Sunday Island (Victoria)
Encyclopedia
Sunday Island is a low-lying, sandy, 16.2 km2 barrier island
on the coast of Victoria, Australia. It is about 8 km long by 3 km wide and rises to a maximum height of no more than 15 m asl
. It lies in Corner Inlet
, South Gippsland
, 4 km south-west of Port Albert
and 215 km south-east of Melbourne
. Although the island is surrounded by the Nooramunga Marine and Coastal Park, it is private freehold property, a game reserve
owned by the Para Park Cooperative
. It contains an airstrip and a jetty
as well as accommodation buildings for a resident manager and visiting members.
nation. European
settler
s arrived in the area in the early 1840s and the island has a history of being grazed
since at least 1860. A pilot
station operated from 1900 to 1922, while a homestead
was occupied from 1918 to 1938. The island carried around 350 head of cattle
, which were later replaced by up to 2200 sheep.
, in order to raise A$40,000 for the purchase of the island for the conservation
, study
and sustainable
hunting
of Hog Deer
. The number of members is still about 200; membership is limited by a waiting list, and includes an annual work commitment for every member under 65. All accommodation on the island is limited to a small area at the eastern end, with the rest of the island left wild except for management tracks and dams. Hunting is seasonal, with quotas determined by management culling
needs. Permits to hunt are restricted to members and are ballot
ed. The cooperative has supplied Hog Deer stock to the Blond Bay State Game Reserve
in East Gippsland
.
The aims and objectives of the Cooperative are to:
, Coastal Tea Tree
and Golden Wattle
, with tussock grass
and bracken
. The island supports Swamp Wallabies
as well as managed populations of the introduced Hog Deer
and Fallow Deer
. The surrounding intertidal mudflat
s form an important feeding habitat for thousands of migratory
waders that visit Corner Inlet each year.
Shoal
Shoal, shoals or shoaling may mean:* Shoal, a sandbank or reef creating shallow water, especially where it forms a hazard to shipping* Shoal draught , of a boat with shallow draught which can pass over some shoals: see Draft...
on the coast of Victoria, Australia. It is about 8 km long by 3 km wide and rises to a maximum height of no more than 15 m asl
Above mean sea level
The term above mean sea level refers to the elevation or altitude of any object, relative to the average sea level datum. AMSL is used extensively in radio by engineers to determine the coverage area a station will be able to reach...
. It lies in Corner Inlet
Corner Inlet
Corner Inlet is a 600 km2 bay, 200 km south-east of Melbourne, in South Gippsland, Victoria, Australia. Of Victoria’s large bays it is both the easternmost and the warmest...
, South Gippsland
South Gippsland
South Gippsland, a region of Gippsland in Victoria, Australia, is a well-watered region consisting of low, rolling hills descending to the coast in the south and the Latrobe Valley in the north. Low granite hills continue into Wilsons Promontory, the southernmost point of Victoria and mainland...
, 4 km south-west of Port Albert
Port Albert, Victoria
Port Albert is a coastal town in Victoria, Australia, on the coast of Corner Inlet on the Yarram - Port Albert Road, kilometres south-east of Morwell, kilometres south-east of Melbourne, in the Shire of Wellington. At the 2006 census, Port Albert had a population of 248.Port Albert was one of the...
and 215 km south-east of Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
. Although the island is surrounded by the Nooramunga Marine and Coastal Park, it is private freehold property, a game reserve
Game reserve
A game reserve is an area of land set aside for maintenance of wildlife for tourism or hunting purposes. Many game reserves are located in Africa. Most are open to the public, and tourists commonly take sightseeing safaris or hunt wild game....
owned by the Para Park Cooperative
Cooperative
A cooperative is a business organization owned and operated by a group of individuals for their mutual benefit...
. It contains an airstrip and a jetty
Jetty
A jetty is any of a variety of structures used in river, dock, and maritime works that are generally carried out in pairs from river banks, or in continuation of river channels at their outlets into deep water; or out into docks, and outside their entrances; or for forming basins along the...
as well as accommodation buildings for a resident manager and visiting members.
