&sq=Envato&lang=en&file=File:Relief_Map_of_Tasmania.png)  King Island Location of King Island in Tasmania | |
| Etymology | Philip Gidley King |
|---|---|
| Geography | |
| Location | Roaring Forties, Great Australian Bight and Bass Strait |
| Coordinates | 39°52′21″S 143°59′8″E / 39.87250°S 143.98556°E |
| Archipelago | New Year Group |
| Area | 1,098 km2 (424 sq mi) |
| Area rank | 3rd in Tasmania |
| Highest elevation | 162 m (531 ft)[1] |
| Highest point | Gentle Annie |
| Administration | |
Australia | |
| State | Tasmania |
| LGA | King Island Council |
| Largest settlement | Currie |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 1617 [2] |
| Pop. density | 1.50/km2 (3.88/sq mi) |
| Additional information | |
| Official website | https://kingisland.org.au/ |
King Island is an island in Bass Strait, belonging to the Australian state of Tasmania. It is the largest of four islands known as the New Year Group and the second-largest island in Bass Strait (after Flinders Island). The island's population at the 2021 census was 1,617 people, up from 1,585 in 2016.[3] The local government area of the island is the King Island Council.
The island forms part of the official land divide between the Great Australian Bight and Bass Strait, off the north-western tip of Tasmania and about halfway to the mainland state of Victoria. The southernmost point is Stokes Point and the northernmost point is Cape Wickham. There are three small islands immediately offshore: New Year Island and Christmas Island situated to the northwest and the smaller Councillor Island to the east, opposite Sea Elephant Beach.[4]
King Island was first visited by Europeans in the late 18th century. It was named after Philip Gidley King, Colonial Governor of New South Wales, whose territory at the time included what is now Tasmania. Sealers established temporary settlements on the island in the early 19th century, but it was not until the 1880s that permanent settlements were established. The largest of these is Currie, situated on the island's west coast. Today, the island's economy is largely based on agriculture and tourism. It is also home to the Huxley Hill Wind Farm.
- ^ Morgan, Helen (1998). "King Island Natural Resource Management Review and Strategic Action Plan 1998–2001" (PDF). Currie, Tasmania: King Island Natural Resource Management Group.
- ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "King Island (Statistical Area Level 2)". 2021 Census QuickStats.
- ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "King Island (Statistical Area Level 2)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 25 August 2024.
- ^ "Placenames Tasmania". Land Tasmania. Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment. Retrieved 3 June 2017.
