Lion Island (New South Wales)

(Redirected from Lion Island, New South Wales)

For other uses, see Lion Island.

Lion Island
Geography
View of Lion Island from Iron Ladder Beach

Location	Broken Bay
Administration
Australia
State	New South Wales

Protected area in New South Wales, Australia

Lion Island Nature Reserve New South Wales
IUCN category Ia (strict nature reserve)
Sunset view of Lion Island
Lion Island Nature Reserve
Nearest town or city	Gosford
Coordinates	33°33′25″S 151°19′04″E / 33.55694°S 151.31778°E / -33.55694; 151.31778
Established	1956
Area	0.08 km (0.0 sq mi)
Managing authorities	NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service
See also	Protected areas of New South Wales

Lion Island is an island that is located at the mouth to the Hawkesbury River in Broken Bay on the Central Coast of the state of New South Wales, Australia. The island is located just off Pearl Beach and is part of the Central Coast Council local government area. It is a descriptive name because it resembles a Sphinx, a mythical figure of a crouching lion.

Etymology

The island was originally named Mount Elliott Island by Governor Arthur Phillip in 1789, because it resembled Gibraltar where his friend, General Elliott, had inflicted defeats on French and Spanish fleets. This name continued to be used by cartographers until the 1920s.

Nature reserve status

In 1956, the Lion Island Fauna Reserve was established on the island. In 1977, it was reclassified as the Lion Island Nature Reserve, a protected nature reserve under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1967 and is administered by the NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service. The nature reserve covers all of the island, an area of approximately 8 hectares (20 acres).

Due to the island's significant biodiversity it was added to the Australian National Heritage List in December 2006. The island is a breeding habitat for shearwaters and is free of feral cats and foxes. The island has a weed infestation problem that includes Bitou Bush and Lantana.

Australian little penguin colony

Lion Island contains the largest population of Australian little penguins in the Sydney area. In 2007, the population was approximately 300 breeding pairs and appeared to be stable.

A more recent study has suggested that the colony has been in steep decline since the 1990s. No primary cause of the decline has been identified. By comparison, the nearby colony at Manly is believed to be stable.

Lion Island supports mammalian predators, namely water rats, which have been observed running along the water's edge at night. Rat nest depredation has been proven to impact the little penguin population on Granite Island in South Australia.

In 2012, penguin researchers observed that penguins' feeding trips were much longer than those taken by the population on Bowen Island in the Jervis Bay Territory.

In 2021, efforts were made to clear storm debris that had washed up ahead of penguin breeding season.

Access restrictions

Public access to the island is by permit, provided by the National Parks and Wildlife Service Regional Manager, and is restricted to conservation, education and research purposes. No recreational facilities are provided on the island.

August 2018 Fire

On the evening of 25 August 2018 it was reported that Lion Island was fully engulfed in flames following a lightning strike. Further reports in relation to the impact on the island and the island's fauna are expected.

Geography

The cap at the Eastern end of Lion Island is composed of Hawkesbury Sandstone. The shores of the island are composed of the older Narrabeen Group of sandstones and shales.

Media

In 2005, a documentary film claimed erroneously that the wreckage of a Japanese midget submarine, which disappeared after the attack on Sydney Harbour in 1942, was buried under sand on the seabed, just east of Lion Island. The wreck has since been located near Bungan Head.

