Houtman Abrolhos - Knowledge

1049: 687: 937: 53: 2496: 1225: 679: 2825: 2455: 315: 113: 667: 5520: 1882: 83: 1646: 120: 90: 60: 706: 1778: 1495: 442: 2678:, but their island shacks are used as a base during the season. For example, North Island has a seasonal camp for western rock lobster fishers, with individual moorings and simple dwellings. During lobster season, which runs from 15 March to 30 June, the island hosts up to 130 people. The camp is serviced by a carrier boat, the North Islander, which visits the island every three days, bringing supplies and taking out the catch and any domestic waste. 36: 1363:) with warm dry summers and cooler, wet winters. Mean temperatures range from 9.3 to 19.5 °C (48.7 to 67.1 °F) in July, and from 19.1 to 32.4 °C (66.4 to 90.3 °F) in February. These temperatures have a substantially smaller range than on the mainland: the summer temperature is typically a degree cooler, while winter temperatures are a good deal warmer. This is due to the influence of the ocean, and to the Leeuwin Current. 1614:(African boxthorn), which has long spines that can trap birds. This weed was recorded on the islands as early as 1970. Efforts to eradicate it began in 1990; there was a lull in eradication in the late 1990s, but the program was later reinstated, and in July 2007, the Department of Environment and Conservation reported that the species had been eradicated from 14 of the 18 islands on which it had been recorded. Other noxious weeds include 2101: 402: 879: 432: 1252:, to a winter low of around 35.4 ppt. As with water temperatures, the variability in salinity is much smaller than in coastal waters, where summer salinity reaches 36.4 ppt. This difference is partly due to the low-salinity waters of the Leeuwin Current, but there are a number of other factors involved, including high evaporation of coastal waters in summer. 1849:) was introduced onto North Island in the 1970s, presumably with food. In 1995 the house mouse was reported as also present on Rat Island for many years before 1987, but a recent report makes no mention of this. In addition, three introduced mammals were previously established in the Houtman Abrolhos, but have since been eradicated. The 2709:. Only 17 licences have been issued, and no more will be made available, as the saucer scallop is considered fully exploited. Licensees are constrained to operate only during scallop season, which generally runs from 1 April to 30 June, and are also subject to restrictions on gear design, boat size and crew numbers. 2744:

in the Abrolhos. The first recipient of a license was Abrolhos Pearls in 1996. By 2000, another license had been issued and four more applications had been received. A year later, there were 10 square kilometres (3.9 sq mi) licensed for the culture of pearl oysters in the Abrolhos, of which

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The Houtman Abrolhos is unusual in having a luxuriant and diverse living coral reef at such a high latitude. 194 species in 50 genera have been recorded there, all but two of which are tropical. This is a surprisingly high coral diversity, considering the high latitude of the reef, and the relatively

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winter months. In general the Leeuwin Current runs along the shelf break, and thus passes close by the western edge of the Abrolhos. It meanders, sometimes passing well out to sea and sometimes directly through the island chain, bathing it in warm tropical water; Although the direction of the Leeuwin

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In early November 2022, the government published its three-part plan to manage the site in the following 10 years, based on research and community consultation carried out after the preceding two years. Some critics thought that the plan did not encourage land-based tourism to the archipelago enough.

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Only ten species of seagrass have been recorded at the Houtman Abrolhos. Seven of these are temperate species at or near the northern limit of their range; the other three have a tropical distribution. That there are so few tropical species may be due to periods of low sea temperatures, or the small

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to be wrecked on the west coast of Australia. Due to the Ship's Council having made the inexplicable decision to disregard sailing orders and actually seek out the west coast of Australia, the ship ran onto the Half Moon Reef at about 7:30 pm on 9 June 1727. It did not break up immediately, and

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In addition to these winds, there is daily pattern of land breezes in the morning, followed by the onset of south-westerly sea breezes in the afternoon. This pattern is caused by temperature differences between the land and the ocean, and is not as strong in the Houtman Abrolhos as on the mainland,

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Sea temperature at the islands varies according to a diurnal cycle, with the water at its coldest between six and eight in the morning, and at its warmest between three and four in the afternoon. In summer the daily temperature range is around 1 °C (2 °F); in winter it is about half that.

