St. Helena Island National Park

St. Helena Island National Park
Coordinates: 27 ° 23 ′ 36 ″  S , 153 ° 13 ′ 54 ″  E
Location:	Queensland , Australia
Specialty:	Former prison island
Next city:	Brisbane
Surface:	75.1 ha
Founding:	1979

The St. Helena Iceland National Park (Engl. St Helena Iceland National Park ) is a national park in Queensland ( Australia ), of about 21 kilometers east of Brisbane on the small island of the same in the Bay Moreton Bay the Brisbane River is located .

history

The small island was Queensland's first prison. In the 19th century, Helena Island was used as a quarantine station and not as a prison until 1867 . The island was turned into a prison by inmates who cleared the land and built the buildings. The island has its own fresh water source.

The island was a prison for felons and murderers for 67 years . The Queensland government detained numerous sheep shearers in this prison who were arrested there during the four month sheep shearers strike in 1891.

The prisoners had to do the hardest work and the island was notorious for its isolation and strict rules. Around 1900 there were 300 prisoners on the island. They had to make bricks and clothes or had to work in agriculture on the island as well as in the shipbuilding workshop, bakery and butcher shop.

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  Main building of the prison (1928)

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  Prisoners in the Tailoring Shop (1911)

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  Prisoners in the saddlery (1911)

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  Prison Guard Building (1928)

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  Remnants of the food benches for the prisoners (around 1928) with the prison wall in the background

The prison buildings were enclosed by a high stone wall. The island is flooded by dangerous currents and sharks swim in the sea off the island . Although there were numerous attempts to escape, only one prisoner managed to escape in 1924. The last prisoner left St. Helena on February 15, 1933.

Finds also show that the Aborigines have been visiting the island for thousands of years in order to prey on shellfish , dugongs and flying foxes in favorable seasons .

Flora and fauna

The mangrove areas of the island offer protection to the young of many fish, crab and shellfish species. Occasionally, dolphins , turtles and dugongs can be seen in the waters around the island. As a wetland of international importance, the national park is also an important resting area for waders. Birds of prey such as kites , ospreys and sea ​​eagles can also be observed during winter .

tourism

Today the island is a destination for tourists and can be reached and visited by boat ferries.

The national parks Fort Lytton , Teerk Roo Ra and Moreton Island are in the vicinity .

Web links

• Official site of the park (English)
• Site on the history of the prison (English)

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Australian Government - CAPAD 2010 ( MS Excel ; 170 kB), DSEWPaC , accessed on January 7, 2013 (English)
2. ↑ Australian Government - CAPAD 1997 ( MS Excel ; 93 kB), DSEWPaC , accessed on January 7, 2013 (English)
3. ↑ Queensland Government Statement on the Park's History
4. ↑ ^{a b} Queensland Government Notes on Flora and Fauna