Russell Island (Queensland)
Russell Island is a small, uninhabited island located 11.4 east of the Queensland coast and part of the Frankland Group National Park . The archipelago of the Frankland Islands is - from north to south - from the five islands High, Normanby, Mabel, Round and Russell. The main part of the Russel Island in the far south is cube-shaped about 300 × 200 meters and connected by a crescent-shaped, sandy headland with a smaller boulder in the northeast. Both halves of the island protrude over 70 meters from the sea. While the southern land mass has a rather moderate gradient, the northern rock formation is steep and can only be climbed from the water side in a few places. Both parts and the central part of the headland are overgrown with bushes. In the southern part, tropical jungle dominates the vegetation, while the northern part is very sparse and little overgrown.
On the flat central part of the double island is a station of the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service , which ensures the protection of the island, which has been a nature reserve since 1936 . The python is at home in the area with the tropical jungle, and turtles , especially green turtles , regularly breed on the flat stretches of beach . The island is also a popular breeding ground for birds, especially the triele and the large fruit pigeons . The island is part of guided tourist expeditions from Cairns , but can also be approached with private yachts.
Since 1929 there has been a lighthouse on the southern part, which has been unmanned and solar-powered since 1989.
Web links
- Site of the island from the Australian Government (English)
- Queensland County Administration of Flora and Fauna (Department of Environment and Resource Management )
Coordinates: 17 ° 13 ′ S , 146 ° 6 ′ E