.S. Investigator 1918 May Sunk Adelaide Steamship Company vessel. Yes [11][42]
Notre Dame D'Arvor   French barque 1920 March 20 Sunk Ran into south-western point of Wardang Island, adjacent to the site where the Investigator previously ran aground. The vessel caught fire during an unsuccessful attempt to refloat her. Burned wreck was then sold for salvage. Her remains then served as a warning to other passing mariners. Yes [11][43][44][45][46]
Eugene Schneider   French barque 1921 January Refloated. Captain mistook Port Victoria for Port Victor, and on approaching the wrong port, struck Eclipse Rock. Refloated and eventually arrived at Port Victor as originally intended. No [22][47][48]
McIntyre Schooner 1927 April 1 Sunk Was laden with wheat and bound for Wallaroo when it grounded on a submerged reef on Wardang Island. All hands saved. Ship was "totally destroyed". Yes [11][49]
Eclipse 1929 [22]
Hawk 1948 [22]
Silver Cloud 1974 [22]
Moorara 1975 Sunk Yes [11]

Quarrying and settlement

In 1900, mineral leases were issued over parts of the island. These were gradually acquired from 1910 by Broken Hill Associated Smelters (BHAS), and by 1939 they held all of the leases on the island. Until 1968 BHAS quarried lime sand on the island, and shipped it by barge to use as flux in smelters at Port Pirie.

A jetty was constructed in 1915 by BHP to facilitate the shipping of lime. In 1918, quarrying focused on deposits at the southern end of the island. A railway line was constructed to move the quarried lime from the southern deposits to the jetty at the northern end of the island. Initially the cartage was drawn by horses, then replaced by a kerosene driven locomotive. The railway was made redundant in the early 1950s and replaced with motor trucks. By 1951, 900,000 tonnes of lime had been quarried from Wardang Island and shipped to Port Pirie.[22]

As the population of the island increased, BHAS built homes, a school and other infrastructure to provide for its employees and their families. In 1930, there were two jetties, a dance hall, a school, a playground, a "wireless" and fourteen houses present.[50] In 1950 there were 47 people living on the island, 14 of whom were schoolchildren. The BHAS foreman, Mr J. W. Waters was the longest-term resident at that time, having lived there for 13 years.[9]

When BHAS discovered limeshell deposits in Coffin Bay it surrendered its leases and abandoned the island.[citation needed] Guano was also quarried on Wardang Island.[2]

The quarrying ceased in 1968.[22] Between 1910 and 1968 over a million tons of sand was quarried from the island. The mobile dune at the south of the island has been completely removed, leaving only the fixed, vegetated dunes.[2]

Indigenous use and restoration

In 1969, Wardang was made a fauna sanctuary.[citation needed]

In 1973 the island was declared a Historic Reserve and has been owned since by the Aboriginal Lands Trust.[2]

In 1996, Wardang Island was described as "the most degraded" of South Australia's large offshore islands.[2]

In 2014 the island was declared an Indigenous Protected Area in 2014.

In 2019, a project to rejuvenate the island was announced by Federal MP Rowan Ramsey and state MP Fraser Ellis with a combined funded value of close to AUD$4 million. The project involves the demolition of old buildings, removal of asbestos, and the construction of new facilities to be used by Indigenous rangers.

Federal funding has enabled the Aboriginal Lands Trust to buy a barge which will provide ongoing access to Wardang Island. Funding will also support Indigenous Protected Area activities, train Aboriginal people for seafaring work and the barge will become available for commercial use.[51]

The Government of South Australia committed $1.3 million to the establishment of a new landing facility on the island.[52] South Australian Premier Steven Marshall cited the tourism opportunity for shipwreck divers as one of the reasons for investing in the landing facility.[53]

Greening Australia is undertaking re-vegetation work on the island with the goal of supporting the future reintroduction of regionally extinct animals to the island, including the Western quoll.[54]

Anyone wishing to visit the island must obtain prior permission from the Point Pearce Community Council.[1]

Flora and fauna

The native flora of Wardang Island prominently features Coast daisy-bush (Olearia axillaris) and Grey Samphire (Tecticornia halocnemoides). Other native species include some isolated She-oaks; Umbrella wattle (some mature trees, many stunted by continual rabbit grazing) and some Marsh saltbush. In 1996, it was speculated that the native reddish purple-to-pink flowering Garland Lily may survive in the grasslands.[2]

Weeds are widespread on the island, and include Common Iceplant in thick mats in coastal areas, Sea Spurge in salt marshes, and clumps of African Boxthorn, Tree Tobacco and Horehound. [2]

Emus are present on the island, and were introduced there during the 1970s as part of a short-lived tourism venture.[2]

All of the mammals on the island are introduced. As of 1996, they included Tammar wallabies, rabbits, feral cats, two camels and eight donkeys.[2]

Reptiles are present on the island.[2]

Wardang island is home to various seabirds, including silver gulls, terns, oystercatchers (once referred to as "redbills"), little penguins[9] and cormorants. The bird life is acknowledged in the European names given to various geographical features of the island, including Pidgeon Rock and Pidgeon Island to the north and Bird Point and Swan Bay to the northeast. Snapper Point is another geographical feature named after local fauna; in this instance after a fish caught in adjacent waters. Another fish caught off Wardang Island is the Australian herring (known locally as Tommy Ruff).

