King Island Australia

King Island Australia is near Tasmania. 

It is a fantastic little island in the Bass Straight north of Tasmania in southern Australia. It has got a population of 1500 and is mostly known for its cheeses, seafood, mineral water, kelp and beef. But there are also a lot of shipwrecks, wildlife and sheelite deposits, and some beautiful bays and beaches.



By Don Fuchs. ©Tourism Tasmania. All Rights Reserved

Currie
The biggest town on the island is Currie on the western coast of the island. Currie has the island’s only post office, a lighthouse, a population of 800, and a nice harbour and a beach. Just north of Currie you can visit the island’s wind farm.


By Don Fuchs. ©Tourism Tasmania. All Rights Reserved

Cheeses of King Island Australia
Further north from Currie is the King island Diary, internationally renown for its cream and cheeses. They produce a wide range of cheeses like Brie, Camembert, Cheddar, Blue, Crème Fraiche, Pure Cream, Ricotta and Mascarpone. You can sample all those cheeses in the King Island Dairy's Fromagerie Tasting Room, and of course, buy some cheeses. 


By Don Fuchs. ©Tourism Tasmania. All Rights Reserved

Animals on the Island
Further north there is the Reekara Wildlife Sanctuary, where you can see the island’s animals. There is a lot of wildlife on the island. Some are typical Australian animals such as platypus, echidna and different species of birds of prey, snakes and possums. Others are not found on most of the mainland Australia, such as Bennett’s Wallabies, Tasmanian Pademelons, and the rare Orange-bellied Parrot.


By Nick Osborne. ©Tourism
Tasmania. All Rights Reserved

Northern King Island Destinations
North of the Reekara Wildlife Sanctuary is the small township of Reekara, and further north are Yambacoona, Egg Lagoon and Lavinia Nature Reserve – the largest one of the island (6400 hectares). There are two lakes - Pennys Lagoon and Lake Martha Lavinia; and two beaches – Lavinia Beach and Nine Mile Beach. There is also some wildlife, and plants like beautiful orchids, and some wet and dry heath vegetation that once covered large parts of the island. Furthest north on the island is Cape Wickham, with Cape Wickham Lighthouse and a shipwreck off the coast. The island is surrounded by numerous shipwrecks.


By Don Fuchs. ©Tourism Tasmania.
All Rights Reserved

Eastern King Island Destinations
In the eastern parts of the island are Sea Elephant Bay, Naracoopa, and further south are Yarra Creek and Grassy – a township that started off as a mining town where the world’s largest sheelite deposits were found here. Since the mining stopped, things have been quiet but there is a supermarket, a butchery, some eateries and accommodation. And if you like animals, there are natural penguin rookeries on the coast of Grassy.


By Dennis Harding. ©Tourism Tasmania. All Rights Reserved

Southern King Island Destinations
South of Grassy are a few shipwrecks, Seal Bay and the southernmost point of the island, Stokes Point. On the western side of Stokes Point is Surprise Bay, another shipwreck, and Seal Rocks State Reserve – an area of about 800 hectares with native vegetation and walking tracks, the beautiful Seal Rocks, and in the southern part of it is the Calcified Forest. There are tour operators that can show you around here, and they also offer fishing and diving trips.


By Dennis Harding. ©Tourism Tasmania.
All Rights Reserved.

Seafood
The island’s climate is perfect for oysters, crayfish, giant crabs, lobsters and all sorts of yummy seafood to grow, and the island is very famous for it. Even the bakery makes crayfish pies! The island is also known for its beef. Cattle can graze all year around thanks to the perfect climate, and the beef is consequently perfectly organic. There is also heaps of fish to catch around the island.

A nice place to stay on the island is Naracoopa Holiday Cottages.


Here's a King Island map where I have tagged the places that I mentioned on this web page. You can click on the tags to see what places they are, and double-click anywhere on the map to zoom it in and see the places closer. Drag the map to move around, and if you want to see the satellite image with Google Earth, click on "Sat" in the top right hand corner.

 
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