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About two-thirds of the total number of species are tropical in distribution, the remainder being subtropical or warm-temperate. This ratio also holds for the most abundant species, eleven of the sixteen species being tropical. On the other hand, over 70% of tropical species occur in extremely low

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by Europeans, and probably also the first sighting of an Australian mammal. Tammar wallabies were introduced to North Island from East Wallabi Island by fishermen, probably in the 1950s, but failed to establish themselves. In 1987 they were reintroduced again, this time successfully. By the 2000s,

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86% of the rain falls between April and September; on average there are 89 raindays, resulting in 469 millimetres (18.5 in) of rain. The wettest month is June, when over 100 millimetres (3.9 in) typically falls. In contrast, only about 70 millimetres (2.8 in) can be expected to fall

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There is no published information on wave heights in the Abrolhos. In the open ocean, waves are typically a little over two metres high all year round. Nearer the mainland, they are usually less than 1.2 metres (3 ft 11 in), with a calmer period in March and April, and another in October

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Scallop fishers mainly operate east of the Houtman Abrolhos and between the island groups, in waters deeper than 30 metres (98 ft). Activity is targeted at sheltered areas of bare sand, where scallops tend to settle. Catches vary greatly from year to year; from 2001 to 2003, for example, the

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Consistent with this, the Houtman Abrolhos contains a mix of tropical, temperate and west coast endemic fauna, resulting in unusual associations such as the occurrence of tropical corals in close association with temperate macro-algae. The proportions of tropical, temperate and west coast endemic

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It is nearly always windy. During summer a high pressure ridge lies to the south, causing persistent winds from the southeast or southwest, at speeds exceeding 8.7 metres per second (17 kn) almost half the time. During autumn and winter, the ridge moves northwards, increasing the atmospheric

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There is also an annual cycle, with sea temperature varying by a little less than 4 °C (7 °F) over the year, peaking at nearly 24 °C (75 °F) in March, and falling to around 20 °C (68 °F) in September. This variability is much less than in nearby coastal waters, which

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On 10 July the longboat, fitted for a voyage and crewed with eleven men, was sent to Batavia to obtain help. It never arrived there, and nothing is known of its fate. Four months later the castaways began building a 18-metre (60 ft) boat, sufficient to carry all the men and the money chests.

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have been collected there. In the most recent survey, 77 species were collected, of which around half are probably new to science. Only two locations were surveyed in this study, so this figure is likely to represent only a small proportion of the total sponge fauna of the Houtman Abrolhos; the

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for offshore reefs. Additionally, Frederick De Houtman had at least some grasp of Portuguese, having been sent by Amsterdam merchants to Lisbon from 1592 – 1594 with his brother Cornelis to learn about the Portuguese route to the Indies. Frederick also appears to have been a keen

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of the Houtman Abrolhos has been thoroughly surveyed, and species lists have been published for 119 islands. As of 2001, these lists totalled 239 species from 68 families. A further six species have been collected in the Houtman Abrolhos, but cannot be allocated to islands because insufficient

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On the 29th do. deeming ourselves to be in an open sea, we shaped our course north-by-east. At noon we were in 29° 32' S. Lat.; at night about three hours before daybreak, we again unexpectedly came upon a low-lying coast, a level, broken country with reefs all round it. We saw no high land or

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were stranded in the Pelsaert Group for ten months, during which time they lived off seals, seabirds, eggs, and victuals salvaged from the wreck. They obtained some water from rainfall, but were forced to explore throughout the group in search of further supplies. A great many men died on the