The island historically supported native bandicoots and wild turkey.[7]

Rabbits and rabbit disease research

 
Rabbits at a waterhole within the myxomatosis trial site on Wardang in 1938

An anecdotal account suggested that rabbits were introduced to the island by fishermen circa 1922[55] but rabbiting parties had visited the Wardang Island much earlier and it was reported that the island "teemed with rabbits" in 1875.[56] It is not known when or by whom the animals were first introduced to the island.

In November 1937, the CSIRO began to use Wardang to conduct its first field trials of myxomatosis,[7][57] establishing the methodology for the first successful release of the myxoma virus throughout the country in the early 1950s. The myxomatosis program was a successful pioneering experiment in the biological control of pest mammals, reducing Australia's wild rabbit population from 600 million to 100 million in only two years.[57]

In March 1995 trials started on Wardang Island of the rabbit calicivirus causing rabbit haemorrhagic disease (RHD).[58] In October that year the virus escaped prematurely from the island to the mainland, believed to have been carried by bushflies on the afternoon sea-breezes, and spread rapidly through the country. It initially caused widespread mortality among the wild rabbit population but, like myxomatosis before it, has not led to extermination of the pest species.[58]

Little penguin colony

Wardang Island was previously home to the second largest breeding colony of little penguins in South Australia and the largest colony in the state's gulf waters. Captain E. H. Hipkins said that an Italian ship ran aground on Wardang Island some time prior to 1938, and the crew had mistaken the calls of penguins for those of fearsome wild animals.[59]

Penguins were known to be abundant on the island in 1874,[60] were seen by visitors on The Zephyr in 1875[56] and were seen in Mungari bay to the north of Wardang Island by yachtsmen in 1895.[61] In 1928,[62] 1930,[63] 1931,[64] 1934[65] and 1937,[66] Wardang Island was described as a home to many penguins. In 1937 the island was described as being "infested with thousands of penguins".[55][7] In 1944, the colony was described in the Port Pirie newspaper The Recorder:

"The north and north west coasts of the island consist of precipitous limestone cliffs. Heavy westerlies have undermined these cliffs and large portions of rock have fallen to the sea bed, where waves have pounded them into weird shapes. Up on top, penguins are very numerous and they make their nests in shallow burrows. There are hundreds of such nests."[67]

In 1946, Mr. Pim wrote of Wardang Island:

"On the west coast... colonies of penguins are at home to anyone who cares to call."[68]

Their presence was noted in 1950 by Edna Davies who advised that if anyone visited the island and stayed until nightfall that they would see and hear the penguins coming ashore.[69] Penguins were also seen during a visit by Governor Norrie in 1950.[9] In 1966, a visitor described seeing "hundreds" of fairy penguins on Wardang Island.[70] In 1981, penguins were considered abundant.[71] In 2004, Wardang Island was estimated to support approximately 8,000 penguins, though the methodology behind this estimate is unpublished.

