Kangaroo Island

Kangaroo Island is Australia’s third largest island behind only Tasmania and Melville islands. It is part of the state of South Australia, approximately 70 miles (113 kilometers) southwest of Adelaide, the capital of South Australia. The island was first occupied by Aboriginal peoples until rising waters caused the land mass to become an island. In the early nineteenth century, seal hunters and whalers lived from time to time on Kangaroo Island. However, as of 1836, the island was inhabited permanently as part of the colony of South Australia. Agriculture and tourism have sustained the island’s economy, although fishing has also gained importance. The largest town on the island is Kingscote, which had a 2021 population of about 1,900 people. Kingscote is also home to the smallest penguin in the world, called the little penguin. The little penguin comes from New Zealand and is known for its grey-blue plumage, in addition to its size.

Background

Kangaroo Island became an island more than ten thousand years ago when rising sea waters cut off the land mass from the mainland of Australia. Aboriginal people called the island Karta Pintingga, the “Island of the Dead,” and remained on the island until about 2,000 years ago. The Kaurna and Ramindjeri tribes were hunters and gatherers and traveled in groups throughout the land. The creation of Kangaroo Island is supported through geological evidence as well as oral histories and stories from the people. The Aboriginal people passed down stories about their history from generation to generation. The Ngurunderi Dreaming Story explains how Kart Pintingga became separated from the mainland. According to the story, Ngurunderi was a powerful man who followed his two wives to Cape Jervis on the mainland when they ran away from him. From the beach, he was able to see his wives in the shallow water between Kangaroo Island and the mainland. To punish his wives for running away, Ngurunderi made the water rise. The women could not overcome the rising water and were turned to stone. According to legend, the rocks can still be found in the waterway. British Captain Matthew Flinders named the rocks the Pages in the early nineteenth century.

Flinders and his crew are credited with discovering the island in 1802. Flinders was commissioned by the British government to explore what was then-known as the Terra Australis. When Flinders and his crew arrived on the HMS Investigator, they were hungry and had not eaten fresh meat in months. They named the area “Kanguroo” Island and took seal and kangaroo meat back to the mainland. Shortly after Flinders arrived, Commander Nicholas Baudin, a French explorer, landed at Encounter Bay in South Australia. Although the French and British were at odds with one another, Flinders and Baudin remained friendly. Baudin mapped the island within three weeks, giving several of the island’s bays French names. He also collected various plants and animals to take back to France. In their place, he set hens and pigs free on the island. The pigs survived and are known today as Baudin pigs.

After Flinders and Baudin arrived on the island, word traveled quickly as to the number of seals and whales in the area. It did not take long for British and American sailing vessels to take advantage of the region. The first free-settled colony was established in 1836. The influx of non-Aboriginal people brought an increase in crime to the island. Accusations and stories of foreign traders kidnapping women for sex and domestic slave work began. However, the women on the island were eventually recognized for their knowledge and became an important part of the island’s history.

Although the island held potential in terms of farming and fishing, its population growth was relatively slow. It wasn’t until after World War II (1939–1945), when the Australian government created a soldier settlement scheme that the island population began to grow. The settlement scheme awarded veterans 1,200 acres of land to develop and nearly doubled the island’s population to three thousand between 1948 and 1954.

Overview

As of 2021, Kangaroo Island had a population of about 1,900. It is known for its koalas, kangaroos and wallabies. The average temperature on the island stays between 52 to 66 degrees Fahrenheit (11 and 19 degrees Celsius). August is the island’s coolest month, while February is its hottest. The rainy season runs from May through September. In 2019, massive bushfires devastated the island, and half of the land burned. Scientists estimate that 40 percent of the island’s kangaroo population was destroyed, along with forty thousand koalas. However, since the fires ended in 2020, the recovery process has been constant. The flora and fauna of the island has returned and the Western River Refuge has helped increase the population of some threatened species. The refuge, founded in 2021, is just one of the island’s conservation efforts. Tourism groups have also joined to aid in the conservation and island rebuilding efforts.

The island’s 318 miles of coastline make it an attractive spot for visitors. Penneshaw, one of the island’s four main towns, is where the main ferries arrive. The beach is known as Hog Bay, a nod to the pigs that were released there by Baudin. The area is also a popular place to view the little penguin colony. The Penguin Interpretive Centre offers nightly tours to see the tiny birds. The island’s three other major towns include American River, Parndana, and Kingscote, the latter being the largest town on the island and the site of the island’s only airport. Kingscote is also South Australia’s oldest European settlement. The island’s economy has also become known for its grapes, honey, and meat. The successful grape industry has led to approximately twelve wineries on the island.

Bibliography

“Early European History of Kangaroo Island.” Tour Kangaroo Island, www.tourkangarooisland.com.au/visit/general-information/european-history-of-kangaroo-island. Accessed 13 Aug. 2023.

“Guide to Kangaroo Island.” Australia.com, 2023, www.australia.com/en-us/places/adelaide-and-surrounds/guide-to-kangaroo-island.html. Accessed 13 Aug. 2023.

“History and Heritage.” Authentic Kangaroo Island, 2023, authentickangarooisland.com.au/our-kangaroo-island/history-and-heritage/. Accessed 13 Aug. 2023.

“Kangaroo Island Facts.” Kangaroo Island Australia, kangarooisland-australia.com/about-kangaroo-island/kangaroo-island-facts/. Accessed 13 Aug. 2023.

Smith, Jen Rose. “World’s Greatest Places 2023: Kangaroo Island, Australia,” Time, 16 Mar. 2023, time.com/collection/worlds-greatest-places-2023/6261762/kangaroo-island-australia/. Accessed 13 Aug. 2023.