Macquarie Island

On the way between Australia and Antarctica, as a result of the collision of two lithospheric plates, part of an underwater ridge was carried to the surface of the earth. This is how Macquarie Island was formed in the form of a thin elongated strip of land. It is 35 km long and only 5 km wide. It belongs to the state of Tasmania and belongs to Australia. By the way, this is where the southernmost point of this country is located.

History of discovery

The first person to set foot on this island was Frederick Hasselborough, a St. John's wort and traveler from Sydney. A traveler and his team discovered the island in 1810. It was named after the Governor of Macquarie, who at that time ruled the British colony, which was this territory in the early 19th century. Later, 10 years later, the island was visited by a Russian expedition led by Bellingshausen, who collected the first collection of flora and fauna of these picturesque places. Bellingshausen also compiled the first Macquarie map.

The island's climate

The winter here is quite mild, the temperature does not drop below 2-3 degrees, but the summer is cold. The mark on the thermometer does not even reach +10 degrees. It is very humid on the island and it is constantly raining. Strong winds are also the norm here. Such conditions proved to be very comfortable for many species of animals and plants.

Flora and fauna of Macquarie Island

There are a lot of seals and penguins on Macquarie. There are as many as four types of second ones here. All of them occupy a large part of the coastal zone, and scientists often observe how animals bask against each other, gathering in groups. There are a lot of different birds here. But the story of Macquarie's jumping parrot is quite deplorable. The fact is that the population of this parrot died out due to the importation of cats and rabbits to the island. It is known that cats were first brought here, around the beginning of the 19th century, and only later rabbits settled here with the help of humans. Researchers are still struggling with the problem of the rapid increase in the number of both. It turned out to be a vicious circle. Getting rid of the rabbits, the cats begin to hunt the island's rare birds. Fighting against cats, rabbits multiply at great speed and destroy Macquarie cabbage plantations. This struggle has been going on for more than a hundred years. The plants here are mostly herbaceous due to the harsh climate.

There is no permanent resident population on the island, which is why there is no organized tourist destination. However, scientists often work here. So, in 1911, the scientific research station of the Australian Antarctic Service was opened on the island. It regularly hosts and employs 25-40 researchers. There are no planes flying to the island, and it is impossible to get here by helicopter. The sea route is the only way to get to Macquarie. It will take about three days to sail to your destination. Ships sail to the island from Hobart, the capital of Tasmania. But there are no ships going to Macquarie specifically. Only with an expedition to Antarctica can you come here. Macquarie Island has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997.