In 2005, the Point Pearce Community was involved in feral cat trapping work. This was undertaken to reduce feral cat predation on little penguins.[72] As of 2011, the penguin colony's status is unknown,[73] though indications of decline from historic abundance was noted in 1996.[2]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c SA Memory.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Robinson, Tony; Canty, Peter; Mooney, Trish; Rudduck, Penny (1996). South Australia's Offshore Islands (PDF). South Australia: Commonwealth of Australia and Department of Environment and Natural Resources South Australia. ISBN 0-644-35011-3.
  3. ^ "Wardang Island – Yorke Peninsula Council". yorke.sa.gov.au. Retrieved 2020-02-09.
  4. ^ HEINRICH, R. (1976).Wide Sails and Wheat Stacks, Port Victoria. Centenary Committee.
  5. ^ "The Month's News". South Australian Register. 1877-05-17. Retrieved 2020-02-10.
  6. ^ "Wardang Island Lighthouse". Lighthouses of Australia Inc. 2018-02-04. Retrieved 2020-02-10.
  7. ^ a b c d "Fighting the rabbit pest with a deadly virus". Sydney Mail. 1937-09-01. Retrieved 2020-02-10.
  8. ^ "The Island of Wrecks". The World's News. 1926-08-14. Retrieved 2020-02-10.
  9. ^ a b c d "Governor Enjoys Island Holiday Visit". The Advertiser. 1950-01-16. Retrieved 2020-02-10.
  10. ^ South Australian Trails.
  11. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Yorke Peninsula Visitor Information - Wardang Island Maritime Heritage Trail". www.visityorkepeninsula.com.au. Retrieved 2020-02-10.
  12. ^ "South Australia". Barrier Miner. 1898-02-24. Retrieved 2020-02-10.
  13. ^ "The wreck of the Candida judgment". Newcastle Morning Herald & Miners' Advocate. 1898-03-31. Retrieved 2020-02-10.
  14. ^ "Floating of the Barque Candida". Sydney Morning Herald. 2020-02-10. Retrieved 2020-02-10.
  15. ^ "Arrivals by the Brittania". The Express & Telegraph. 1898-05-17. Retrieved 2020-02-10.
  16. ^ "South Australia". The Daily Telegraph. 1899-07-13. Retrieved 2020-02-10.
  17. ^ "Wreck of the Maid of Australia". The Daily Telegraph. 1900-02-16. Retrieved 2020-02-10.
  18. ^ "The Wrecked Maid of Australia". The Express & Telegraph. 1899-07-14. Retrieved 2020-02-10.
  19. ^ "Wreck of the Lady Daly". The Sydney Morning Herald. 1902-01-13. Retrieved 2020-02-10.
  20. ^ "Maritime record". The Australian Star. 1902-01-13. Retrieved 2020-02-10.
  21. ^ "This Country". The Observer. 1902-03-29. Retrieved 2020-02-10.
  22. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Scarce, Graham (1986). A Cruising Guide to Historic Gulf Ports - Volume 3 - Spencer Gulf. Hawthorndene, South Australia: Kingsley Publications. pp. 185–188. ISBN 0-9589703-4-3.
  23. ^ "TELEGRAMS". Narracoorte Herald. 1905-11-03. p. 2. Retrieved 2020-07-18.
  24. ^ "COMMERCIAL. REVIEW OF THE WEEK". The Observer. 1905-11-25. p. 34. Retrieved 2020-07-18.
  25. ^ "Summary". The Sydney Morning Herald. 1907-10-14. Retrieved 2020-02-10.
  26. ^ "Shipping Items. Wreck of the barque Aagot". Daily Commercial News & Shipping List. 1907-10-13. Retrieved 2020-02-10.
  27. ^ "Daily Commercial News & Shipping List". 1909-04-06. Retrieved 2020-02-10.
  28. ^ "A COASTER WRECKED". Evening News. 1912-05-09. Retrieved 2020-02-10.
  29. ^ "Wrecked on Wardang Island. Coastal steamer on reef". Wrecked on Wardang Island. 1912-05-10. Retrieved 2020-02-10.
  30. ^ "Marine casualties". Daily Commercial News & Shipping List. 1912-05-14. Retrieved 2020-02-10.
  31. ^ "Australian A Total Wreck". The Daily Telegraph. 1912-05-14. Retrieved 2020-02-10.
  32. ^ "Advertising". The Daily Telegraph. 1912-05-08. Retrieved 2020-02-10.
  33. ^ "Tales of wrecks". Newcastle Morning Herald & Miners' Advocate. 1912-05-18. Retrieved 2020-02-10.
  34. ^ "General News". The Maitland Daily Mercury. 1913-03-08. Retrieved 2020-02-10.
  35. ^ "Wrecked barque. Attempt to re-float". Northern Star. 1913-03-12. Retrieved 2020-02-10.
  36. ^ "The Jean Bart Wreck". The Sydney Morning Herald. 1913-03-18. Retrieved 2020-02-10.
