List of islands of Tasmania

Tasmania is the smallest and southernmost state of Australia. The Tasmanian mainland itself is an island, with an area of 64,519 km2 (24,911 sq mi)[1] - 94.1% of the total land area of the state. There are more than 1000 smaller islands which have a combined area of 4,055 km2 (1,566 sq mi), making up the remaining 5.9% of total land area.[2][3]

This true-color satellite image shows a large phytoplankton bloom, several hundred square kilometers in size, in the Indian Ocean off the west coast of Tasmania. In this scene, the rich concentration of microscopic marine plants gives the water a lighter, more turquoise appearance which helps to highlight the current patterns there. Notice the eddies, or vortices in the water, that can be seen in several places. It is possible that these eddies were formed by converging ocean currents flowing around Tasmania, or by fresh river runoff from the island, or both. Often, eddies in the sea serve as a means for stirring the water, thus providing nutrients that help support phytoplankton blooms, which in turn provide nutrition for other organisms. Effectively, these eddies help feed the sea (click to read an article on this topic). This image was acquired November 7, 2000, by the Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS) flying aboard the Orbview-2 satellite. Tasmania is located off Australia's southeastern coast.
A satellite image of Tasmania while a phytoplankton bloom is of the west coast of Tasmania.

Classification structure

A considerable number of Tasmanian islands are identified as being in island groups, including the Breaksea, Furneaux, Hogan, Hunter, Kent, Maatsuyker, Mutton Bird, New Year, Swainson, Trumpeter, and Waterhouse groups.

Regions

Similar to Regions of Tasmania the islands are generally distinguished by the coast that they are adjacent to, as well as Bass Strait - the main separation from the mainland state of Victoria. Five regions are aligned to the north coast and Bass Strait - North West Islands (including King Island), North Coast Islands, North Bass Strait Islands, Furneaux Islands, and North East Islands. The southern groups are South and West Islands, and East Coast Islands.[2]

Status

There are 334 islands within the state of Tasmania.[2] Only sixteen of these 334 islands are listed as private islands. The majority of these sixteen private islands have a conservation covenant associated with their title restricting future development, whilst a small minority have a freehold title.[4]