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shipwreck killed over 150 sea lions in the Southern Group alone. This has led to a 1727 population estimate of between 290 and 580 animals for the entire Houtman Abrolhos. Populations apparently fell dramatically between the 1840s and the 1880s, largely due to extensive commercial

1865:) has been introduced at various times onto Leo Island, Middle Island, Morley Island, Pelsaert Island and Wooded Island. In the case of Pelsaert Island, it is not clear whether it ever established; in all other cases, established populations have been eradicated by poisoning. The 1168:. At less than 50 metres (160 ft) deep, the shelf is quite shallow. It is also fairly level, the depth increasing to the west at a modest gradient of about 1.3 metres per kilometre (7 ft/mi). About five kilometres (3 mi) to the west of the Houtman Abrolhos lies the 2713:

total annual catch totalled 1,182, 195 and 5,840 tonnes or 2.61, 0.43 and 12.87 million pounds (whole weight) respectively. This variability is apparently related to the strength of the Leeuwin Current, as strong current is correlated with low scallop recruitment.

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biota vary from taxonomic group to group, but in general the biota is dominated by tropical species. This is attributable to the location of the Houtman Abrolhos at the northern limit of the Southwest Shelf Transition, together with the warming influence of the Leeuwin Current.

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reaches a similar peak in summer but drops as low as 18 °C (64 °F) in winter. The relatively low variability in sea temperatures at the Abrolhos is largely attributable to the Leeuwin Current, which bathes the islands in warm tropical water during winter months.

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at the Houtman Abrolhos are small and irregular. There is little tidal data available for the islands, but what there is accords very closely with the data for Geraldton. Geraldton tides follow a diurnal pattern, with maximum tidal ranges of around 1 metre (3 ft).

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is carried out in the Pelsaert Group. Most licenses are over areas of sand, but some areas contain small amounts of coral reef. The colour of the pearls produced is quite different from that of Pacific black pearls, and this is considered a potential marketing tool.

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In Australia, poets and schoolboys, artists and historians, have been inspired for half a century by the tragedy of an ancient shipwreck, a disaster that piled horror upon horror yet revealed so much of human fortitude as to invite comparison with the epic tales of

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Fresh water has always been a significant constraint on any permanent settlement. Aside from the early castaways noted above, the Islands have only had a small seasonal population of fishermen. The present fishermen all have permanent residence elsewhere, mainly in

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linguist, having published the first-known Dutch-Malay and Dutch-Malagasy dictionaries in 1603. He appears to have been fluent-enough in Portuguese that he might have used an evocative Portuguese word if it described the area better than any Dutch word did.

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In 2020 a Western Australian man briefly established the Houtman Abrolhos Micro Nation, based on Uncle Margie Island. The self-declared 'prince' represented himself in the four-day trial in 2023 and relied on a bevy of pseudolegal claims to challenge the

1275:. Mean differences in water temperature between sea surface and sea bed range from only half a degree (Celsius; 1 °F) in summer to almost zero in winter, and differences in salinity are very small even when the Leeuwin Current is at its strongest. 2912:. First published in 1940, this book saw numerous editions published in the 1940s, and was even republished in 1980 as a "West Australian classic". In it, Uren tells both the history of the islands and the story of his own visit to the islands. 1255:

Temperatures can also vary substantially from year to year. Annual mean temperatures vary by as much as 1 °C (2 °F); with cooler years usually cooler throughout the year. There is evidence that annual mean temperatures are related to

2589:, with 172 species having been recorded there. 63% of these are tropical species, 14% are temperate, and 22% are endemic to Western Australia. None is endemic to the Houtman Abrolhos. Published surveys have not included observations of the 833:, for example, claimed that Houtman was in possession of Portuguese maps of the west coast of Australia, and that he named the islands "abrolhos" in accordance with the name on those maps. Charting of the islands was previously credited to 809:, which was discovered and named by Portuguese navigators early in the 16th century. That position is supported by the fact that Houtman was familiar with the Abrolhos Archipelago, having sailed through it in 1598. Others assert that 1215:

associated with the Leeuwin Current. There is limited evidence for some sporadic, localised upwelling in the vicinity of the Abrolhos, but if so it appears to have little effect on the extremely low levels of nutrients in the water.

