Smooth Island (Tasmania)

History

Between 1835 and 1855 the island may have been used to grow vegetables for the Port Arthur penal colony. By 1869 the land was cultivated: The island had two or three cottages which featured a garden, as well as grazing livestock. The burnt remains of a fireplace are still present on the island. During the 1990s the island was used to host private international pheasant and quail shooting meetings. Between 2003 and 2007 the island was used to transport oyster stock to and from a processing facility in Boomer Bay.

Fauna

Smooth Island is home to a wide range of native Australian birds. Recorded breeding seabird species are little penguin (Eudyptula minor), little pied cormorant, black-faced cormorant, great cormorant and short-tailed shearwater (Ardenna tenuirostris). The latter predominantly habitates inland from the western to southern coasts. The following native birds occupy the island: Tasmanian nativehen and forest raven. The Pacific gull also occupies the island. A survey by the Department of the Environment (Australia) in 2010 revealed the presence of the Eurasian skylark (Alauda arvensis), house sparrow (Passer domesticus), common pheasant (Phasianus colchicus), common starling (Sturnus vulgaris) and common blackbird (Turdus merula) on the island. The presence of sea eagle, wedge-tailed eagle, kelp gull, tern, silver gull, oystercatcher, cormorant and gannet species have also been described. No reptiles have been recorded on the island apart from a small population of blue tongue lizards. The hooded plover (Thinornis cucullatus) is a threatened species which may be present on Smooth Island.

Flora

The island has been classified as a drooping she-oak (Allocasuarina verticillata) forest, despite having relatively sparse foliage. Large macrocarpa have been identified around the remnants of an old cottage on the north-east coast. Eucalyptus globulus and Allocasuarina striata (small bull-oak) are also present on the island. The Marrubium vulgare weed has been identified towards the island's north. Occasional Blackberry bushes have been identified near the Southern peak and southern shoreline. Kangaroo apple is also occasionally found along the southern shoreline. The island's fire attributes are "medium flammability, low sensitivity".

Marine

Smooth Island is surrounded by a low profile reef. A region of gravel or hard sand extends from the reef on the eastern coast towards King George Island and King George Sound. The reef on the western coast is surrounded by sand and a body of silt approaches the south-west coast of the island. Between Smooth Island and King George Island lies a dense bed of seagrass (Halophila australis) and eelgrass (Zostera tasmanica) approximately 12.5 hectares in size. Studies have found dense populations of South Australian cobbler (Gymnapistes marmoratus) and within this region, as this fish has a preference for patchy beds of eelgrass near Smooth Island. The east coast of Smooth Island has the most dense concentration of Little weed whiting (Neoodax balteatus) in Norfolk Bay. An assessment via a beam-trawl in 1995-1996 revealed that 88% of the fish caught were of two species: Little Rock Whiting (Neoodax balteatus) and Bridled Leatherjacket (Acanthaluteres spilomelanurus). (further information in this link.) A species of red algae (Rhabdonia verticillata) has been found very close to the island. The following fish can be found in the waters immediately surrounding the island: flathead, trumpeter, perch, cod and Australian salmon. Dolphins are frequently sighted and killer whales are infrequently sighted near the island. The Spotted handfish and the Live-bearing Seastar (Parvulastra vivipara) are threatened marine species which may be present in the waters surrounding Smooth Island. A killer whale (Orcinus orca) was identified 1 kilometre north-east of the current lighthouse position.

Recreational fishing restrictions: "All waters 200 metres seaward from the low water mark of Smooth Island: Shark Refuge Area. No taking of shark, skates or rays, except elephantfish. Where permitted, graball nets must not be set for more than 2 hours and can only be set from sunrise until one hour before sunset. No mullet nets. No set lines (long lines and drop lines)."

Ecological rehabilitation

The terrestrial ecosystem of Smooth Island has previously been damaged through overgrazing, slashing-and-burning and through the commercial hunting of wildlife. The island's natural vegetation has been largely displaced with exotic grass, thistle, bracken, scattered eucalypts and African boxthorn bushes. Between 0.86 and 18 hectares of shearwater rookeries are present on Smooth Island and the impact of repeated fires on these habitats has been studied.

The current owners intend to systematically restore the island's native ecosystem. Since March 2014, a diverse range of native Tasmanian flora have been planted throughout the island. Remnant eucalypts are also expected to seed from the island's south-east coast now that grazing has ceased.

Landscape

A formally commissioned survey of Smooth Island was completed on 14 July 1863 (see inset). In particular, it reveals the presence of the original jetty, a spring and a guano excavation on the island.