History
Sunday Island lies within the traditional lands of the Brataolong clan of the GunaiGunai
The Gunai or Kurnai is an Indigenous Australian nation of south-east Australia whose territory occupied most of present-day Gippsland and much of the southern slopes of the Victorian Alps. The nation was not on friendly terms with the neighbouring Wurundjeri and Bunurong nations...
nation. European
European ethnic groups
The ethnic groups in Europe are the various ethnic groups that reside in the nations of Europe. European ethnology is the field of anthropology focusing on Europe....
settler
Settler
A settler is a person who has migrated to an area and established permanent residence there, often to colonize the area. Settlers are generally people who take up residence on land and cultivate it, as opposed to nomads...
s arrived in the area in the early 1840s and the island has a history of being grazed
Grazing
Grazing generally describes a type of feeding, in which a herbivore feeds on plants , and also on other multicellular autotrophs...
since at least 1860. A pilot
Maritime pilot
A pilot is a mariner who guides ships through dangerous or congested waters, such as harbours or river mouths. With the exception of the Panama Canal, the pilot is only an advisor, as the captain remains in legal, overriding command of the vessel....
station operated from 1900 to 1922, while a homestead
Homestead (buildings)
A homestead is either a single building, or collection of buildings grouped together on a large agricultural holding, such as a ranch, station or a large agricultural operation of some other designation.-See also:* Farm house* Homestead Act...
was occupied from 1918 to 1938. The island carried around 350 head of cattle
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
, which were later replaced by up to 2200 sheep.
Para Park Cooperative
The Para Park Cooperative was established in 1965 by 200 people, most of whom were members of the Sporting Shooters Association of AustraliaSporting Shooters Association of Australia
The Sporting Shooters' Association of Australia was established in 1948 to promote shooting sports and protect firearm owners' interests. The SSAA currently has over 120,000 members, making it the largest body representing licensed firearm owners in Australia, and covers all aspects of shooting...
, in order to raise A$40,000 for the purchase of the island for the conservation
Wildlife management
Wildlife management attempts to balance the needs of wildlife with the needs of people using the best available science. Wildlife management can include game keeping, wildlife conservation and pest control...
, study
Scientific method
Scientific method refers to a body of techniques for investigating phenomena, acquiring new knowledge, or correcting and integrating previous knowledge. To be termed scientific, a method of inquiry must be based on gathering empirical and measurable evidence subject to specific principles of...
and sustainable
Sustainability
Sustainability is the capacity to endure. For humans, sustainability is the long-term maintenance of well being, which has environmental, economic, and social dimensions, and encompasses the concept of union, an interdependent relationship and mutual responsible position with all living and non...
hunting
Deer hunting
Deer hunting is survival hunting or sport hunting, harvesting deer, dating back to tens of thousands of years ago. Which occurred though out Europe Asia and North America There are numerous types of deer throughout the world that are hunted.- New Zealand :...
of Hog Deer
Hog Deer
The Hog Deer is a small deer whose habitat ranges from Pakistan, through northern India, to mainland southeast Asia...
. The number of members is still about 200; membership is limited by a waiting list, and includes an annual work commitment for every member under 65. All accommodation on the island is limited to a small area at the eastern end, with the rest of the island left wild except for management tracks and dams. Hunting is seasonal, with quotas determined by management culling
Culling
Culling is the process of removing animals from a group based on specific criteria. This is done either to reinforce certain desirable characteristics or to remove certain undesirable characteristics from the group...
needs. Permits to hunt are restricted to members and are ballot
Ballot
A ballot is a device used to record choices made by voters. Each voter uses one ballot, and ballots are not shared. In the simplest elections, a ballot may be a simple scrap of paper on which each voter writes in the name of a candidate, but governmental elections use pre-printed to protect the...
ed. The cooperative has supplied Hog Deer stock to the Blond Bay State Game Reserve
Blond Bay State Game Reserve
The Blond Bay State Game Reserve is a 2000 ha game reserve in Victoria, Australia. It lies on the north shore of Lake Victoria in the Gippsland Lakes about 20 km south-west of the town of Bairnsdale. It is used for seasonal duck and quail hunting as well as the balloted hunting of Hog Deer. ...
in East Gippsland
East Gippsland
East Gippsland is the eastern region of Gippsland, Australia covering 31,740 square kilometres of Victoria. It has a population of 80,114....