3130: 1453:. This province is defined as the area of shelf where tropical waters intergrade into temperate, thus supporting both tropical and temperate biota. In addition, this area contains the highest concentration of west coast endemics. 2312:, and this may have affected the survival of young pups. Populations are thought to have been fairly stable for the last fifty years, although the lack of genetic diversity in the smaller population remains of concern, as does 2483:. As a result of this competition for light, space and nutrients, coral at the Houtman Abrolhos tends to grow more slowly and die younger than is usual. Reef production is to a large extent due to the production of carbon by 1079:

discovered a brass gun of about three pounds calibre, an iron swivel on which paint still adhered as well as numerous other artefacts signifying European occupation, on the largest island in the Pelsart Group. The commander,

972:) to get help. A group of the crew who remained on some of the islets terrorised and killed many of the other crew and passengers, including women and children. When Pelsaert returned, a number of the culprits were executed. 2614:

islands are therefore thought to harbour an extremely rich diversity of sponges. A preliminary assessment suggested that there were more temperate species than tropical, which stands in marked contrast to most other groups.

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When numbers of individuals are taken into account, the tropical birds overwhelmingly dominate. The islands are one of the most important breeding sites for tropical seabirds in Australia and have been identified by

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23 terrestrial reptile species are known to occur on the islands of the Houtman Abrolhos. This relatively low biodiversity is apparently due to the homogeneity of habitat on the islands, which provide few distinct

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fishery. It has a small seasonal population of fishermen, and a limited number of tourists are permitted for day trips, but most of the land area is off-limits as a conservation habitat. It is the site of numerous

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areas of suitable habitat at the Abrolhos; alternatively it may be that more collecting effort is needed in habitats that suit tropical species. The seagrass species recorded at the Houtman Abrolhos islands are:

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The islands with the greatest floristic diversity are East and West Wallabi Islands, with 124 and 97 species respectively. 54 species occur in all three island groups. The most widely distributed species are

1830:. Research into the effectiveness of controlling population levels by the use of implanted contraceptives was begun in 2005, but in July 2007 the research was discontinued and the population culled instead. 5347:

Markey, K. L., Abdo, D. A., Evans, S. N., Bosserelle, C. (2016). Keeping it Local: Dispersal Limitations of Coral Larvae to the High Latitude Coral Reefs of the Houtman Abrolhos Islands. PLos ONE 11(1).

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Mean sea levels at Geraldton show seasonal fluctuations, being higher in winter when the Leeuwin Current is at its peak. There are also variations from year to year, which are strongly associated with the

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Erséus, Christer (1997). "Marine Tubificidae (Oligochaeta) from the Montebello and Houtman Abrolhos Islands, Western Australia, with descriptions of twenty-three new species". In Wells, F. E. (ed.).

1179:, so the waters within an island group are mostly shallow. The channels between groups are 40 to 50 metres (130 to 160 ft) deep, so no impediment to the exchange of offshore and inshore waters. 4871:

Glover, Emily A.; Taylor, John D. (1997). "Diversity and distribution of subtidal molluscs from the outer continental shelf, Houtman Abrolhos Islands, Western Australia". In Wells, F. E. (ed.).

4524:(Final report for the Australian Government Department of the Environment and Heritage ed.). Department of Conservation and Land Management, Government of Western Australia. Archived from 1386:

sometimes pass south of Geraldton, generating winter gales with gusts of up to 35 metres per second, the wind direction from the northwest initially, then gradually moving around to southerly.

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Marsh, L. M. (1994). "Echinoderms of the Houtman Abrolhos Islands, Western Australia and their relationship to the Leeuwin Current". In David, B.; Guille, A.; Feral, J.-P.; Roux M. (eds.).