  37. ^ "The Wrecked French Barques". Daily Commercial News & Shipping List. 1913-03-29. Retrieved 2020-02-10.
  38. ^ "The South Australian Wrecks". Daily Commercial News & Shipping List. 1913-04-29. Retrieved 2020-02-10.
  39. ^ "Notes". Newcastle Morning Herald & Miners' Advocate. 1915-06-28. Retrieved 2020-02-10.
  40. ^ "THE CHATEAUBRIAND AND GENERAL DE SONIS". Daily Commercial News & Shipping List. 1915-04-17. p. 4. Retrieved 2020-07-18.
  41. ^ "WRECK OF THE ALBATROSS". The Advertiser. 1913-03-22. p. 22. Retrieved 2020-07-18.
  42. ^ "Sale of the Investigator". Daily Commercial News & Shipping List. 1918-05-23. Retrieved 2020-02-10.
  43. ^ "French barque ashore on Wardang Island". Barrier Miner. 1920-03-22. Retrieved 2020-02-10.
  44. ^ "The Notre Dame d'Avore". Daily Commercial News & Shipping List. 1920-05-06.
  45. ^ "Notre Dame d'Arvor sold". Daily Commercial News & Shipping List. 1920-05-19. Retrieved 2020-02-10.
  46. ^ "Wardang Island". Daily Commercial News & Shipping List. 1923-07-21. Retrieved 2020-02-10.
  47. ^ "MEMORABILIA, 1921. - JANUARY. - The Register (Adelaide, SA : 1901 - 1929) - 31 Dec 1921". Trove. Retrieved 2020-07-18.
  48. ^ "The Past of Victor Harbour". Victor Harbour Times (SA : 1932 - 1986). 1965-03-05. p. 3. Retrieved 2020-07-18.
  49. ^ "A total wreck. Schooner goes aground". The Daily Telegraph. 1927-04-04. Retrieved 2020-02-10.
  50. ^ Edna, Doyle (1930-11-01). "Letters & Chat - Wardang Island". The Register News-Pictorial. Retrieved 2020-02-10.
  51. ^ "Rejuvenation of Wardang Island". Fraser Ellis MP - Member for Narungga. Retrieved 2020-02-10.
  52. ^ "REJUVENATION OF WARDANG ISLAND". Rowan Ramsey MP. Retrieved 2020-02-10.
  53. ^ "Rejuvenation of Wardang Island". Fraser Ellis MP - Member for Narungga. Retrieved 2020-02-10.
  54. ^ "Rewilding Wardang Island". Greening Australia. Retrieved 2020-02-10.
  55. ^ a b "Wardang Island "Graveyard Of Ships"". The Advertiser. 1937-08-20. p. 30. Retrieved 2015-12-18.
  56. ^ a b "The Zephyr afloat". The South Australian Advertiser. 1875-01-30. Retrieved 2020-02-10.
  57. ^ a b National Archives of Australia.
  58. ^ a b Mutzig (1999).
  59. ^ "Spencer Gulf's heavy toll of shipping". News. 1938-07-07. Retrieved 2020-02-10.
  60. ^ "Southern Yorke's Peninsula" South Australian Register, South Australia (1874-03-09). Retrieved 2014-06-25.
  61. ^ "AQUATICS. YACHTING NOTES". Adelaide Observer. 2 February 1895. p. 21. Retrieved 2015-07-08.
  62. ^ Carlaw, Phyllis "Children's Letters" The Australian Worker, Sydney, Australia (1928-10-17). Retrieved 2014-06-25.
  63. ^ Doyle, Edna "Wardang Island" The Register News-Pictorial, South Australia (1930-11-01). Retrieved 2014-06-25.
  64. ^ Doyle, Edna "Penguins & Seagulls" The Register News-Pictorial, Adelaide, South Australia (1931-01-24). Retrieved 2014-06-25.
  65. ^ Edwardes, A. D. "Lonely islanders happy in isolation" Chronicle, South Australia (1934-05-03). Retrieved 2014-06-25.
  66. ^ Pim, Mr. "Raid on the Rabbits" News, Adelaide, South Australia,1937-10-20. Accessed 2014-06-25.
  67. ^ "WARDANG ISLAND - Impressions of a visitor" The Recorder, Port Pirie, South Australia (1944-08-14). Retrieved 2014-02-12.
  68. ^ "Passing by with Mr. Pim - Big ships, big fish" News, South Australia (1946-02-07). Retrieved 2014-02-26.
  69. ^ "Life on Wardang Island". The Pioneer. 1950-08-25. p. 1. Retrieved 2015-12-18.
  70. ^ "A life where cares are few" The Canberra Times, Australia (1966-12-16). Retrieved 2014-06-25.
  71. ^ Byrne, M., Seidel, D., Westover, D., Reade, R. "Submission to committee of enquiry into education in South Australia - Occasional paper number 6 - Adult aboriginal education" Department of Further Education, Government of South Australia (1981-08). Retrieved 2014-02-25.
  72. ^ Aboriginal Lands Trust Annual Report 2005 / 2006, Aboriginal Lands Trust, South Australia (2006). Retrieved 2014-02-25.
  73. ^ Wiebken, A. Conservation Priorities for Little Penguin Populations in Gulf St Vincent SARDI, South Australia (2011-06). Retrieved 2014-01-26.