List of islands

Island,
islet or rock name
Location
(body of water)
GroupAreaPopulation
2021 census
(unless otherwise)
Land useRef
haacre
AlbatrossBass StraitHunter1844unpopulated[5]
AndersonBass StraitFurneaux166410unpopulatedPastoral lease[6]
BabelBass StraitFurneaux4401,087unpopulatedPrivate Freehold title: Tasmanian Aboriginal community[7]
BadgerBass StraitFurneaux1,2423,069Private Freehold title: grazing[5][6]
BarrenTasman SeaSloping0.531
BassBass StraitFurneaux0.010unpopulatedNature reserve[6]
BatteryBass StraitFurneaux0.682unpopulated[5][6]
BaynesBass StraitWaterhouse1.624unpopulated[6]
BeagleBass StraitFurneaux1.23unpopulatedNature reserve[5][6]
BetseyTasman Sea 175.1433Nature reserve
Big CarolineSouthern OceanSwainson6.6917
Big GreenBass StraitFurneaux122301unpopulatedNature reserve[6]
Big BlackBass StraitFurneaux0.541unpopulated[6]
Billy GoatBass StraitFurneaux1.33unpopulated[6]
BirdBass StraitWaterhouse12unpopulated[6]
Bishop and ClerkSouth-western Pacific Ocean 60148unpopulatedWorld Heritage Site[8]
BoomerTasman Sea 35.2187PrivateFreehold title
Boundary
(historically called North East)
Bass StraitHogan25unpopulatedCrown land[9]
Breaksea, North
Breaksea, Main
Southern OceanBreaksea1640unpopulatedSouthwest National Park
BrunyTasman SeaBruny35,30087,228220aVarious[10][11][12][13][14]
Cape BarrenBass StraitFurneaux46,500114,904see Flinders IslandAboriginal[10][12][15]
CatBass StraitFurneaux3996unpopulated[5]
ChalkyBass StraitFurneaux41101unpopulatedNature reserve[6]
ChickenSouthern OceanMaatsuyker195482unpopulatedSouthwest National Park
ChristmasGreat Australian BightNew Year63156unpopulated[6]
ClarkeBass StraitFurneaux8,20020,263see Flinders IslandAboriginal[10][12]
Coffee Pot, TheSouthern OceanTrumpeter0.311
CouncillorBass StraitNew Year10.5326unpopulated[6]
CygnetBass StraitWaterhouse0.51unpopulated[6]
DartTasman Sea12.832
DealBass StraitKent1,576.753,896-Kent Group National Park
De WittSouthern OceanMaatsuyker5171,278-Southwest National Park
DoughboyBass StraitFurneaux3074unpopulated[6]
DoverBass StraitKent295729-Kent Group National Park
EastBass StraitHogan12.4231-Crown land[9]
East KangarooBass StraitFurneaux157388unpopulatedNature reserve[6]
East PyramidsSouthern OceanMutton Bird6.6917
Eddystone
Pedra Branca
Sidmouth
Southern Ocean
(South East Cape)
 25unpopulatedSouthwest National Park
ErithBass StraitKent323798unpopulatedKent Group National Park
FitzroyBreaksea
Flat TopSouthern OceanMaatsuyker1.584unpopulatedSouthwest National Park
Flat WitchSouthern OceanMaatsuyker64158unpopulatedSouthwest National Park
FlindersBass StraitFurneaux134,000331,121922bVarious[10][12][16]
ForsythBass StraitFurneaux
FosterBass StraitWaterhouse48119unpopulated[5][6]
FulhamTasman SeaSloping1025unpopulatedPrivate Freehold title (possible future restrictions)[17]
GeorgeBass StraitWaterhouse717unpopulated[6]
GoatBass Strait  unpopulatedThree Sisters-Goat Island Nature Reserve
GooseBass StraitFurneaux109269unpopulatedConservation area[5][6]
Grave IslandTasman Sea0.20
Great DogBass StraitFurneaux35487510
(2004)
Private Freehold title[5][6]
GullBass StraitFurneaux
HaySouthern OceanSwainson1.855
HenSouthern OceanMaatsuyker7.619unpopulatedSouthwest National Park
Hibbs PyramidSouthern OceanHibbs Pyramid4.6511unpopulatedSouthwest National Park
HippolyteTasman Sea
HobbsSouthern OceanTrumpeter9.724
HogBass StraitSloping0.351Nature reserve[6]: 452 
HoganBass StraitHogan232573unpopulatedCrown land[9]
HunterBass StraitHunter7,10017,544unpopulatedCrown lease[10][12]
Ile des PhoquesTasman Sea8.0520Nature reserve[6]: 410 
Ile du GolfeSouthern OceanMaatsuyker68168unpopulatedSouthwest National Park
Ile du NordTasman SeaMaria1025unpopulatedMaria Island National Park
Inner LittleBass StraitFurneaux4.511unpopulatedConservation area[5][6]
InnerSouthern Ocean0.231
Inner SisterBass StraitFurneaux
Iron PotTasman Sea1.273
IsabellaBass StraitFurneaux11.428unpopulatedNature reserve[6]
Isle of CavesTasman Sea1.43
Judge and ClerkSouth-western Pacific Ocean2049unpopulatedWorld Heritage Site[8]
JudgementBass StraitKent0.391unpopulatedKent Group National Park
KathleenSouthern OceanBreaksea11.3528
Ketchem IslandSouthern OceanMutton BirdunpopulatedWorld Heritage Site
KingBass StraitNew Year109,400270,3331,617Various[10][12][18]
King GeorgeTasman SeaSloping19.8492d
(2018)
Private Freehold Title to high water mark with conservation covenant on part
LachlanTasman Sea2.56
Lanterns, TheTasman SeaTasman5.3513unpopulatedTasman National Park
Little BadgerBass StraitFurneaux2.56unpopulatedNature reserve[5][6]
Little BetseyTasman Sea0.752Nature reserve
Little ChalkyBass StraitFurneaux512unpopulated[6]
Little DogBass StraitFurneaux83205