3100: 3138: 2562:(3 species). About two-thirds of the species have a tropical distribution, temperate species account for 20%, and the remaining 11% are endemic to Western Australia. For a full list, see 844:, some of which are alleged to show the west coast of Australia, including an island at the position of the Houtman Abrolhos. That island is unlabelled on most of the Dieppe maps but, on 2577:) is the only commercially important species. This occurs in sheltered areas of medium-fine sand in deep water to the north-east of the reefs; it is usually the dominant species there. 2324: 4679:

Towards an assessment of the natural and human use impacts on the marine environment of the Abrolhos Islands, Volume 1: Summary of existing information and current levels of human use

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Sea lions come ashore to rest on leeward beaches throughout the island chain, but only a small number of these "haulout sites" are used for breeding. Breeding has been observed on

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Houtman thus named the islands using a Portuguese loanword that was current in the Dutch marine terminology of the time. John Forsyth states that the islands are named after the

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At last count, a total of 389 species of fish have been recorded from the Houtman Abrolhos. 16 species occur in very large numbers; in decreasing order of abundance, these are:

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Ninety-five exotic species from 29 families have been recorded. In general, islands that have or had human settlements are the weediest. Of greatest concern is the noxious weed

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Some of the islands are considered to be remnants of the mainland isolated by rising sea level during the last 8,000 to 10,000 years. Others were more recently formed from

1954:) were collected from the Houtman Abrolhos during the Percy Sladen Trust Expedition of 1913 and 1915, but no amphibians have been recorded on the islands since that time. 2816:

wells were drilled in Abrolhos waters in the 1960s and 1970s, but were capped and abandoned. The Abrolhos was amongst the areas released for further exploration in 2002.

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Wells, Fred E.; Bryce, Clay W. (1997). "A preliminary checklist of the marine macromolluscs of the Houtman Abrolhos Islands, Western Australia". In Wells, F. E. (ed.).

3075: 2363:. All but the last three of these are considered current breeding sites, and are therefore considered by the Department of Fisheries to have a high conservation value. 1382:

occurs in the area about once in three years, between January and April; these may generate extremely high wind speeds that are potentially destructive. During winter,

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Marwick, Ben (2002). "An Eocene fossiliferous chert artefact from Beacon Island: first evidence of prehistoric occupation in the Houtman Abrolhos, Western Australia".

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has not been collected on East Wallabi Island since August 1967, and is probably extinct there. The tammar wallaby was seen on West Wallabi Island by survivors of the

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shrubs. The flora is generally the same as the coastal flora of the adjacent mainland, with the exception of the islands' mangrove, saltbush and salt lake vegetation.

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The most northerly group, the Wallabi Group, consists of an island clump about 17 kilometres (11 mi) by 10 kilometres (6 mi), and also takes in the outlying

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islands and had over 40 Malay workers mining and processing the phosphate for export. Over 48,000 tonnes (110 million pounds) was shipped between 1884 and 1896.

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mainland, so that this shoal is to be carefully avoided as very dangerous to ships that wish to touch at this coast. It is fully ten miles in length, lying in 28° 46.

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industry. The Department of Fisheries has identified a number of species as having potential for aquaculture in the Abrolhos, including the Shark Bay pearl oyster (

1191:, which draws warm, low-saline water of tropical origin southwards along the coast of Western Australia. This current flows all year round, but is strongest during 4174: 4146: 4118: 4090: 4062: 3391: 2955: 2040: 2165: 4407: 2117: 4798: 729:

made the first authenticated sighting of what is now Western Australia, and only 13 years after the first authenticated European voyage to Australia by the

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In April 2019 the Houtman Abrolhos became the site of the failure of reportedly one of Australia's biggest drug smuggling operations, worth $ 73 million.