Sources

  • "Memory of a Nation". National Archives of Australia. Australian Government. Retrieved 2011-06-26.
  • Mutzig, Stuart (1999). "The Other Millennium Bug". Pelican. 70 (5).
  • "Wardang Island". SA Memory. Government of South Australia. Retrieved 2011-06-26.
  • "Wardang Island". South Australian Trails. Government of South Australia. Retrieved 2011-06-26.

Further reading

External links

  •   Media related to Wardang Island at Wikimedia Commons
  • Wardang Island Maritime Heritage Trail
  • Moorings program

August 21, 2023
wardang, island, also, known, waralti, also, spelled, waraldi, wauraltee, lying, island, spencer, gulf, close, western, coast, yorke, peninsula, south, australia, acts, natural, breakwater, protecting, former, grain, port, port, victoria, providing, sheltered,. Wardang Island also known as Waralti also spelled Waraldi or Wauraltee is a low lying 20 km2 island in the Spencer Gulf close to the western coast of the Yorke Peninsula South Australia It acts as a natural breakwater protecting the former grain port of Port Victoria and providing a sheltered anchorage After European colonisation it was used for the grazing of sheep for rabbit disease research was quarried for lime to supply the lead smelter at Port Pirie and is currently leased to the island s traditional owners the Narungga The much smaller Goose Island and the other rocks and islets in the Goose Island Conservation Park lie off the northern end Anyone seeking to visit the island must obtain prior permission from the Point Pearce Community Council 1 Wardang IslandNative name WaraltiWardang Island viewed from Port VictoriaWardang IslandGeographyLocationSpencer GulfCoordinates34 30 S 137 22 E 34 500 S 137 367 E 34 500 137 367AdministrationAustraliaFrom the air Contents 1 Nomenclature 2 History 2 1 Lighthouse and shipwrecks 2 2 Quarrying and settlement 2 3 Indigenous use and restoration 3 Flora and fauna 3 1 Rabbits and rabbit disease research 3 2 Little penguin colony 4 See also 5 References 5 1 Sources 6 Further reading 7 External linksNomenclature EditBoth names for the island are indigenous words Wardang means crow while Wauraltee means bandicoot island 2 History Edit The remains of the Aagot not long after it was wrecked in 1907The island is part of the traditional lands of the Narungga people of the Yorke Peninsula who camped there regularly to hunt and gather food including shellfish fish and the eggs of seabirds 3 Ceremony was also conducted there including burials 2 Following the European settlement of South Australia the first pastoral lease on Wardang Island was issued in 1861 2 to Stephen Goldsworthy for a term of 14 years Natural vegetation was cleared and replaced with sown pasture The lease gave the Narungga the continued right to travel to and from the island In 1884 Goldsworthy transferred the lease to the Point Pearce a mission for Aboriginal Australians then known as the Yorke Peninsula Aboriginal Mission for the use and benefits of the inhabitants of the province 4 In 1877 the island was considered as a candidate site for a permanent quarantine station for South Australia 5 but was ultimately rejected The mission used the island to graze sheep Shearing sheds were built as well as living quarters to cater for the families living there Mineral leases were later issued for the quarrying of lime From 1915 the mission became an Aboriginal reserve under state government control The Aboriginal reserve was cancelled from 1915 to 1924 and abolished in 1948 2 further explanation needed Lighthouse and shipwrecks Edit In 1909 a lighthouse was erected at the highest point on the island s West coast to serve the large number of ships visiting nearby Port Victoria though its effectiveness was limited by low visibility The lighthouse tower from Wedge Island was moved to Wardang Island on 23 July 1918 where it replacing the previous light which was simply supported by a post The Wedge Island light was a Chance Bros 250mm lens In 1988 the navigation light from Wedge Island was converted to solar power and the old tower was replaced with a fibreglass hut 6 Accounts of the total number of shipping casualties and wrecks around Wardang Island vary Between the years 1898 and 1929 there were at least 18 shipping casualties in the vicinity of which eleven were total wrecks 7 It was reported that in 1916 ten wrecks lined the island s coast In 1926 Wardang Island was referred to as The Island of Wrecks by The World s News 8 The Advertiser published the claim that prior to 1950 twenty two shipwrecks had occurred in the vicinity of the island 1 9 The legacy of shipping losses has made the waters around Wardang Island popular with recreational divers interested in wreck diving A dive trail showcases eight of nine identified shipwrecks around the island which are associated with the trading port of Port Victoria in the early 1900s Of the wrecks five are of schooners and coastal steamers the Monarch S S Australian S S Investigator MacIntyre and Moorara that carried wheat and other local cargo and three the Aagot Notre Dame D Arvor and Songvaar are larger vessels that transported grain to Europe 10 The dive trail is also known as the Wardang Island Maritime Heritage Trail 11 Ship Origin Vessel class Year Day Fate Notes Maritime Heritage Trail node ReferencesCandida British barque 1898 February 20 Refloated in April Crew survived and traveled to Wallaroo after the incident Captain was found responsible Cargo was saved Ship was refloated and beached at North Arm Port Adelaide No 12 13 14 15 Maid of Australia British ketch 1899 July Sunk Sank off west coast of Wardang Island with a cargo of flux Refloat unsuccessful Crew survived Captain found negligent No 16 17 18 Lady Daly Schooner 1901 December 30 Refloated and repaired Driven ashore during a gale Ship abandoned Salvage attempts made Was refloated successfully and repaired No 19 20 21 22 Cockermouth 1905 November Refloated Grounded after leaving Port Victoria with wheat bound for England Cargo unloaded Damage to hull suspected No 22 23 24 Torridor 1907 22 Aagot Norwegian barque 1907 October 12 Sunk Traveling from Semaphore to Port Victoria