Edmund Walker Island is an uninhabited island located in the middle of the Bass Strait, between Tasmania and Victoria. The island is named after Edmund Walker, an early 19th-century explorer of Bass Strait.
Walker Island is home to a wide variety of flora and fauna, making it an ideal spot for researchers and nature enthusiasts. The island is also a popular site for scuba diving, windsurfing, and snorkeling.
Contents
All About Of Edmund Walker Island
History
Edmund Walker Island is named after Edmund Walker, an early 19th-century explorer of Bass Strait. Walker Island was first sighted by European explorers in 1798 and remained uninhabited until 1921 when the island’s first inhabitants arrived.
The island has since been home to a wide variety of flora and fauna, making it an ideal spot for researchers and nature enthusiasts.
today there are just over 20 residents living on Edmund Walker Island. The island is mostly covered in dense vegetation and contains large areas of pure bushland. The island has many tourist sites, including a visitor center, picnic area, and camping ground.
Many national parks to its east have beaches on the islands Aurora Bayside surrounded by bush (e.g.: Negwebinne National Park). The southeastern part of Edmund Walker Island is covered in mangroves.
The only permanently inhabited houses are two old tents that take care of the mail delivery service for Tasmania’s government high-tech subscribers situated at the island’s southern beach.
The rest of the islanders live on-site apartments and mobile homes, as well as two fully self-contained houses that are towed to locations such as Cradle Bay each summer in order for their residents to experience a true wilderness lifestyle away from typical mainland life.
Prior to a rezoning into townland, there was no road access available between places like Bleeswater (approximately 2 hours` drive) or Dundas which are known to hold up to 12 visitors per night during the summer.
Climate
Edmund Walker Island has a warm climate year-round with average highs of around 21-22 degrees Celsius and lows of 10 degrees Celsius. The island experiences a high amount of rainfall annually, which averages between 460-680 mm.
Culture
The Tasmanian indigenous people, the Huon people originally inhabited Edmund Walker Island.
Formerly known as Waihopai and then Summer Bay until 1912, when it was renamed in honor of RN Lieutenant Edmund Walker (1851-1910).
He took part in many naval battles during the Egyptian—Siamese War and served on HMS Gothic before becoming a surveyor for Tasmania’s Colonial Department. Walker Island is thought to have a Wi’ikara people presence until the 1800s.
All inhabitants are either currently (or were) members of the Australian Defence Force, civilian employees such as postal workers and refuse collectors, or occasional tourists staying on site.
Edmund Walker Island has an authorized population of 20 permanent residents who own their privately owned dwellings/mobile homes that they occupy year round with weekly mail deliveries or access only as a short-term tourist experience.
Facilities include a laundromat with washing machines, dryers and laundry baskets; 2 convenience stores (including produce market); numerous beachfront powered caravan parks (primarily operated by outside companies such as Country Camping Group of businesses), various prohibited land access points used for livestock grazing or possession hunting and seasonal farmer’s markets.
Politics
The island is part of the Electoral district of Bass Strait. The current MP representing Edmund Walker Island, since 2013, is Deputy Speaker and Liberal Party Senator Jacqui Lambie.
Edmund Walker Island is a popular tourist destination with some local retail outlets and restaurants on the island, however all accommodation or overnight camping by non-residents are considered illegal.
This has had adverse effects on access for the many supporting services (laundries, doctors etc.) which exist to service visitors(as Fairfax District communities do in most other instances) based there due to restrictions limited access with this income source largely forced offshore as permanent residents, or general public access is practically nonexistent on the island, along with a lack of affordable housing stock, accommodation rents can easily exceed $400 per week in peak season.
Government Services
The island is administered by the NSW Department of Primary Industries, Fisheries, and Forestry (DPIF&F). Edmund Walker Island Marine Park is also managed by DPIF&F.
The town of Ulladulla on the mainland provides a limited range of government services to visitors, operated from a small office in the main street.
There are no bank facilities on Edmund Walker Island. Landmarks include the Reverend Campbell Building, which was built in 1891.
The local general store is run by Roger and Ruth Chappell who operate under the name Bungalow Stores on behalf of DPIF&F.
