phillip island

History

Phillip Island is a small island, about 2km square.  It has never been permanently inhabited.  Pigs, goats and rabbits were introduced to the island during the first and second convict settlements, so the military could go shooting.  Unfortunately these animals bred up to large populations and destroyed most of the natural plant communities.  The loss of vegetation cover resulted in devastating erosion, with over 2m of topsoil being blown and washed off parts of the island.

The pigs and goats were removed and in the 1980s a huge effort was made to eradicate the rabbits.  Rabbits were trapped, poisoned and infected with myxomatosis virus (which kills only rabbits). This was co-ordinated by the Norfolk Island National Park and the last rabbit was killed in 1988.  Luckily rats were never introduced to Phillip Island.

A number of species have become extinct as a result of the feral pests.  These include the Phillip Island Glory Pea (Streblorrhiza speciosa) and the Kaka (Nestor productus).  Some of the plants, including Abutilon julianae and Hibiscus insularis had become very rare but are now recovering and have been reintroduced to Norfolk Island.

The national park staff work to remove the woody plants and grasses that have become serious weed problems on the island.

What is here?

Phillip Island is very steep with the highest point being “Jacky Jacky” at 280m high.  It was formed by volcanic action about 3 million years ago but since then weathering and erosion have formed very steep cliffs and valleys.  Access to Phillip Island is difficult because it is so steep and eroded and the seas are often too rough to allow for safe boat landings. 

Why is it important?

The protection of Phillip Island is very important because it is a refuge for many endangered plants and animals.  The two endemic lizards, the Norfolk Island gecko (Christinus guentheri) and the Norfolk Island skink (Oligosoma lichenigera) survive on Phillip Island – they are extinct on Norfolk Island, probably because of feral cats and rats. 

Sixteen species of seabird nest on Phillip Island and many of their young return to nest there too.  These include the providence petrel (Pterodroma solandri), the Kermadec petrel (Pterodroma neglecta), the black-winged petrel (Pterodroma nigripennis), the white-necked petrel (Pterodroma cervicalis), the ghostbird (Puffinus pacificus), the little shearwater (Puffinus assimilis), the red-tailed tropic bird (Phaeton rubicaudata), frigate birds (Fregata spp), the gannet, (Morus serrator), the masked booby, (Sula dactylatra), the whalebird (Sterna fuscata), the common noddy (Anous stolidus), the black noddy (Anous minutus), the grey ternlet (Procelsterna albivitta) and the white tern (Gygis alba). 

What can you do here?

•Be very careful that if you land on Phillip Island you don’t take any seeds or animals with you.  Dogs and cats are not allowed on Phillip Island because of all the native endangered animals and plants.

•Phillip Island is a national park so you must not interfere with any plant or animal. 

•Quietly watch the birds and lizards.

•Look at the way the island is recovering from the devastation caused by the rabbits.  Consider how lucky we are that rabbits did not become established on Norfolk Island.

Felep Ailen

Histri

Felap Ailen es wan smorl ailen baut 2km skweya.  Et naewa bin gata salan lew orn permanent.  Dem pata pig, got ena raebet orn daa ailen iin dem fas en sekun kohnwikt setlmant, soe daa miletri el gu shuut.  Anfortyunatli dii aeniml briid ap fe laaj popyuliehshans en destroi mus orl dem naetrl plaant kohmyuunitis.  Dieh lohs o’ wejetieshan kauwa resolt iina devestieten eroeshan, with oeva 2m o’ topsoiyl se bloe en wohsh wieh orf sam o’ daa alien.

Dem remuuw dem pig ena got en iin de 1980s dem mek wan big efat fe eraedikiet dem raebet.  Dem traep dem raebet, poisn en infekt dem lorngfe miksamatoesis (myxomatosis) vaires (wathen uni kila raebet). Dieh se kohordiniet et bai daa Norfuk Ailen Naeshnl Paak en daa laas raebet se kilet iin 1988.  Laki dem naewa introdyuus de raet orn Felap Ailen.

Wan namba o’ spiisis se kaum ekstint aes wan resolt o’ dem ferl pest.  Dii inkluud daa Felap Ailen Glori Pii (Streblorrhiza speciosa) en daa Kaka , (Nestor productus).  Sam o’ dem plaant, inkluuden Abutilon julianae ena Hibiscus insularis se kam’ rieh an bat es nau rekavren en bin rii’introdyuuset gen Norfuk Ailen.

Dem naeshnl paak staaf werk fe remuuv dem wudi plaant ena graases wathen se kum es siiriyas wiid prohblam orna ailen.

Wathen ya?

Felap Ailen es riil stiipan en daa haiyes point es “Jaeki Jaeki” aet 280m hai.  Se formet bai de vohlkaenik aekshan baut 3 milyan yias agoe bat sens den wethren ena eroeshan se form dem weri stiip klef ena waeli.  Aekses gen Felap Ailen es haad an said es daa stiip en eroeded en dem sii plenti taim es tuu raf fe dem boet laen deya saefli. 

Fut es importantan?

Daa protekshn o’ Felap Ailen es importantan said es wan refyuuj fe plenti endiehnjad plaant ena aeniml.  Dem tuu endemik lisad, daa Norfuk Ailen gekoh, Christinus guentheri, en daa Norfuk Ailen skink, Oligosoma lichenigera, sawaiw orn Felep Ailen – dem se ekstinkt orn Norfuk Ailen, yu fain said gata ferl keht ena raet. 

Sikstiin spiisis o’ siiberd nes orn Felap Ailen en plenti dems yang retern fe nes deya tuu.  Dii inkluud daa prohvidans petrl (Pterodroma solandri), daa Kermadek petrl (Pterodroma neglecta), daa  blaek-wing petrl (Pterodroma nigrpennis), daa wait-nek petrl (Pterodroma cervicalis), daa goesbad (Puffinus pacificus), daa letl sheyaworta (Puffinus assimilis), daa red-tiel tropik ala boesan berd (Phaeton rubicaudata), frigat berds (Fregata spp), daa gaanet, (Morus serrator), daa maaskt buubi, Sula dactylatra, daa wielbad (Sterna fuscata) , daa kohman nodi (Anous stolidus),daa blaek nodi (Anous minutus), daa grieh ternlet (Procelsterna albivitta) en daa wait tern (Gygis alba). 

Wathen yu el duu deya?

•Yu haewa mainaut ef yu laen orn Felap Ailen bembeya yu gata siid ala aeniml lonrgfe yuu.  Dorg ena keht ent alaud orn Felap Ailen said gata nietiv endienjad aeniml ena plaant.

•Felap Ailen es wan naeshnl paak soe yu entfe intafeya lorngfe eni plaant ala aeniml. 

•Stiwelaut wohch dem berd ena lisad.

•Luk orna wieh daa alien se rekawa fram daa devastieshan  se krors et bai dem raebet.  Konsida hau lacki wi es em raebet naewa estaeblish et orn Norfuk Ailen.