Wrecked at West Point Wardang Island under Captain Neilsen s command Ship was abandoned and broke apart All crew saved Yes 11 25 26 Monarch Schooner 1909 1 April Sunk Drifted onto rocks at Wardang Island Yes 11 27 S S Australian Steamer 1912 9 May Sunk Bound from Venus Bay to Port Victoria Sank while loaded with 3200 bags of wheat on reef at the southern end of Wardang Island Vessel was primarily used to load larger wheat transport ships All hands saved Vessel abandoned Yes 11 28 29 30 31 Songvaar Norwegian iron ship 1912 May Sunk Sank laden with a cargo of wheat Attempts made to sell both cargo and wrecked vessel Sold at auction as a salvage prospect Yes 11 32 33 Jean Bart French barque 1913 March 7 Salvaged repaired and renamed Wardang En route from Antwerp to Wallaroo with a cargo of coke and pig iron Wrecked on west coast of Wardang Island All hands saved Refloat attempted but failed Sails destroyed by winds Ship was incorrectly reported as having broken in half and sunk It was salvaged and towed to Melbourne where it was repaired and sold under the new name Wardang Later captured by British authorities off South Africa after the outbreak of World War I No 34 35 36 37 38 39 General de Sonis French 1913 March 12 Refloated Torpedoed by German submarine in 1915 Went ashore at Port Victoria laden with wheat No 22 40 Albatross 1913 March 12 Sunk Hit Eclipse Rock off Port Victoria during a gale Crew rescued Ship broke up half an hour after the rescue No 22 41 Harold 1917 22 S S Investigator 1918 May Sunk Adelaide Steamship Company vessel Yes 11 42 Notre Dame D Arvor French barque 1920 March 20 Sunk Ran into south western point of Wardang Island adjacent to the site where the Investigator previously ran aground The vessel caught fire during an unsuccessful attempt to refloat her Burned wreck was then sold for salvage Her remains then served as a warning to other passing mariners Yes 11 43 44 45 46 Eugene Schneider French barque 1921 January Refloated Captain mistook Port Victoria for Port Victor and on approaching the wrong port struck Eclipse Rock Refloated and eventually arrived at Port Victor as originally intended No 22 47 48 McIntyre Schooner 1927 April 1 Sunk Was laden with wheat and bound for Wallaroo when it grounded on a submerged reef on Wardang Island All hands saved Ship was totally destroyed Yes 11 49 Eclipse 1929 22 Hawk 1948 22 Silver Cloud 1974 22 Moorara 1975 Sunk Yes 11 Quarrying and settlement Edit In 1900 mineral leases were issued over parts of the island These were gradually acquired from 1910 by Broken Hill Associated Smelters BHAS and by 1939 they held all of the leases on the island Until 1968 BHAS quarried lime sand on the island and shipped it by barge to use as flux in smelters at Port Pirie A jetty was constructed in 1915 by BHP to facilitate the shipping of lime In 1918 quarrying focused on deposits at the southern end of the island A railway line was constructed to move the quarried lime from the southern deposits to the jetty at the northern end of the island Initially the cartage was drawn by horses then replaced by a kerosene driven locomotive The railway was made redundant in the early 1950s and replaced with motor trucks By 1951 900 000 tonnes of lime had been quarried from Wardang Island and shipped to Port Pirie 22 As the population of the island increased BHAS built homes a school and other infrastructure to provide for its employees and their families In 1930 there were two jetties a dance hall a school a playground a wireless and fourteen houses present 50 In 1950 there were 47 people living on the island 14 of whom were schoolchildren The BHAS foreman Mr J W Waters was the longest term resident at that time having lived there for 13 years 9 When BHAS discovered limeshell deposits in Coffin Bay it surrendered its leases and abandoned the island citation needed Guano was also quarried on Wardang Island 2 The quarrying ceased in 1968 22 Between 1910 and 1968 over a million tons of sand was quarried from the island The mobile dune at the south of the island has been completely removed leaving only the fixed vegetated dunes 2 Indigenous use and restoration Edit In 1969 Wardang was made a fauna sanctuary citation needed In 1973 the island was declared a Historic Reserve and has been owned since by the Aboriginal Lands Trust 2 In 1996 Wardang Island was described as the most degraded of South Australia s large offshore islands 2 In 2014 the island was declared an Indigenous Protected Area in 2014 In 2019 a project to rejuvenate the island was announced by Federal MP Rowan Ramsey and state MP Fraser Ellis with a combined funded value of close to AUD 4 million The project involves the demolition of old buildings removal of asbestos and the construction of new facilities to be used by Indigenous rangers Federal funding has enabled the Aboriginal Lands Trust to buy a barge which will provide ongoing access to Wardang Island Funding will also support Indigenous Protected Area activities train Aboriginal people for seafaring work and the barge will become available for commercial use 51 The Government of South Australia committed 1 3 million to the establishment of a new landing facility on the island 52 South Australian Premier Steven Marshall cited the tourism opportunity for shipwreck divers as one of the reasons for investing in the landing facility 53 Greening Australia is undertaking re vegetation work on the island with the goal of supporting the future reintroduction of regionally extinct animals to the island including the Western quoll 54 Anyone wishing to visit the island must obtain prior permission from the Point Pearce Community Council 1 Flora and fauna EditThe native flora of Wardang Island prominently features Coast daisy bush Olearia axillaris and Grey Samphire Tecticornia halocnemoides Other native species include some isolated She oaks Umbrella wattle some mature trees many stunted by continual rabbit grazing and some Marsh saltbush In 1996 it was speculated that the native reddish purple to pink flowering Garland Lily may survive in the grasslands 2 Weeds are widespread on the island and include Common Iceplant in