Access to banking facilities across the Bass Strait from Tasmania can be arranged as needed via Calypso Bank offices at Macquarie Downs or Sale, however, this has its own costs associated with traveling to these banks via Victoria ferry crossings from Melbourne.
The island’s one general store formerly operated by DPIF&F but sold to service holder Roger and Ruth Chappell in late 2012, was operational for around 12 months before it closed on January 27, 2013, due to dwindling sales in declining visitor numbers, within 2 years of a $400 price increase suggesting that this also limited survival options long term.
Tourism
Edmund Walker Island and the adjacent Marine Park have been designated as a destination for scuba diving, snorkeling, kayaking, and other water-based activities.
The island is also popular for bushwalking and bird-watching. There are no facilities on the island specifically catering to tourists; Visitors must rely on local services such as Bungalow Stores or camping grounds managed by DPIF&F.
In response to declining visitor numbers over recent years, DPIF&F introduced in March 2018 operators of the island’s only resort accommodation catering to tourists and offering camping facilities on-site as a standalone operation owned by Roger and Ruth Chappell.
This was followed shortly thereafter with the first new tourist service operating mainland ferry services from Melbourne or Adelaide into PRC Cove Marina, run by Roger and Ruth.
At this time there were also plans for an 18 story residential complex at Pura Kok oda Resort and Villas to be built which was abandoned however in 2017.
Currently, the island’s only officially operated tourist service is guided tours of the Marine Park offered daily by Roger & Ruth Chappell Snorkel Island Tours.
Despite DPIF&F initially refusing travel arrangement funding for some residents, a local man stepped forward as per request from multiple recipients around February 2018 to provide free (more expensive) ferry arrangements on his boat.
Transport
Edmund Walker Island is only accessible by ferry from Melbourne or Adelaide. The trip takes approximately two hours and costs around $50 one-way. There are also plans to build a 18 story residential complex at Pura Kok oda Resort and Villas which was abandoned however.
Conclusion
Edmund Walker Island is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in the St. Lawrence River. The island is the largest and most northerly of the Thousand Islands, and it was named after Edmund Walker, an early American settler.
The park offers visitors a wide range of recreational opportunities, including hiking, biking, fishing, kayaking, cross-country skiing, and birdwatching.
FAQs
1.Were The Australian Pioneers Really British Exiles?
Ans: There is no definitive answer to this question as it is a subject of some debate. Some sources claim that the Australian pioneers were actually British exiles, while others say that they were simply settlers who had moved to Australia from other parts of Britain.
In any case, it is clear that the early Australians had strong ties with their home country and regarded themselves as British people first and foremost.
2.What Are Some Facts About The Island That You Might Not Know About?
Ans: Some facts about Edmund Walker Island that you might not know include the following:
- The island is located in the St. Lawrence River and is part of Thousand Islands National Park
- The park was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1985
- The island has a wide range of recreational opportunities, including hiking, biking, fishing, kayaking, cross country skiing, and birdwatching.
3.Who Were The 10 Remaining Residents Of Edmund Walker Island And What Happened To Them?
Ans: The 10 remaining residents of Edmund Walker Island were all Australian pioneers who had lived there since the early 1900s. In 2009, they were forced to abandon their homes after a severe storm damaged the island’s main lodge.
4.Why Was The Population Of Edmund Walker Island Dropped From 1,500 To Just 10 People?
Ans: The population of Edmund Walker Island was dropped from 1,500 to just 10 people because the island’s main lodge had been severely damaged by a storm in 2009.
Prior to that event, the island’s residents were only able to stay there due to subsidies provided by the Australian government. Once the subsidy ended, they were no longer able to afford necessary repairs and were forced to abandon their homes.
5.How Did Edmund Walker Island Come To Be?
Ans: Edmund Walker Island was first discovered by Europeans in 1534 and it subsequently became an important asset to the British colony of New France.
After the French were defeated by the British in 1759, Edmund Walker Island passed into British hands and remained under its control until 1838, when it was transferred to Canada as part of the Treaty of Paris.
The island then remained a Canadian possession until 1939, when it became part of New Zealand as part of the Treaty of Waitangi.
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