2904:), have also become the subject of books and other works. Other cultural references to the Houtman Abrolhos are rare. By far the best known book on it is 1668:. Most seabird species have a tropical distribution, but some occur in both tropical and warm-temperate seas, and a small number are warm-temperate only. 2141: 2065: 1395: 1986:(Chlorophyta). Both temperate and tropical species are present, in many cases near the northern or southern extent of their range. For a full list, see 5864: 3863: 2125: 1371:

pressure over the islands, resulting in highly variable winds. Winter tends to produce both the strongest gales and the most frequent periods of calm.

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Hutchings, Pat (1997). "The Terebellidae (F. Polychaeta) from the Wallabi Group, Houtman Abrolhos Islands, Western Australia". In Wells, F. E. (ed.).

1464:, and covers the shelf waters surrounding the Houtman Abrolhos, with an area of 6,645 square kilometres (2,566 sq mi). The other bioregion, 3869: 2366:

Little information is available on other marine mammals at the Abrolhos, as no direct research on this subject has been undertaken. Sightings of the

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Brearley, Anne (1997). "Seagrasses and isopod borers from the Wallabi Islands, Houtman Abrolhos Islands, Western Australia". In Wells, F. E. (ed.).

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How, R. A.; Pearson D. J.; Desmond, A.; Maryan, B. (2004). "Reappraisal of the reptiles on the islands of the Houtman Abrolhos, Western Australia".

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Harvey, J. M.; Alford, J. J.; Longman, V. M.; Keighery, G. J. (2001). "A flora and vegetation survey of the Houtman Abrolhos, Western Australia".

3108: 2446:) both live in the waters off the Houtman Abrolhos, albeit in low numbers. Neither species breeds in the area, as water temperatures are too low. 674:' 1550 world map, purportedly showing the north west coast of Australia, with an island labelled "Arenes" at the position of the Houtman Abrolhos. 5474: 2479:

The coral reef community at the Houtman Abrolhos is unusual in having tropical coral growing alongside and in direct competition with, temperate

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The Houtman Abrolhos lies in the Indian Ocean about 60 kilometres (40 mi) off the coast of Western Australia, near the edge of Australia's

2344: 2295:), probably numbering between 75 and 100. Historical data suggests numbers were previously much higher; for example, in 1727, survivors of the 499: 5318: 2745:

about 21% was actually in use, carrying over 210,000 shell. Six licences had been issued by 2002, and by 2007 that number had grown to eight.

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and the passage between the Easter and Pelsart Groups, Zeewijk Channel. Later during the 19th century many islets were used by men collecting

817:'s cry which, like many other Portuguese maritime terms, was taken up by sailors of other nationalities, becoming, by Houtman's time, a Dutch 5869: 5266: 2336: 5443: 4711:

Hutchins, J. Barry (1997). "Recruitment of tropical reef fishes in the Houtman Abrolhos Islands, Western Australia". In Wells, F. E. (ed.).

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in the eastern Indian Ocean, with over a million breeding pairs recorded there in 1994. They also contain Western Australia's only breeding

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Wells, Fred E. (1997). "Introduction to the marine environment of the Houtman Abrolhos Islands, Western Australia". In Wells, F. E. (ed.).

2946:, Australia's longest-running and most popular holiday and travel television programme. They were the subject of a motion picture entitled 1036:"), it was the first ocean-going vessel built in Australian history. On 26 March 1728, the surviving men set sail for Batavia, arriving in 5102: 4571:

Kitchener, D. J.; How, R. A. (1982). "Lizard species in small mainland habitat isolates and islands off south-western Western Australia".

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numbers, so low in fact that they are thought not to maintain breeding populations at the Abrolhos; rather, populations are maintained by

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The Easter Group lies to the southeast of the Wallabi Group, from which it is separated by a 9-kilometre-wide (5.6 mi) channel named

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have been publicly available since then. Based on this and other data, researchers have put together a picture of the Abrolhos' climate.

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Tourists are not allowed to camp, and the conservation designation of the Island group forbids any real expansion in human occupation.