Smooth Island has two hilly peaks separated by a saddle. The North peak, South peak and saddle are located at 42.9444°S 147.78219°E / -42.9444; 147.78219, 42.94877°S 147.7862°E / -42.94877; 147.7862 and 42.9461°S 147.78472°E / -42.9461; 147.78472 respectively. The height above sea level of the North peak, South peak and saddle are 43 metres, 40 metres and 30 metres respectively. Smooth Island lies 2.24 km (1.39 mi) from both Dunbabin Point and Chronicle Point on the mainland and lies 2.3 km (1.4 mi) from King George Island, measured from the nearest coastlines.

Smooth Island consists of diabase (or dolerite) rock, a subvolcanic intrusion which probably occurred from 56 to 33.9 million years ago during the Eocene epoch of the Cenozoic era. A geological survey identified consolidated brownish fine-grained quartz sandstone occurring on the north east coastline of Smooth Island at approximately 2 metres above sea level, covered by sand. It was said to be similar to the sandstone samples retrieved from South Arm which contained numerous fossils, but no fossils were found in the samples taken from Smooth Island. The western aspect of the island contains Dolerite (tholeiitic) with locally developed granophyre, from the Jurassic period.

Given the island predominantly has a sloping hard rock shore, there is minimal vulnerability to flooding or erosion due to a rise in sea level. A "coastal acid sulfate soil analysis" was conducted producing a result of "extremely low" along the north/north east side of the island. On 13 October 1941, a geological survey of Smooth Island was conducted to determine the possibility of mining phosphate on the island, concluding that phosphate mining on Smooth Island was unlikely to be viable. Further details of this study are available.

Nomenclature

Matthew Flinders discovered the island on 15 December 1798 and named it "Smooth Island" as it appears on his maps at the time however the island did not appear on his subsequent map in 1814. In 1824 Thomas Scott referred to Smooth Island as Garden Island in his maps. The origins of this are not entirely clear, and other sources are inconclusive about the above assertions. and also state that the island was first named on a map by "Cross (1830)" and "Frankland" (1837)", before stating several pages later that the island was first named "Smooth Island".

According to a 1911 newspaper article, the island "is not named in the map of D'Entrecasteaux, even though it was marked". During the early 21st century, Smooth Island was occasionally listed as "Lot 1 Norfolk Bay, Dunalley TAS 7177" on certain real-estate classifieds.

Much confusion exists about the names of many of the islands in South East Tasmania. Garden Island is an island along the Huon River, but Garden Island has become the pseudonym for both Green Island as well as Smooth Island. A newspaper article from 1836 refers to a Garden Island in the Pembroke Land District. Green Island in turn has become a pseudonym for Fulham Island. Doughboy Island has replaced Isle of Caves

Tenure

All of Smooth island is private property. It has a freehold title with no covenants whatsoever. In 2014 Smooth Island was gazetted as a Private Forest Timber Reserve. The coast line ~ 200 metres from the Smooth Island waterline has been classified Zone 23 (Environmental management) under the "Tasman Interim Planning Scheme 2015".

Administration

For administrative purposes, the island is within the Tasman Council, the land district of Pembroke, the legislative council of Rumney and the electorate of Lyons at state and federal levels. It lies within the Fire Management Area Committee Boundary (FMAC) of 'East Coast'.

Climate

Smooth island's climate is classified Cfb under the Köppen Climate Classification.

Access

Smooth Island is easily accessible by boat or helicopter, whilst the island's smooth and gently undulating topography also favours the construction of a small airstrip for light planes.

Services and facilities

The island receives radio coverage from ABC Local Radio (936 AM), 3G mobile phone coverage from Telstra and wireless coverage from the National Broadband Network.

The table below outlines the nearest services and facilities to Smooth Island.

Features

A lighthouse with the international marker identifier K 3621.2 was present on Smooth Island. However, since the island is private property to the water line, in 2014 Marine and Safety Tasmania were obligated to relocate it into the ocean around the northern tip of the island. The lighthouse was relocated to the following position: 42.9399167°S 147.7812667°E / -42.9399167; 147.7812667. The light characteristic remains unchanged since this relocation. Its height is 2 metres (6 feet). The light's range was 6 nautical miles in clear weather. It is a stainless steel pole in the water. The technical specifications of the lighthouse are: FL(3)W, period 6.1 seconds (i.e.: a cluster of 3 flashes of a white light is produced, which repeats every 6.1 seconds).

Modern culture

Smooth Island has been the subject of a range of artistic works. Michael Weitnauer won first prize at the Wrest Point Art Award with his painting of Smooth Island.(The Mercury, 7 January 2002). The Australian artist Dale Frank also produced a painting named "Dunalley, Smooth Island". Smooth Island and its lighthouse have also featured in poetry: