Clark Island, New South Wales

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Clark Island, New South Wales
Clark Island
Clark Island
Waters Tasman Sea
Geographical location 33 ° 51 '46 "  S , 151 ° 14' 28"  E Coordinates: 33 ° 51 '46 "  S , 151 ° 14' 28"  E
Clark Island, New South Wales (Sydney)
Clark Island, New South Wales
width 0 m
surface 90 ha
Residents uninhabited

Clark Island is a small, uninhabited island with an area of ​​about 0.9 hectares in Sydney Harbor . The island is made of sandstone and rises flat above the water.

location

The island is a little less than a kilometer from Bradley's Head and 350 meters north of Darling Point in Sydney. It is the only island in the harbor basin that is not approached by ferries.

Surname

The Aborigines called the island Billong-olola . The British gave her the name of Ralph Clark , an officer in the Royal Marines , who arrived with the First Fleet on the Friendship in the Australian convict colony in January 1788 .

history

In November 1789, Clark and other officers were allowed to plant a vegetable garden for potatoes, onions and grain as the colonists' food rations were scarce. He gave up the cultivation because the produce of Aborigines, convicts and soldiers was mostly stolen shortly before they reached maturity.

In the second half of the 19th century, the island became a popular place for picnics. In 1879 the Clark Island Trust declared it a nature reserve with Rodd , Shark and Snapper Island . Clark Island was soon equipped with grilling facilities and fresh water taps. Paths have also been laid out, hundreds of trees have been planted, lawns created and toilets installed. In 1917 the Sydney Harbor Trust took over administration of the island and in 1936 the Maritime Services Board . In 1975 the island became part of the newly established Sydney Harbor National Park administered by the National Parks and Wildlife Service . Since then, the regeneration of vegetation has been pursued and it is intended to restore the landscape on Clark Island as it was before European settlement. Currently, the island is often used by wedding parties who have to pay a personal fee for the stay.

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Catie Gilchrist (2004): Clark Island , on dictionaryofsydney.org. Retrieved April 5, 2016
  2. Clark Island. Sydney Harbor National Park . on nationparks.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved April 6, 2016