Snake Island (Victoria)

Snake Island, a 35-square-kilometre (14 sq mi) sand island, the largest island in Corner Inlet, is located in the Gippsland region of Victoria, Australia. Snake Island lies within the Nooramunga Marine and Coastal Park and is part of a complex of barrier islands that protect a large marine embayment from the pounding waves of Bass Strait.

As the island is remote and relatively unspoilt it is popular for bushwalkers and many tracks criss cross the island. Care must be taken on the oceanic beaches as they have rapidly changing tides. A diverse range of flora and fauna makes the island particularly interesting for naturalists.

History

Snake Island is part of the traditional territory of the Brataualung clan of the Gunai people, who named it "Negima". As well as being a place of refuge, it was used as a nuptial island for young couples. Since the 1880s the island has been used by South Gippsland farmers to agist cattle in winter, swimming their stock over a narrow channel at low tide.^[1]

Flora and fauna

The vegetation communities of Snake Island include woodland, scrubland, heath, freshwater swamps, mangroves and salt marsh.

Mammals found on the island include the native eastern grey kangaroo, swamp wallaby, koala and swamp antechinus, as well as the introduced hog deer. There are many birds present, including the eastern ground parrot. Large numbers of migratory waders roost along the coast after feeding on the inlet's extensive intertidal mudflats.^[1]

References

1 2 Park Notes: Snake Island Camping Guide

External links

Snake Island camping

Islands of Victoria, Australia

Islands off Gippsland and the Wilsons Promontory	Anser Boundary Citadel Cleft Cliffy Dannevig Gabo Great Glennie Kanowna McHugh Norman Notch Rabbit Rabbit Rock Rag Seal Shellback Tullaberga Wattle Wilsons Promontory Islands Important Bird Area Wilsons Promontory Marine National Park

Islands within Corner Inlet	Bennison Bullock Calf Clonmel Corner Cyril Dog Doughboy Drum East Scrubby Granite Horn Hunter Little Dog Little Snake Long One Tree Pelican Rescue Roberts Saint Margaret Scrubby Shag Sheep Snake Spec Sunday Corner Inlet Marine National Park

Islands within Western Port	Barrallier Chinaman Churchill Elizabeth French Joe Long Middle Spit Pelican Phillip Quail Ram Reef Seal Rocks Sandstone Schnapper Rock Tortoise Head Bank Churchill Island Marine National Park French Island Marine National Park Phillip Island Important Bird Area Phillip Island Nature Park

Islands within Port Phillip	Duck Mud Pope's Eye South Channel Fort Swan Port Phillip Heads Marine National Park

Islands within Bass Strait and the Great Australian Bight	Griffiths Lady Julia Percy Lawrence Rocks Middle

River islands	Beveridge Coode Gateway Herring Pental Raymond Rotamah The Island Ulupna

Category Commons

Coordinates: 38°45′S 146°33′E / 38.750°S 146.550°E / -38.750; 146.550

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