French Island National Park

French Island National Park
Location:	Victoria , Australia
Specialty:	Mangroves
Next city:	Hastings
Surface:	111 km²
Founding:	1997
	French Island National Park (green)
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The French Island National Park is located on the French Island in the state of Victoria of Australia . The island is approximately 60 km southeast of Melbourne and can only be reached by ferry from Stony Point . The park occupies 70% of the island with 11,100 hectares.

history

Today's French Island is part of the historical settlement area of the Aboriginal tribes of the Boon Wurrung and Bunurong . Crew members of a French expedition ship of the Baudin expedition were the first Europeans to visit the island in 1802. European colonization did not take place until 1842. In the last decade of the 19th century, the cultivation of chicory began . This branch of agriculture was successfully practiced for about 60 years. The national park was established in June 1988.

Landscape image

The park includes mangroves , salt marshes and open forests , among other things . The landscape is flat to hilly; in places there are delightful views from terrain heights of up to 60 m above sea level.

Flora and fauna

Around 580 native plant species have been counted in the national park, including around 100 different orchid species . Over 230 species of birds have been recorded, including endangered species such as white-bellied sea eagles , pygmy quail and golden-bellied parakeet . Over 30 species of waders use the island's coasts for foraging. Among the mammal species, the occurrence of the rabbit kangaroo species Potorous tridactylus and the koalas should be mentioned. The koalas in the area reproduce so well that around 200 animals from the island's population can be settled in other national parks every year.

Web links

French Island National Park on parkweb.vic.gov.au (English)
Information brochure, PDF; 794 kB English ( Memento from July 6, 2009 in the Internet Archive )
Brochure on the history of the national park, PDF; 598 kB, English ( Memento from July 6, 2009 in the Internet Archive )

Individual evidence

↑ General information from the park administration
↑ History of the island
↑ Parks Victoria: French Island National Park
↑ Information on the animal world ( Memento of July 6, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) (PDF file; 794 kB)

[1] General information from the park administration

[2] History of the island

[3] Parks Victoria: French Island National Park

[4] Information on the animal world ( Memento of July 6, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) (PDF file; 794 kB)