References

^ "Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park and Lion Island, Long Island and Spectacle Island Nature Reserves: Plan of Management" (PDF). NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service (PDF). Government of New South Wales. May 2002. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 June 2006.
^ Lion Island sign board at West Head Lookout
Pratt, Eileen (1978) Place Names of the Central Coast. Brisbane Water Historical Society and The Entrance and District Society. p29
National Library of Australia nla.map-rm3117-s1-e Archived 20 October 2012 at the Wayback Machine
"Lion Island". Geographical Names Register (GNR) of NSW. Geographical Names Board of New South Wales.
"Australian National Heritage listing for Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, Lion Island, Long Island and Spectacle Island Nature Reserves". Archived from the original on 31 May 2013. Retrieved 8 July 2008.
"Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, Lion, Long and Spectacle Island Nature Reserves, Ku-ring-gai Chase Rd, Bobbin Head, NSW (Place ID 105817)". Australian Heritage Database. Australian Government.
"Lion Island Little Penguin Threat Abatement" (PDF). NSW Department of Environment and Conservation (PDF). Government of New South Wales. April 2007. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
^ "Penguin project in the making". Little penguin research. 5 August 2014. Archived from the original on 15 August 2014. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
"Lion Island clean-up clears the waters for Little Penguins". Central Coast Community News. 3 June 2021. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
Meacham, Steve (29 November 2005). "Down to the wire ... solving a 60-year mystery". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 1 December 2005. Retrieved 24 June 2006.
"Investigation fails to find midget sub". Australia: ABC News. 19 December 2005. Archived from the original on 20 April 2008. Retrieved 24 June 2006.
"M24 Japanese Midget Submarine wreck site". New South Wales Heritage Office: Inventory search. Archived from the original on 29 August 2007. Retrieved 16 August 2007.

