Current view: Text account
Site description (2008 baseline):
Site location and context
This IBA consists of the whole Maatsuyker group of islands, which about 10 km off Red Point in Southwest National Park, Tasmania. The IBA includes De Witt Island, Maatsuyker Island, Ile du Golfe, Hen Island, Flat Top Island, Round Top Island, Louisa Island, Walker Island, Flat Witch Island and Needle Rocks, but excludes Chicken Island. The islands selected for inclusion are largely undisturbed rocky islands with natural vegetation which varies from grass through forbs and ferns to
Leptospermum-dominated scrub and eucalypt woodlands, depending on the degree of exposure: De Witt Island (515 ha, densely wooded with a 354 m summit), Maatsuyker Island itself (186 ha, well-known for its lighthouse and meteorology station, a
Leptospermum-dominated island with weeds and other remnants of previous occupation and a 278m summit), Ile du Golfe (68 ha, scrubby limestone ridge), Hen (8 ha, pristine island), Flat Top (1.6 ha, with a short herby plateau surrounded by cliffs), Round Top (6 ha, pristine steep rocky island), Louisa (23 ha, wooded island separated from mainland by 250 m sand spit), Walker (15 ha, with stunted scrub) and Flat Witch (64 ha, shrubby) Islands and Needle Rocks (a series of rocks off Maatsuyker, five with birds, totalling 10 ha).
More than 50 species have been recorded in the island group including thousands of pairs of Common Diving-Petrel (8660 pairs estimated on Round Top, 1000 pairs estimated on Flat Top), 2900 pairs of Little Penguin, 17 pairs of Pacific Gull, 10 pairs of Sooty Oystercatcher and five pairs of Hooded Plover at Louisa Island (White 1981) and probably many more across the IBA; Swift Parrot and Wedge-tailed Eagle have been recorded at De Witt Island; Peregrine Falcon at Ile du Golfe, De Witt and Maatsuyker Islands; and Orange-bellied Parrot and Grey Goshawk at Maatsuyker Island. Lewin's Rail was commonly heard by White (1981) at Louisa Island in 1977, and there are records from Maatsuyker and Flat Witch Islands. At least six pairs of Soft-plumaged Petrel at Maatsuyker Island, and possibly overlooked on other islands are possibly the critically endangered subspecies
deceptornis; this species otherwise only occurs within Australia on Macquarie Island. Very small numbers of Sooty Shearwater nest amongst the Short-tailed Shearwater. Five pairs of Hooded Plover were reported on Louisa Island by White (1981). Strong-billed Honeyeater was common on De Witt Island in 1977 (White 1981).
Non-bird biodiversity: Metallic Skink, Three-lined Skink, Tasmanian Tree Skink, Long-nosed Potoroo, Tasmanian Pademelon, Swamp Rat. More than 2000 Australian Fur Seals, mostly at Walker and Maatsuyker Islands and Needle Rocks; 130-140 New Zealand Fur Seal pups and small numbers of Southern Elephant Seal annually at Maatsuyker Island. Eastern Pygmy Possums on Little Witch and De Witt Islands. New Zealand Fur Seals breed on Little Witch. De Witt Island is dominated by eucalypt forest, and White (1981a) recorded 56 plant species despite deliberate burning of bird rookeries by fishermen.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
Review the status and impact of weeds. Investigate the impacts of human visitation, including servicing the light and weather stations, and consider regulation. Investigate the impacts of commercial and recreational fishing, and consider regulation.
Conservation responses/actions for key biodiversity
The Maatsuyker Island Management Plan proposes the removal of blackberries and other weeds, and the retrieval and maintenance of historical artefacts. Continued surveys of the central ridge of Walker Island are essential to monitor the change in size and structure of seal colonies and the reduction in breeding habitat for burrowing seabirds. Friends of Maatsuyker Island group are working to remove weeds such as
Hebe from the island.
Small part of the very large Southwest National Park (World Heritage Area).
Tasmanian State Government
Site access / Land-owner requests
Access is discouraged to protect nesting seabirds. Permission to visit should be sought from DPIW.
The nomination was prepared by Peter Britton. Rachael Alderman and Rosemary Gales of DPIW kindly commented on the nomination.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Maatsuyker Island Group (Australia). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/maatsuyker-island-group-iba-australia on 27/12/2024.