Little GooseBass StraitFurneaux3.69unpopulatedNature reserve[5][6]
Little GreenBass StraitFurneaux
Little SpectacleTasman SeaSloping0.622unpopulated
Little SwanBass StraitWaterhouse12.6431unpopulated[6]
Little WaterhouseBass StraitWaterhouse2.56unpopulated[6]
Long (Furneaux)Bass StraitFurneaux313773unpopulatedGrazing[6]
Long (Hogan)Bass StraitHogan22.8556unpopulatedCrown land[9]
LouisaSouthern OceanMaatsuyker23.0457unpopulatedSouthwest National Park[6]: 512 
LourahSouthern OceanSwainson4.8612
Low (Prime Seal Group)Bass StraitFurneaux
MaatsuykerSouthern OceanMaatsuyker186460unpopulatedSouthwest National Park
MacleanBass StraitWaterhouse1.113unpopulated[6]
MacquarieSouth-western Pacific Ocean 12,40030,641unpopulatedWorld Heritage Site[10][8][12]
MariaTasman SeaMaria10,10024,958unpopulatedMaria Island National Park[10][12]
MavourneenSouthern OceanBreaksea0.882
MewstoneSouthern OceanPedra Branca13.132
MileBass StraitFurneaux410unpopulatedConservation area[6]
Mount ChappellBass StraitFurneaux323798unpopulatedPrivate Freehold title: grazing[5][6]
MundaySouthern OceanBreaksea
Mutton Bird (southeast)Southern OceanMutton Bird0.521
Mutton Bird (southwest)Southern OceanMutton Bird0.521
NeedleSouthern OceanMaatsuyker10.526unpopulatedSouthwest National Park
New YearGreat Australian BightNew Year98.22243unpopulated[6]
NightBass StraitFurneaux
NinthBass StraitWaterhouse3279unpopulated[6]
North EastBass StraitKent32.6281unpopulatedKent Group National Park
North West Mount ChappellBass StraitFurneaux0.712unpopulated[5][6]
PaddysBass StraitWaterhouse4.611unpopulated[6]
PartridgeTasman SeaPartridge103255unpopulatedSouth Bruny National Park[19]
PassageBass StraitFurneaux
PelicanBass StraitFurneaux6.817unpopulated
PenguinBass StraitNorth Coast2.737unpopulated[6]
PerkinsBass Strait
PhilipsMacquarie Harbour
PreservationBass StraitFurneaux207512
Prime SealBass StraitFurneaux
PuncheonBass StraitFurneaux17.56431Private
RamBass StraitFurneaux12Private
ReynoldsGreat Lake
RobbinsBass StraitRobbins9,90024,463unpopulatedPrivate[10][20][21]
RodondoBass StraitRodondo106262unpopulatedNature reserve
RoundBass StraitHogan unpopulatedCrown land[9]
Round TopSouthern OceanMaatsuyker6.2515unpopulatedSouthwest National Park
RoydonBass StraitFurneaux
RumBass StraitFurneaux
St HelensBass StraitWaterhouse51126unpopulatedConservation area[6]
SarahMacquarie Harbour820Historic site[22]
SatelliteTasman Sea
SchoutenTasman Sea 2,8006,919unpopulatedFreycinet National Park[10][12]
SealBass StraitHogan unpopulatedCrown land[9]
ShanksSouthern OceanSwainson2.727
SlopingTasman SeaSloping117.2290unpopulatedNature reserve
SidmouthSouthern Ocean
SmoothTasman SeaSloping59.311473d
(2018)
Private Freehold title
South BlackBass StraitHunter12unpopulatedBird reserve[6]
South PascoBass StraitFurneaux
SouthportTasman Sea
South WestBass StraitKent19.0947unpopulatedKent Group National Park
SpectacleTasman SeaSloping3.59unpopulated
StorehouseBass StraitFurneaux2049unpopulated[5][6]
SugarloafSouthern OceanMutton Bird3.569
SugarmouseSouthern OceanMutton Bird0.541
SwainsonSouthern OceanSwainson4.1410
SwanBass StraitWaterhouse239591unpopulated[6]
TailleferTasman Sea
TasmanTasman Sea
TenthBass StraitWaterhouse0.92unpopulated[5][6]
Three HummockBass StraitHunter7,00017,297unpopulatedCrown lease[10][12]
Three SistersBass Strait
(North-west coast)
 25unpopulatedThree Sisters-Goat Island Nature Reserve
Tin KettleBass StraitFurneaux
TinpotNorfolk Bay1.243unpopulatedNature reserve
TrefoilBass StraitTrefoil Island Group
TwinBass StraitHogan5.6114unpopulatedCrown land[9]
VansittartBass StraitFurneaux8001,977c
VisscherTasman SeaSloping3.48unpopulatedTasman National Park
Walker (northwest)Bass Strait
(North-west coast)
Robbins7001,730unpopulatedPrivate[20][21]
Walker (southwest)Southern OceanMaatsuyker15.338unpopulatedSouthwest National Park[6]: 512 
WaterhouseBass StraitWaterhouse287709unpopulatedConservation area/Crown land[6][23]
WedgeTasman SeaTasman42.58105unpopulated
WendarSouthern OceanMutton Bird5.814
WestSouthern OceanTrumpeter2.56
WesternSouthern OceanMaatsuyker2972unpopulatedSouthwest National Park
Wild WindSouthern OceanMutton Bird3.9510
WoodyTasman SeaSlopingunpopulated
WybalennaBass StraitFurneaux

Notes

^a : Combined 2021 census data for North Bruny and South Bruny Islands.
^b : 2021 census data is for the entire Flinders Council (Furneaux Group) which includes Cape Barren Island and Clarke Island.
^c : Errol Anderson, family arrived on Vansittart Cutter, island was named for, 26 January 1836, Hobart Town.[citation needed]
^d : Source: Direct observation by editor

See also

References

Media related to Islands of Tasmania at Wikimedia Commons