King Island
Historically important island famous for its dairy produce
Located approximately 80 km northwest of Tasmania and about 90 km southeast of Cape Otway on the Victorian coast, King Island, with a population of over 2 500, is one of Australia's undiscovered island retreats. Windswept, rainy (it has an annual rainfall of over 1000 mm), rugged and attractive it boasts over 145 km of untouched coastline, an estimated 57 offshore wrecks (a legacy of the dangers of trying to cross and pass through Bass Strait in inclement weather) and a wide and unusual variety of seabirds and wildlife.

This is not a tiny island. It is some 58 km long and 21 km wide and has a total area of 126 000 ha. Before the arrival of Europeans the island was richly forested but today it has been cleared for farming and the huge trees have been replaced by low lying scrub and ti-trees.

In recent times King Island has gained an extraordinary reputation for its dairy products. King Island butters, cheeses and creams (particularly clotted cream) have found their way into fashionable suburban delicatessens on the mainland and have become a by-word for dairy quality.

This is just the latest chapter in a long history of agricultural activities on the island. In the late 1790s sealers, often accompanied by Aboriginal women who they had taken into slavery, were attracted to the lonely island. Within a decade they decimated the island's population of seals and sea elephants.

The island was first sighted by Captain Campbell in 1797 and later that year Captain Reid sailed the Martha along the coast at the southern end of the island.

In the early years of the nineteenth century a number of explorers passed the island. In 1801 Captain John Black, the commander of the Harbinger, sheltered near two small islands which he named the New Year Isles. He then sailed on and named the larger island after Governor King. In January 1802 John Murray, captain of the Lady Nelson, surveyed the coastline and later that year a surveyor, Charles Grimes, walked across the island.

In 1802, as part of a concerted effort to keep the French from establishing a base on Australian territory, Lieutenant Robbins was sent to formally take British possession of the island. The incident, which occurred near the present site of Naracoopa, was notable for the fact that it was done while the French explorer, Nicholas Baudin, was moored offshore. Robbins, in his haste to beat the Frenchman, raised the Union Jack upside down. It is claimed that Baudin, amused and annoyed by the absurdity of the incident, observed that the flag looked as though 'it was hanging out to dry'. Before sailing off Baudin tartly remarked that he had 'no intention of annexing a country already inhabited by savages'.

The first leases on the island were taken up in the 1830s and the first permanent European settlers arrived on the island in 1855. For the 50 years after 1830 the population of the island was tiny. Most of the settlers did not prosper. Conditions were harsh and lonely. However, slowly they established the agricultural base - beef and dairy cattle and sheep for both wool and fattened lambs - which is still the mainstay of the island's economy.

Although the island had only a small population it became quite famous during the nineteenth century because it was the site of numerous shipwrecks. In fact the wreck of the Cataraqui in 1845 resulted in the loss of 406 lives, one of the worst maritime disasters in Australian history. The incident is recalled in the naming of Cataraqui Point at the south end of Fitzmaurice Bay.

In an attempt to prevent such shipwrecks no fewer than five lighthouses were built around the island's coastline. The most important lighthouse was built at Cape Wickham in 1861. Granite was quarried nearby and the stones were hauled to the top of the hill on a horse-driven tramway. It was a suitable, if somewhat ghoulish irony, that while constructing the lighthouse skeletons, thought to be survivors from the Neva which had been wrecked on the coast in 1835, were found in the area.

In total there have been 57 shipwrecks along the island's coasts. The unreliability of the weather is Bass Strait was obviously the main factor. It is still possible for skindivers to explore the wrecks of the Neva (1835), Cataraqui (1845), Netherby (1866), British Admiral (1874) and Blencathra (1875).

The island's population expanded dramatically after J. Brown carried out an extensive survey in 1887. The island was opened up to settlement and a number of families, who still live on the island today, took up holdings.

In 1904 scheeite, Australia's chief source of tungsten, was discovered and, with the advent of war, it was first mined in 1917. It was initially mined by the open-cut method but subsequently two underground mines were established at Grassy which today is little more than a company mining town dominated by the mining giant, Peko Wallsend.

Soldier settlements were established on the island after both the world wars thus giving the island's population an important boost. In 1911 there were only 766 people on the island. A total of 50 soldier settler farms were established after World War I, Although the soldiers were each given 60 ha and £625, most were unable to survive the Depression in the 1930s.