v t e Nature reserves of New South Wales, Australia
Central West & Orana	Avisford Barton Binnaway Boronga Coolbaggie Copperhannia Dapper Eugowra Evans Crown Freemantle Girralang Koorawatha Macquarie Marshes Munghorn Gap Pilliga Quanda South West Woodland Tollingo Wambool Weetalibah Winburndale Woggoon Wongarbon
Far West	Kajuligah Kemendok Ledknapper Morrisons Mutawintji Narran Lake Nearie Lake Nocoleche Nombinnie Paddington Round Hill Tarawi Yathong
Hunter & Central Coast	Awabakal Bandicoot Island Berrico Bird Island Boondelbah Bretti Brimbin Nature Reserve Bugan Nature Reserve Burning Mountain Bushy Island Camels Hump Camerons Gorge Cedar Brush Cockle Bay Coocumbac Island Coolongolook Corrie Island Coxcomb Darawank Durands Island Flat Island Goonook John Gould Karuah Khatambuhl Khappinghat Killabakh Killarney Lion Island Little Broughton Island Manobalai Mernot Mills Island Minimbah Moffats Swamp Monkerai Monkeycot Moon Island One Tree Island Pambalong Pelican Island Pulbah Island Regatta Island Rileys Island Saratoga Island Seaham Swamp Seal Rocks Snapper Island Spectacle Island Stormpetrel Talawahl The Glen Tilligerry Tingira Heights Towibakh Wallamba Wallis Island Wamberal Lagoon Wambina Watchimbark Weelah Wingen Maid Wingham Brush Yahoo Island
Illawarra-Shoalhaven	Bamarang Barren Grounds Barrengarry Belowla Island Berkeley Brundee Swamp Brush Island Cambewarra Range Comerong Island Dharawal Five Islands Kangaroo River Narrawallee Creek Parma Creek Rodway Saltwater Swamp Tapitallee Triplarina Wogamia Woollamia Worrigee Yatteyattah
New England-North West	Aberbaldie Arakoola Back River Bluff River Bolivia Hill Boomi Boomi West Booroolong Brigalow Budelah Burral Yurrul Captains Creek Careunga Demon Doctors Nose Mountain Donnybrook Dthinna Dthinnawan Duval Gamilaroi Georges Creek Gibraltar Guy Fawkes River Imbota Ironbark Jobs Mountain Kirramingly Linton Little Llangothlin Mann River Melville Range Midkin Mother Of Ducks Lagoon Mount Mackenzie Ngulin North Obelisk Pilliga Planchonella Serpentine Severn River Stony Batter Creek Taringa The Basin The Castles Tomalla Tuggolo Creek Wallabadah Watsons Creek Yina
North Coast	Andrew Johnston Big Scrub Baalijin Bagul Waajaarr Ballina Banyabba Billinudgel Boatharbour Bollanolla Boonanghi Boorganna Bowraville Bridal Veil Falls Broken Head Brunswick Heads Bungabbee Bungawalbin Burnt-Down Scrub Byrnes Scrub Chambigne Chapmans Peak Clarence Estuary Cobaki Comboyne Cook Island Cooperabung Creek Coramba Couchy Creek Cudgen Cudgera Creek Cumbebin Swamp Davis Scrub Deer Vale Duroby Fifes Knob Fishermans Bend Flaggy Creek Gads Sugarloaf Ganay Garby Hattons Bluff Hayters Hill Hogarth Range Hortons Creek Iluka Inner Pocket Jaaningga Jagun Jasper Jinangong Jobs Mountain Julian Rocks Nguthungulli Juugawaarri Kattang Killabakh Koorebang Kororo Koukandowie Lake Innes Limpinwood Little Pimlico Island Macquarie Marshalls Creek Moonee Beach Moore Park Mororo Creek Mount Hyland Mount Neville Mount Nullum Mount Seaview Muckleewee Mountain Muldiva Munro Island Muttonbird Island Ngambaa North Rock North Solitary Island North-West Solitary Island Numinbah Pee Dee Queens Lake Rawdon Creek Richmond River Sherwood Skillion Snows Gully South West Solitary Island Split Solitary Island Stotts Island Susan Island Tabbimoble Swamp Tallawudjah The Castles Tuckean Tucki Tucki Tweed Estuary Tyagarah Ukerebagh Uralba Valla Verges Creek Victoria Park Waragai Creek Willi Willi Caves Wilson Woodford Island Wooyung Woregore Yaegl Yarravel Yarringully Yessabah
Riverina-Murray	Big Bush Bimberi Bogandyera Boginderra Hills Buddigower Clarkes Hill Cocopara Courabyra Downfall Ellerslie Flagstaff Memorial Gubbata Ingalba Jerilderie Jingellic Lachlan Valley Lake Urana Langtree Loughnan Mudjarn Mullengandra Murrumbidgee Valley Nest Hill Nombinnie Pucawan Pulletop South West Woodland Tabletop The Rock The Charcoal Tank Ulandra Wiesners Swamp Yanga
Southeast & Tablelands	Araluen Badja Swamps Barunguba Montague Island Bees Nest Bell Bird Creek Bermaguee Binjura Black Andrew Bobundara Bondi Gulf Bournda Broulee Island Burnt School Burra Creek Burrinjuck Cecil Hoskins Coolumbooka Coornartha Cullendulla Creek Cuumbeun Dananbilla Dangelong Eagles Claw Egan Peaks Good Good Goorooyarroo Gungewalla Hattons Corner Illawong Illunie Ironmungy Jerralong Joadja Koorawatha Kuma Kybeyan Meringo Merriangaah Mount Clifford Mount Dowling Mundoonen Myalla Nadgee Nadgigomar Ngadang Nimmo Numeralla Oak Creek Paupong Queanbeyan Quidong Razorback Robertson Scabby Range Scott Stony Creek Strike-a-Light Tinderry Tollgate Islands Turallo Undoo Wadjan Wanna Wanna Wee Jasper Wollondilly River Wullwye Yanununbeyan Yaouk Young
Sydney & Surrounds	Agnes Banks Castlereagh Dalrymple-Hay Dural Gulguer Grey Box Reserve Kemps Creek Long Island Mulgoa Muogamarra Newington Pitt Town Prospect Towra Point Wallumatta Windsor Downs Wianamatta
Protected areas of New South Wales

Hawkesbury River region, New South Wales, Australia

Islands

National parks and nature reserves

European explorers of the region

Bridges and ferries

Bridges	Brooklyn Bridge Hawkesbury River Railway Bridge Hawkesbury River railway station Mooney Mooney Bridge Peats Ferry Bridge Windsor Bridge
Ferries	Berowra Waters Hawkesbury River Ferries Lower Portland Sackville Webbs Creek Wisemans

Adjoining rivers, bays,
reservoirs, and creeks

Rivers	Colo Grose Macdonald Nepean Warragamba Wolgan Wollangambe
Bays	Brisbane Water Broken Bay Pittwater
Reservoirs	Mangrove Creek Dam Warragamba Dam
Creeks	Badgerys Bells Berowra Blaxland Breakfast Coal and Candle Cowan Eastern Mangrove Mooney Mooney Reedy Ropes South Webbs Wollemi