thick mats in coastal areas Sea Spurge in salt marshes and clumps of African Boxthorn Tree Tobacco and Horehound 2 Emus are present on the island and were introduced there during the 1970s as part of a short lived tourism venture 2 All of the mammals on the island are introduced As of 1996 they included Tammar wallabies rabbits feral cats two camels and eight donkeys 2 Reptiles are present on the island 2 Wardang island is home to various seabirds including silver gulls terns oystercatchers once referred to as redbills little penguins 9 and cormorants The bird life is acknowledged in the European names given to various geographical features of the island including Pidgeon Rock and Pidgeon Island to the north and Bird Point and Swan Bay to the northeast Snapper Point is another geographical feature named after local fauna in this instance after a fish caught in adjacent waters Another fish caught off Wardang Island is the Australian herring known locally as Tommy Ruff The island historically supported native bandicoots and wild turkey 7 Rabbits and rabbit disease research Edit Rabbits at a waterhole within the myxomatosis trial site on Wardang in 1938An anecdotal account suggested that rabbits were introduced to the island by fishermen circa 1922 55 but rabbiting parties had visited the Wardang Island much earlier and it was reported that the island teemed with rabbits in 1875 56 It is not known when or by whom the animals were first introduced to the island In November 1937 the CSIRO began to use Wardang to conduct its first field trials of myxomatosis 7 57 establishing the methodology for the first successful release of the myxoma virus throughout the country in the early 1950s The myxomatosis program was a successful pioneering experiment in the biological control of pest mammals reducing Australia s wild rabbit population from 600 million to 100 million in only two years 57 In March 1995 trials started on Wardang Island of the rabbit calicivirus causing rabbit haemorrhagic disease RHD 58 In October that year the virus escaped prematurely from the island to the mainland believed to have been carried by bushflies on the afternoon sea breezes and spread rapidly through the country It initially caused widespread mortality among the wild rabbit population but like myxomatosis before it has not led to extermination of the pest species 58 Little penguin colony Edit Wardang Island was previously home to the second largest breeding colony of little penguins in South Australia and the largest colony in the state s gulf waters Captain E H Hipkins said that an Italian ship ran aground on Wardang Island some time prior to 1938 and the crew had mistaken the calls of penguins for those of fearsome wild animals 59 Penguins were known to be abundant on the island in 1874 60 were seen by visitors on The Zephyr in 1875 56 and were seen in Mungari bay to the north of Wardang Island by yachtsmen in 1895 61 In 1928 62 1930 63 1931 64 1934 65 and 1937 66 Wardang Island was described as a home to many penguins In 1937 the island was described as being infested with thousands of penguins 55 7 In 1944 the colony was described in the Port Pirie newspaper The Recorder The north and north west coasts of the island consist of precipitous limestone cliffs Heavy westerlies have undermined these cliffs and large portions of rock have fallen to the sea bed where waves have pounded them into weird shapes Up on top penguins are very numerous and they make their nests in shallow burrows There are hundreds of such nests 67 In 1946 Mr Pim wrote of Wardang Island On the west coast colonies of penguins are at home to anyone who cares to call 68 Their presence was noted in 1950 by Edna Davies who advised that if anyone visited the island and stayed until nightfall that they would see and hear the penguins coming ashore 69 Penguins were also seen during a visit by Governor Norrie in 1950 9 In 1966 a visitor described seeing hundreds of fairy penguins on Wardang Island 70 In 1981 penguins were considered abundant 71 In 2004 Wardang Island was estimated to support approximately 8 000 penguins though the methodology behind this estimate is unpublished In 2005 the Point Pearce Community was involved in feral cat trapping work This was undertaken to reduce feral cat predation on little penguins 72 As of 2011 the penguin colony s status is unknown 73 though indications of decline from historic abundance was noted in 1996 2 See also EditList of islands of Australia List of little penguin coloniesReferences Edit a b c SA Memory a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Robinson Tony Canty Peter Mooney Trish Rudduck Penny 1996 South Australia s Offshore Islands PDF South Australia Commonwealth of Australia and Department of Environment and Natural Resources South Australia ISBN 0 644 35011 3 Wardang Island Yorke Peninsula Council yorke sa gov au Retrieved 2020 02 09 HEINRICH R 1976 Wide Sails and Wheat Stacks Port Victoria Centenary Committee The Month s News South Australian Register 1877 05 17 Retrieved 2020 02 10 Wardang Island Lighthouse Lighthouses of Australia Inc 2018 02 04 Retrieved 2020 02 10 a b c d Fighting the rabbit pest with a deadly virus Sydney Mail 1937 09 01 Retrieved 2020 02 10 The Island of Wrecks The World s News 1926 08 14 Retrieved 2020 02 10 a b c d Governor Enjoys Island Holiday Visit The Advertiser 1950 01 16 Retrieved 2020 02 10 South Australian Trails a b c d e f g h i Yorke Peninsula Visitor Information Wardang Island Maritime Heritage Trail www visityorkepeninsula com au Retrieved 2020 02 10 South Australia Barrier Miner 1898 02 24 Retrieved 2020 02 10 The wreck of the Candida judgment Newcastle Morning Herald amp Miners Advocate 1898 03 31 Retrieved 2020 02 10 Floating of the Barque Candida Sydney Morning Herald 2020 02 10 Retrieved 2020 02 10 Arrivals by the Brittania The Express amp Telegraph 1898 05 17 Retrieved 2020 02 10 South Australia The Daily Telegraph 1899 07 13 Retrieved 2020 02 10 Wreck of the Maid of Australia The Daily Telegraph 1900 02 16 Retrieved 2020 02 10 The Wrecked Maid of Australia The Express amp Telegraph 1899 07 14 Retrieved 2020 02 10 Wreck of the