.
The aims and objectives of the Cooperative are to:
- maintain the island in perpetuity as a game management and hunting area
- conserve the game animals and birds present and complement these with other suitable and desirable game species
- control noxious animals and birds
- carry out conservation projects that will improve the habitat and game carrying capacity of the island
- provide a controlled area for wildlife research
- provide and maintain facilities for the benefit of members
- undertake, or assist with, projects beneficial to wildlife conservation and to the sports of hunting and shooting
Flora and fauna
Sunday Island vegetation includes stands of Manna Gum, Coastal BanksiaBanksia integrifolia
Banksia integrifolia, commonly known as Coast Banksia, is a species of tree that grows along the east coast of Australia. One of the most widely distributed Banksia species, it occurs between Victoria and Central Queensland in a broad range of habitats, from coastal dunes to mountains...
, Coastal Tea Tree
Leptospermum laevigatum
Leptospermum laevigatum, commonly known as the Coastal Tea Tree is a woody shrub or small tree of the myrtaceae family native to eastern Australia. Salt-resistant and very hardy, it is commonly used in amenities plantings and coastal plantings. it has also been used in Western Australia where it...
and Golden Wattle
Acacia longifolia
Acacia longifolia is a species of Acacia native to southeastern Australia, from the extreme southeast of Queensland, eastern New South Wales, eastern and southern Victoria, and southeastern South Australia. Common names for it include Acacia Trinervis, Aroma Doble, Golden Wattle, Coast Wattle,...
, with tussock grass
Tussock (grass)
Tussock grasses or bunch grasses are found as native plants in natural ecosystems, as forage in pastures, and as ornamental grasses in gardens....
and bracken
Bracken
Bracken are several species of large, coarse ferns of the genus Pteridium. Ferns are vascular plants that have alternating generations, large plants that produce spores and small plants that produce sex cells . Brackens are in the family Dennstaedtiaceae, which are noted for their large, highly...
. The island supports Swamp Wallabies
Swamp Wallaby
The Swamp Wallaby is a small macropod marsupial of eastern Australia. This wallaby is also commonly known as the Black Wallaby, with other names including Black-tailed Wallaby, Fern Wallaby, Black Pademelon, Stinker , and Black Stinker...
as well as managed populations of the introduced Hog Deer
Hog Deer
The Hog Deer is a small deer whose habitat ranges from Pakistan, through northern India, to mainland southeast Asia...
and Fallow Deer
Fallow Deer
The Fallow Deer is a ruminant mammal belonging to the family Cervidae. This common species is native to western Eurasia, but has been introduced widely elsewhere. It often includes the rarer Persian Fallow Deer as a subspecies , while others treat it as an entirely different species The Fallow...
. The surrounding intertidal mudflat
Mudflat
Mudflats or mud flats, also known as tidal flats, are coastal wetlands that form when mud is deposited by tides or rivers. They are found in sheltered areas such as bays, bayous, lagoons, and estuaries. Mudflats may be viewed geologically as exposed layers of bay mud, resulting from deposition of...
s form an important feeding habitat for thousands of migratory
Bird migration
Bird migration is the regular seasonal journey undertaken by many species of birds. Bird movements include those made in response to changes in food availability, habitat or weather. Sometimes, journeys are not termed "true migration" because they are irregular or in only one direction...
waders that visit Corner Inlet each year.