Wedge Island
Encyclopedia
Wedge Island is located north of Lancelin
and South of Cervantes
on the Western Australia
n coast. The name mainly refers to the mainland settlement but also refers to a 400 metres (1,312.3 ft) long wedge shaped island located just south of "the point". The island itself is a declared nature reserve. The settlement of Grey is about 10 km north. Both are within the Shire of Dandaragan
.
One of the first pioneers of the settlement was Mr. W.R. (Bob) Wedge in 1937. The settlement is now home to approximately 350 beach shack
s on unvested land that are used by crayfish
ermen and holiday-goers. Wedge can be accessed via bush tracks and the beach if the tide is out, and also from Indian Ocean Drive. The inland tracks are on a military firing range and are cut off to the public during live firing. The beach is very soft during summer and many vehicles become bogged or are swept into the water.
Wedge is often quiet during the cooler months but during major public holidays such as Christmas
, New Years Day and Australia Day
there are people in nearly every shack. Camping
in the area is now officially prohibited. It is estimated that 14,000 individuals may use the shacks at Wedge and Grey. There are no shops, mains electricity nor running water, so generators are common. Activities include four wheel driving
, sand boarding, surfing
and kitesurfing
, fishing
, swimming and snorkeling
. Motorbike riding has been banned in the area surrounding Wedge Island after many accidents resulted in people needing to be air lifted to get medical attention. The ranger now hands out fines to those caught using unlicensed vehicles in the vicinity, or leaving rubbish there.
The Minister for Environment Donna Faragher
announced in March 2010 that she would not be seeking an end to the leases at Wedge and Grey until compromise options were considered by government. A new sealed road, Indian Ocean Drive, had opened in September 2010, which encouraged the possible removal of the shacks in line with government policy.
In April 2011, a WA Legislative Council Standing Committee found that coastal shacks should be removed to protect the environment from "unplanned growth". The shack leases were due to expire on 30 June 2011 but the Wedge community won a one year renewal for all occupied facilities.
Lancelin, Western Australia
Lancelin is a small fishing and tourist town 110 km north of Perth, Western Australia. It is located in the Shire of Gingin at the end of Wanneroo Road , and a few kilometres from the start of the Indian Ocean Drive....
and South of Cervantes
Cervantes, Western Australia
Cervantes is a town in Western Australia. The town is located just off Indian Ocean Drive about north north west of the state capital, Perth in the Shire of Dandaragan Local Government Area. At the 2006 census, Cervantes had a population of 503. The town was named after a ship that was wrecked...
on the Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
n coast. The name mainly refers to the mainland settlement but also refers to a 400 metres (1,312.3 ft) long wedge shaped island located just south of "the point". The island itself is a declared nature reserve. The settlement of Grey is about 10 km north. Both are within the Shire of Dandaragan
Shire of Dandaragan
The Shire of Dandaragan is a Local Government Area located in the Wheatbelt region of Western Australia, about north of the state capital, Perth. The Shire covers an area of and its seat of government is the town of Jurien Bay.-History:...
.
One of the first pioneers of the settlement was Mr. W.R. (Bob) Wedge in 1937. The settlement is now home to approximately 350 beach shack
Shack
A shack is a type of small house, usually in a state of disrepair. The word may derive from the Nahuatl word xacalli or "adobe house" by way of Mexican Spanish xacal/jacal, which has the same meaning as "shack". It was a common usage among people of Mexican ancestry throughout the U.S...
s on unvested land that are used by crayfish
Crayfish
Crayfish, crawfish, or crawdads – members of the superfamilies Astacoidea and Parastacoidea – are freshwater crustaceans resembling small lobsters, to which they are related...
ermen and holiday-goers. Wedge can be accessed via bush tracks and the beach if the tide is out, and also from Indian Ocean Drive. The inland tracks are on a military firing range and are cut off to the public during live firing. The beach is very soft during summer and many vehicles become bogged or are swept into the water.
Wedge is often quiet during the cooler months but during major public holidays such as Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
, New Years Day and Australia Day
Australia Day
Australia Day is the official national day of Australia...
there are people in nearly every shack. Camping
Camping
Camping is an outdoor recreational activity. The participants leave urban areas, their home region, or civilization and enjoy nature while spending one or several nights outdoors, usually at a campsite. Camping may involve the use of a tent, caravan, motorhome, cabin, a primitive structure, or no...
in the area is now officially prohibited. It is estimated that 14,000 individuals may use the shacks at Wedge and Grey. There are no shops, mains electricity nor running water, so generators are common. Activities include four wheel driving
Four-wheel drive
Four-wheel drive, 4WD, or 4×4 is a four-wheeled vehicle with a drivetrain that allows all four wheels to receive torque from the engine simultaneously...
, sand boarding, surfing
Surfing
Surfing' is a surface water sport in which the surfer rides a surfboard on the crest and face of a wave which is carrying the surfer towards the shore...
and kitesurfing
Kitesurfing
Kitesurfing or Kiteboarding is an adventure surface water sport that has been described as combining wakeboarding, windsurfing, surfing, paragliding, and gymnastics into one extreme sport. Kitesurfing harnesses the power of the wind to propel a rider across the water on a small surfboard or a...
, fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
, swimming and snorkeling
Snorkeling
Snorkeling is the practice of swimming on or through a body of water while equipped with a diving mask, a shaped tube called a snorkel, and usually swimfins. In cooler waters, a wetsuit may also be worn...
. Motorbike riding has been banned in the area surrounding Wedge Island after many accidents resulted in people needing to be air lifted to get medical attention. The ranger now hands out fines to those caught using unlicensed vehicles in the vicinity, or leaving rubbish there.
The Minister for Environment Donna Faragher
Donna Faragher
Donna Evelyn Mary Faragher is an Australian politician. She has been a Liberal member of the Western Australian Legislative Council since 2005, representing the region of East Metropolitan....
announced in March 2010 that she would not be seeking an end to the leases at Wedge and Grey until compromise options were considered by government. A new sealed road, Indian Ocean Drive, had opened in September 2010, which encouraged the possible removal of the shacks in line with government policy.
In April 2011, a WA Legislative Council Standing Committee found that coastal shacks should be removed to protect the environment from "unplanned growth". The shack leases were due to expire on 30 June 2011 but the Wedge community won a one year renewal for all occupied facilities.
External links
- Slideshow of images of Wedge Island from the BBC World Service
- Geoscience Gazetteer of Australia
- Wedge Island Community page
- Wedge Island Information Page
- https://www.dec.wa.gov.au/pdf/nature/management/nambung_np_amend_11-03.pdf Wedge and Grey Master Plan 2000
- http://www.abc.net.au/rn/360/stories/2010/2893564.htm Full ABC Radio Story and Public Comments
- http://www.parliament.wa.gov.au/web/newwebparl.nsf/iframewebpages/Committees+-+Inquiries Parliamentary Inquiry