Etymology | Joan Maetsuicker[1] |
---|---|
Geography | |
Location | South West Tasmania |
Coordinates | 43°39′00″S 146°16′12″E / 43.65000°S 146.27000°E |
Archipelago | Maatsuyker Islands Group |
Adjacent to | Southern Ocean |
Area | 186 ha (460 acres) |
Highest elevation | 284 m (932 ft) |
Administration | |
Australia | |
State | Tasmania |
Region | South West |
Demographics | |
Population | A small number of volunteers |
Maatsuyker Island is an island located close to the south coast of Tasmania, Australia. The 186-hectare (0.72 sq mi) island is part of the Maatsuyker Islands Group, and comprises part of the Southwest National Park and the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Site.
The Maatsuyker Island Lighthouse, the southernmost Australian lighthouse, is located on the southern tip of the island.[2][3] The island is part of the Maatsuyker Island Group Important Bird Area, identified as such by BirdLife International because of its importance as a breeding site for seabirds.[4]
Maatsuyker Island is currently inhabited by volunteers, swapped out every 6 months, the improvements on it are being maintained by the Tasmanian Government and volunteer organisations interested in preserving the history of the island and the lighthouse.