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Flinders, Bass, Martin, Big and Rocky
adopted 26 hectares.

the Gerringong volcanics, the Dapto-saddleback
the bombo from the Broughton
the last glacial, as would the shallow shelf

an isthmus between higher plateaux
very little soil…………………………..“blowouts”
disappearing.

pool, rock, kelp (tho’ not terrestrial) and bare sand.
freshwater to a depth of 1.5 metres
a soak which flows
……………………………….and high pools filled by spray.

rock, lichen on rock, boulders, mosses and liverworts.
white correa and coast rosemary.

sooty, wedge-tailed, short-tailed, crested and white-faced,
gulls (silver and kelp)
terrestrial, shore and sea.

populations shifting
between high water
and the leopard seal (Hydrurga leptonyx),
which are known to
haul-out from time to time.

mollusc (1), insects, arachnids, crustacea (terrestrial and in-pool), and 1 oligochaeta (earth worm).

evidence of Aboriginal use
passing 1770 Cook couldn’t distinguish
1796 Bass and Flinders with the boy William Martin.

then
settlers
cattle and rabbits
sharks for their oil
Perkins’ house.
introduced trampling.
buffalo, mirror, crowsfoot, coastal morning glory and kikuyu
known springs and soaks
litter,
particularly discarded fishing lines, nets, plastics and oil spills
goats to 1917,
prickly pear to 1938,
rabbits to the late 60s.
bitou bush still.
1925 a mining lease
1988 a research hut
feral animals especially cats or rats
and given the difficulty

all in accordance
with the plan.

Image: Big Island on a grey day, showing the rehabilitated areas (lighter grey) in the foreground. Adapted from Five Islands Nature Reserve Plan of Management, NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, October 2005. Part of series on Port Kembla NSW.