Bass Pyramid

Not to be confused with Bass Rock, Ball's Pyramid, or Bass Pro Shops Pyramid.

Bass Pyramid
Bass Pyramid is located in Tasmania
Bass Pyramid
Bass Pyramid
Location of the Bass Pyramid in Bass Strait
Geography
LocationBass Strait
Coordinates39°49′12″S 147°14′24″E / 39.82000°S 147.24000°E / -39.82000; 147.24000
ArchipelagoFurneaux Group
Area21,600 m2 (233,000 sq ft)
Length220 km (137 mi)
Width140 km (87 mi)
Administration
Australia
StateTasmania
Demographics
Populationunpopulated

The Bass Pyramid, part of the Furneaux Group, is a small, two sectioned oval, steep-sided 100-square-metre (1,100 sq ft) unpopulated granite island, located in Bass Strait, lying north of the Flinders Island and south of the Kent Group, in Tasmania, Australia.[1] A rock bridge connects the two sections.

The island was used intermittently from the 1940s until 1988 as a bombing and shelling target by the Australian airforce and navy. On 5 April 1978 the island was proclaimed part of a nature reserve.

Recorded breeding seabird and wader species include fairy prion, common diving-petrel, Pacific gull, silver gull, Australasian gannet and sooty oystercatcher. It is also a haul-out site for Australian fur seals.[2] The seals were hunted here in the 19th century.[3] The dangers of the site resulted in at least three sealers losing their lives here.[4]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Bass Pyramid(TAS)". Gazetteer of Australia online. Geoscience Australia, Australian Government.
  2. ^ Brothers, Nigel; Pemberton, David; Pryor, Helen; & Halley, Vanessa. (2001). Tasmania’s Offshore Islands: seabirds and other natural features. Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery: Hobart. ISBN 0-7246-4816-X
  3. ^ Parry Kostoglou (1996), Sealing in Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service, p.117-8.
  4. ^ Kostoglou, p.118.


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