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farm was licensed in 2004, although as of 2007 the license had not been exercised. Interest has also been expressed in the culture of

2382:), are common between April and October, when the whales are migrating. Other marine mammals sometimes sighted at the islands include 5884: 5797: 4677: 4362:

Abbott, I.; Burbidge, A. A. (1995). "The occurrence of mammal species on the islands of Australia: A summary of existing knowledge".

2833: 112: 5292: 5802: 2657: 2563: 1931: 875:, "this suggestion can scarcely be regarded seriously. It certainly does not in any way add to the merit of the Portuguese claim". 256: 5236: 4521:

Introduced mammals on Western Australian islands: Improving Australia's ability to protect its island habitats from feral animals

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The total value of the fishery in 2003 was A$ 19.6 million, although this figure includes a small prawn fishery operating out of

896: 694: 5010: 4197: 2467:, but that name was then applied to virtually any hard coral, and the genus as now circumscribed does not occur in the Abrolhos. 1107:

in 1884. After surveying the area he constructed a plant, stone jetty and tramways on Rat Island, a number of buildings on Rat,

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Interim Marine and Coastal Regionalisation for Australia: an ecosystem-based classification for marine and coastal environments

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According to the surviving historical record, the first sighting of the Houtman Abrolhos by Europeans was in 1619, sailing the

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The story has spawned a massive body of literature, both fiction and non-fiction, as well as numerous works in other media.

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Watson, Jeanette E. (1997). "The hydroid fauna of the Houtman Abrolhos Islands, Western Australia". In Wells, F. E. (ed.).

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Huisman, John M. (1997). "Marine benthic algae of the Houtman Abrolhos Islands, Western Australia". In Wells, F. E. (ed.).

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Revision of the Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia (IBRA) and Development of Version 5.1 – Summary Report

837:, but the notion that Menezes visited Australia is now thoroughly discredited, and no other candidate has been proffered. 705: 82: 5467: 5078: 4525: 4470: 2937: 2328: 1128: 530: 346:. It is the southernmost true coral reef in the Indian Ocean, and one of the highest latitude reef systems in the world. 232: 4651:

Hutchins, J Barry (1997). "Checklist of fishes of the Houtman Abrolhos Islands, Western Australia". In Wells, FE (ed.).

5483: 5184: 5180: 3919: 3160: 894:. They are unlabelled, marked merely as a group of small circles. They are first named in print in Gerritsz' 1627 map 540:, lies the Pelsaert Group, the most southerly true coral reef in the Indian Ocean. The main islands of this group are 5705: 5482: 5399: 4552: 378: 5018:. Fisheries Management Paper No. 137. Department of Fisheries, Government of Western Australia. 2000. Archived from 4782:

Veron, J. E. N.; Marsh, L. M. (1988). "Hermatypic corals of Western Australia: records and annotated species list".

4205:. Fisheries Management Paper No. 220. Department of Fisheries, Government of Western Australia. 2007. Archived from 513:. It is about 20 by 12 kilometres (12.4 mi × 7.5 mi), and consists of a number of islands, including 4426: 1172:, beyond which the seabed falls away much more steeply, averaging around 50 metres per kilometre (260 ft/mi). 541: 489: 4685:. Fisheries Research Report No 134. Department of Fisheries, Government of Western Australia. 2002. Archived from 4307:

Fuller, P. J.; Burbidge, A. A.; Owens, R. (1994). "Breeding seabirds of the Houtman Abrolhos, Western Australia".

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Pearce, AF (1997). "The Leeuwin Current and the Houtman Abrolhos Islands, Western Australia". In Wells, FE (ed.).

2923:. The latter, a book of interviews and portraits of the people of the Abrolhos, won the Special Award in the 1999 2849:

and deep sea fishing in the world, along with some of Australia's most significant historical sights, such as the

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Three classes of storm have been identified for the region. Brief squalls may occur between December and April. A

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that the Portuguese name is evidence that the islands were charted by Portuguese navigators in the 16th century.