The soldier settlement after World War II was more carefully conceived. The CSIRO advised settlers on soil enrichment programs, a total of 161 farms were developed right across the island at Egg Lagoon, Reekara, Yarra Creek, Pegarah and near Mount Stanley. With the settlers came an infrastructure of roads and small settlements which did much to improve the island's facilities.

In the 1970s rutile and zircon were mined on the island's east coast beaches.

Things to see:  

Reid Rocks Nature Reserve
The establishment of reserves on the island, notably Reid Rocks Nature Reserve, has led to the reestablishment of much of the native fauna. The island has, once again, become a breeding ground for seals and sea elephants and this, in turn, has attracted small numbers of nature loving tourists to the area.

Other Attractions
Today the island can be reached by air or the roll-on, roll-off cargo vessel which runs from Stanley to Melbourne via the island. The main tourist appeal of the island is its loneliness and isolation. It is ideal for people eager to explore lonely beaches and walk around rugged coastline. The waters around the island offer good fishing and the beaches offer unique challenges for experienced surfers.

Visitors to the island should get a copy of the free brochure Let's talk about King Island which provides details about the tiny townships and locates petrol and takeaway shops on the island.

	Motels
	King Island Boomerang Motel Golf Club Rd Currie King Island TAS 7256 Telephone: (03) 6462 1288 Rating: ***
	King Island Gem Motel 95 North Rd King Island TAS 7256 Telephone: (03) 6462 1260 Facsimile: (03) 6462 1563 Rating: ***
	Hotels
	Parers Hotel Main St Currie King Island TAS 7256 Telephone: (03) 6462 1633 Rating: ***
	Bed & Breakfast/Guesthouses
	Green Ponds Bed & Breakfast 38 Edward St Currie King Island TAS 7256 Telephone: (03) 6462 2543 Rating: ***
	Rocky Glen Retreat Bed & Breakfast Lovers Lane Naracoopa King Island TAS 7256 Telephone: (03) 6461 1103 Rating: ***
	Apartments
	Bells Holiday Apts 26 Main St Currie King Island TAS 7256 Telephone: (03) 6462 1658 Rating: ***
	Devils Gap Retreat Apt Currie King Island TAS 7256 Telephone: (03) 6462 1180
	Gullhaven Holiday Apt 11 Huxley St Currie King Island TAS 7256 Telephone: (03) 6462 1560 Rating: ***
	King Island Wave Watcher Holiday Apts 18 Beach Rd Currie King Island TAS 7256 Telephone: (03) 6462 1517
	Naracoopa Holiday Apts Naracoopa King Island TAS 7256 Telephone: (03) 6461 1326 Rating: ***
	St Andrews King Island Holiday Apts 1 Nertheby Rd Currie King Island TAS 7256 Telephone: (03) 6462 1490
	Holiday Homes & Units
	King Island A-Frame Holiday Homes North Rd King Island TAS 7256 Telephone: (03) 6462 1260 Rating: ***
	Cottages & Cabins
	Baudins Holiday Accommodation The Esplanade Narracoopa King Island TAS 7256 Telephone: (03) 6461 1110 Rating: ***
	The Cottage Naracoopa King Island TAS 7256 Telephone: (03) 6461 1385
	Farm & Eco Holidays
	Yarra Creek Host Farm Yarra Creek Rd King Island TAS 7256 Telephone: (03) 6461 1276 Rating: ***
	Lodges & Chalets
	King Island Colonial Lodge 13 Main St Currie King Island TAS 7256 Telephone: (03) 6462 1245 Rating: **
	Naracoopa Lodge Fraser Rd Naracoopa King Island TAS 7256 Telephone: (03) 6461 1294
	Caravan Parks
	Bass Caravan Park North Rd King Island TAS 7256 Telephone: (03) 6462 1260 Rating: ***
	King Island Holiday Village Blue Gum Dve Grassy Harbour King Island TAS 7256 Telephone: (03) 6461 1177 Rating: ****
	Restaurants
	King Island Boomerang Motel Restaurant Golf Club Rd King Island TAS 7256 Telephone: (03) 6462 1288
	King Island Coffee Shop Main St Currie King Island TAS 7256 Telephone: (03) 6462 1244
	King Island Nautilus Coffee Lounge & Craft Main St Currie King Island TAS 7256 Telephone: (03) 6462 1868
	Parers Hotel Main St Currie King Island TAS 7256 Telephone: (03) 6462 1633
	The Golden Spoon Bed & Breakfast Restaurant Lovers Lane Naracoopa King Island TAS 7256 Telephone: (03) 6461 1103