Mewstone
Mewstone is an unpopulated island, composed of muscovite granite, located close to the south coast of Tasmania, Australia. The 13.1 ha island has steep cliffs and a small flat summit and is part of the Pedra Branca group, lying 12 km southeast of Maatsuyker Island, and 22 km off the south coast of Tasmania. Mewstone comprises part of the Southwest National Park and the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Site.
The highest point of the island is approximately 150 m above sea level. Mewstone has abundant bird life and has been identified by BirdLife International as an Important Bird Area (IBA) because it supports over 1% of the world populations of shy albatrosses and fairy prions.
In 1642 it was described by Abel Tasman, who said it "resembles a lion". In 1773 it was named by Tobias Furneaux in HMS Adventure (1771). It is likely that Mewstone was named after the Great Mew Stone, an island about 8 km south-southeast of Furneaux's birthplace in Plymouth, United Kingdom. The Great Mewstone got its name from the old English name for the herring gull; mew.
Although it is sometimes referred to as Mewstone Island or The Mewstone, its official name is simply Mewstone.
The highest point of the island is approximately 150 m above sea level. Mewstone has abundant bird life and has been identified by BirdLife International as an Important Bird Area (IBA) because it supports over 1% of the world populations of shy albatrosses and fairy prions.
In 1642 it was described by Abel Tasman, who said it "resembles a lion". In 1773 it was named by Tobias Furneaux in HMS Adventure (1771). It is likely that Mewstone was named after the Great Mew Stone, an island about 8 km south-southeast of Furneaux's birthplace in Plymouth, United Kingdom. The Great Mewstone got its name from the old English name for the herring gull; mew.
Although it is sometimes referred to as Mewstone Island or The Mewstone, its official name is simply Mewstone.
Map - Mewstone
Map
Country - Australia
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The ancestors of Aboriginal Australians began arriving from south east Asia approximately 65,000 years ago, during the last ice age. Arriving by sea, they settled the continent and had formed approximately 250 distinct language groups by the time of European settlement, maintaining some of the longest known continuing artistic and religious traditions in the world. Australia's written history commenced with the European maritime exploration of Australia. The Dutch navigator Willem Janszoon was the first known European to reach Australia, in 1606. In 1770, the British explorer James Cook mapped and claimed the east coast of Australia for Great Britain, and the First Fleet of British ships arrived at Sydney in 1788 to establish the penal colony of New South Wales. The European population grew in subsequent decades, and by the end of the 1850s gold rush, most of the continent had been explored by European settlers and an additional five self-governing British colonies established. Democratic parliaments were gradually established through the 19th century, culminating with a vote for the federation of the six colonies and foundation of the Commonwealth of Australia on 1 January 1901. Australia has since maintained a stable liberal democratic political system and wealthy market economy.
Currency / Language
ISO | Currency | Symbol | Significant figures |
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AUD | Australian dollar | $ | 2 |
ISO | Language |
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EN | English language |