Lady Daly The Sydney Morning Herald 1902 01 13 Retrieved 2020 02 10 Maritime record The Australian Star 1902 01 13 Retrieved 2020 02 10 This Country The Observer 1902 03 29 Retrieved 2020 02 10 a b c d e f g h i j k l Scarce Graham 1986 A Cruising Guide to Historic Gulf Ports Volume 3 Spencer Gulf Hawthorndene South Australia Kingsley Publications pp 185 188 ISBN 0 9589703 4 3 TELEGRAMS Narracoorte Herald 1905 11 03 p 2 Retrieved 2020 07 18 COMMERCIAL REVIEW OF THE WEEK The Observer 1905 11 25 p 34 Retrieved 2020 07 18 Summary The Sydney Morning Herald 1907 10 14 Retrieved 2020 02 10 Shipping Items Wreck of the barque Aagot Daily Commercial News amp Shipping List 1907 10 13 Retrieved 2020 02 10 Daily Commercial News amp Shipping List 1909 04 06 Retrieved 2020 02 10 A COASTER WRECKED Evening News 1912 05 09 Retrieved 2020 02 10 Wrecked on Wardang Island Coastal steamer on reef Wrecked on Wardang Island 1912 05 10 Retrieved 2020 02 10 Marine casualties Daily Commercial News amp Shipping List 1912 05 14 Retrieved 2020 02 10 Australian A Total Wreck The Daily Telegraph 1912 05 14 Retrieved 2020 02 10 Advertising The Daily Telegraph 1912 05 08 Retrieved 2020 02 10 Tales of wrecks Newcastle Morning Herald amp Miners Advocate 1912 05 18 Retrieved 2020 02 10 General News The Maitland Daily Mercury 1913 03 08 Retrieved 2020 02 10 Wrecked barque Attempt to re float Northern Star 1913 03 12 Retrieved 2020 02 10 The Jean Bart Wreck The Sydney Morning Herald 1913 03 18 Retrieved 2020 02 10 The Wrecked French Barques Daily Commercial News amp Shipping List 1913 03 29 Retrieved 2020 02 10 The South Australian Wrecks Daily Commercial News amp Shipping List 1913 04 29 Retrieved 2020 02 10 Notes Newcastle Morning Herald amp Miners Advocate 1915 06 28 Retrieved 2020 02 10 THE CHATEAUBRIAND AND GENERAL DE SONIS Daily Commercial News amp Shipping List 1915 04 17 p 4 Retrieved 2020 07 18 WRECK OF THE ALBATROSS The Advertiser 1913 03 22 p 22 Retrieved 2020 07 18 Sale of the Investigator Daily Commercial News amp Shipping List 1918 05 23 Retrieved 2020 02 10 French barque ashore on Wardang Island Barrier Miner 1920 03 22 Retrieved 2020 02 10 The Notre Dame d Avore Daily Commercial News amp Shipping List 1920 05 06 Notre Dame d Arvor sold Daily Commercial News amp Shipping List 1920 05 19 Retrieved 2020 02 10 Wardang Island Daily Commercial News amp Shipping List 1923 07 21 Retrieved 2020 02 10 MEMORABILIA 1921 JANUARY The Register Adelaide SA 1901 1929 31 Dec 1921 Trove Retrieved 2020 07 18 The Past of Victor Harbour Victor Harbour Times SA 1932 1986 1965 03 05 p 3 Retrieved 2020 07 18 A total wreck Schooner goes aground The Daily Telegraph 1927 04 04 Retrieved 2020 02 10 Edna Doyle 1930 11 01 Letters amp Chat Wardang Island The Register News Pictorial Retrieved 2020 02 10 Rejuvenation of Wardang Island Fraser Ellis MP Member for Narungga Retrieved 2020 02 10 REJUVENATION OF WARDANG ISLAND Rowan Ramsey MP Retrieved 2020 02 10 Rejuvenation of Wardang Island Fraser Ellis MP Member for Narungga Retrieved 2020 02 10 Rewilding Wardang Island Greening Australia Retrieved 2020 02 10 a b Wardang Island Graveyard Of Ships The Advertiser 1937 08 20 p 30 Retrieved 2015 12 18 a b The Zephyr afloat The South Australian Advertiser 1875 01 30 Retrieved 2020 02 10 a b National Archives of Australia a b Mutzig 1999 Spencer Gulf s heavy toll of shipping News 1938 07 07 Retrieved 2020 02 10 Southern Yorke s Peninsula South Australian Register South Australia 1874 03 09 Retrieved 2014 06 25 AQUATICS YACHTING NOTES Adelaide Observer 2 February 1895 p 21 Retrieved 2015 07 08 Carlaw Phyllis Children s Letters The Australian Worker Sydney Australia 1928 10 17 Retrieved 2014 06 25 Doyle Edna Wardang Island The Register News Pictorial South Australia 1930 11 01 Retrieved 2014 06 25 Doyle Edna Penguins amp Seagulls The Register News Pictorial Adelaide South Australia 1931 01 24 Retrieved 2014 06 25 Edwardes A D Lonely islanders happy in isolation Chronicle South Australia 1934 05 03 Retrieved 2014 06 25 Pim Mr Raid on the Rabbits News Adelaide South Australia 1937 10 20 Accessed 2014 06 25 WARDANG ISLAND Impressions of a visitor The Recorder Port Pirie South Australia 1944 08 14 Retrieved 2014 02 12 Passing by with Mr Pim Big ships big fish News South Australia 1946 02 07 Retrieved 2014 02 26 Life on Wardang Island The Pioneer 1950 08 25 p 1 Retrieved 2015 12 18 A life where cares are few The Canberra Times Australia 1966 12 16 Retrieved 2014 06 25 Byrne M Seidel D Westover D Reade R Submission to committee of enquiry into education in South Australia Occasional paper number 6 Adult aboriginal education Department of Further Education Government of South Australia 1981 08 Retrieved 2014 02 25 Aboriginal Lands Trust Annual Report 2005 2006 Aboriginal Lands Trust South Australia 2006 Retrieved 2014 02 25 Wiebken A Conservation Priorities for Little Penguin Populations in Gulf St Vincent SARDI South Australia 2011 06 Retrieved 2014 01 26 Sources Edit Memory of a Nation National Archives of Australia Australian Government Retrieved 2011 06 26 Mutzig Stuart 1999 The Other Millennium Bug Pelican 70 5 Wardang Island SA Memory Government of South Australia Retrieved 2011 06 26 Wardang Island South Australian Trails Government of South Australia Retrieved 2011 06 26 Further reading EditWardang Island Graveyard of Ships Technical Report 1983 Society for Underwater Historical Research North Adelaide SA ISBN 0 9597500 5 3 Wardang Island Graveyard of Ships 1983 Society for Underwater Historical Research North Adelaide SA ISBN 0 9597500 3 7 Wardang Island Maritime Heritage Trail 1991 State Heritage Branch Department of Environment and Planning Adelaide SA ISBN 0 7243 8629 7 Moody Stuart M 2012 Port Victoria s ships and shipwrecks S M Moody Maitland South Australia ISBN 9780987322814 hbk ISBN 9780987322807 pbk External links Edit Media related to Wardang Island at Wikimedia Commons Wardang Island Maritime Heritage Trail Moorings program Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Wardang Island amp oldid 1146503435, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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