Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
0
5 mi
Investigator
I n v e s t i g a t o r
SOUTH
AUSTRALIA
SOUTH
AUSTRALIA
0
5 km
Barossa
Valley
Barossa
Valley
Stokes
Bay
Stokes
Bay
Lathami
Conservation
Park
Lathami
Conservation
Park
ADELAIDE
ADELAIDE
Stokes Bay
Stokes Bay
KANGAROO
ISLAND
Cape
Borda
Cape
Borda
Parndana
Wildlife Park
Parndana
Wildlife Park
d
d
Parndana
Parndana
Edwards
Lagoon
Edwards
Lagoon
Flinders Chase
National Park
Flinders Chase
National Park
Vennachar
Point
Vennachar
Point
Rocky
River
Rocky
River
Karatta
Karatta
Vivonne Bay
Vivonne Bay
Vivonne
Bay
Vivonne
Bay
Kelly Hill Caves
Conservation Park
Kelly Hill Caves
Conservation Park
Seal Bay
Conservation Park
Seal Bay
Conservation Park
Maupertuis
Bay
Maupertuis
Bay
Hanson
Bay
Hanson
Bay
Cape
Bouguer
Cape
Bouguer
Admiral's
Arch
Admiral's
Arch
Remarkable
Rocks
Remarkable
Rocks
Cape du
Couedic
Cape du
Couedic
SOUTHERN OCEAN
SOUTHERN OCEAN
scrubland, dense eucalyptus forests, rugged coastal scenery, gorgeous beaches,
caves, lagoons, and blackwater swamps. The effect of 150 years of European col-
onization has taken its toll, though. In South Australia as a whole, some 27 mam-
mal, 5 bird, 1 reptile, and 30 plant species have become extinct since the state
was discovered by the English seafarer Matthew Flinders in 1802.
The island's history is a harsh one. Aborigines inhabited the island as early as
10,000 years ago but abandoned it for unexplained reasons. In the 19th century
it was settled by pirates, mutineers, deserters from English, French, and Ameri-
can ships, and escaped convicts from the eastern colonies. Sealers also arrived
and took a heavy toll on the seal and sea lion population—in just 1 year, 1803
to 1804, they managed to kill more than 20,000 of these animals. Between 1802
and 1836, Aboriginal women from both the mainland and Tasmania were kid-
napped, brought to Kangaroo Island, and forced to work catching and skinning
seals, kangaroos, and wallabies, and lugging salt from the salt mines.
In 1836, Kangaroo Island became the first place in South Australia to be offi-
cially settled. The state's capital was Kingscote, until it was abandoned a couple
of years later in favor of Adelaide. In spite of its early settlement, Kangaroo
Island had very few residents until after World War II, when returned soldiers
set up farms here. Today, more than a million sheep are raised on the island. The
island also acts as an official bee sanctuary to protect the genetic purity of the
Ligurian bee, introduced in 1881, and it is believed to be the only place in the
world where this strain of bee survives.
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