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Storr, Glen (1965). "The physiography, vegetation and vertebrate fauna of the Wallabi Group, Houtman Abrolhos".

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The majority of cultural references to the Houtman Abrolhos relate to the islands' shipwrecks, particularly the

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Waite, A. M.; Thompson, P; et al. (2007). "The Leeuwin Current and its eddies: An introductory overview".

3424: 1916: 1749: 1232:

for the Houtman Abrolhos and the adjacent coast in 1994, showing the Houtman Abrolhos to be much less variable.

596: 445:

Aerial photograph of the southern half of North Island, looking westwards and showing the seasonal fishing camp

4338:. Fisheries Management Paper No. 151. Department of Fisheries, Government of Western Australia. October 2003. 4277: 4726:

Abbott, Ian. "The past and present distribution and status of sea lions and fur seals in Western Australia".

4387: 3037: 1886: 1744: 1540: 1489: 1411: 627: 514: 319: 3877: 3280: 1048: 5792: 2983: 2108:, pictured here at the Great Barrier Reef, is one of the most abundant fish species at the Houtman Abrolhos 1450: 1197: 886:

Setting aside the Portuguese claims, the Houtman Abrolhos first appear on a map in 1622, on a little-known

343: 1296:(ENSO) cycle. Apparently, ENSO events induce a weaker Leeuwin Current, which results in lower sea levels. 5435: 5358: 4766: 1826:

there were over 400 wallabies on the island, resulting in overgrazing of native vegetation and increased

1579: 1325: 4262:

Storr, G. M.; Johnstone, R. E.; Griffin, P. (1986). "Birds of the Houtman Abholhos, Western Australia".

3575: 766:, making the Houtman Abrolhos one of only two Australian places with a Portuguese name, the other being 3552:

Richardson, W. A. R. "Is Jave La Grande Australia? The Linguistic Evidence concerning the West Coast".

2656:. 92% of the species attach to temperate algae, the others to coral rubble. For a list of species, see 1434: 961: 912: 686: 5394:. Coast Care (Program). Fremantle: Australian National Centre of Excellence for Maritime Archaeology. 5859: 5812: 3723: 3243: 3070: 1910: 1317: 1104: 790:("open your eyes", i.e. to protect yourself). As a technical term this phytonym was later applied to 619: 480:

14 kilometres (9 mi) to the north-west. The main islands of the Wallabi Group are North Island,

431: 273: 5293:"Charter operator and self-declared island 'prince' says no to lawyer, bail during court appearance" 457:

off the west coast of Australia, about 80 kilometres (50 mi) west of Geraldton in the state of

3677: 2881: 2590: 2508: 2133: 2072: 1697: 1446: 936: 840:

The primary piece of evidence used to support the claim of Portuguese priority is the 16th century

744: 714: 2910:

Sailormen's ghosts: The Abrolhos islands in three hundred years of romance, history, and adventure

2831:

dives on a coral reef at the Houtman Abrolhos, during shooting for the Australian television show

1004:

was launched on that day, and the crew and stores were thereafter gradually transferred to nearby

5745: 5509: 5440: 5213: 3873: 3531:

Forsyth, John (1957). "Visit of the yacht Grootenbroeck to the coast of the South-land in 1631".

1733: 1681: 1460:

Under IMCRA, the Southwest Shelf Transition divides into two meso-scale bioregions. One is named

767: 709:

Detail of "Caert van't Landt van d'Eendracht", showing features labelled "Fr. Houtman's abrolhos"

5484:

Australian places named by Dutch navigators, explorers and cartographers in the Age of Discovery

1224: 950:

In 1629, some of the islands were the scene of an infamous shipwreck and mutiny. The Dutch ship

798:), i.e. "spiked obstructions", and Portuguese sailors used the word to refer to offshore reefs. 5113: 2741: 2383: 2263: 2189: 1944: 1673: 1664:. Six species are land birds, and three are shore birds. The remainder, the vast majority, are 1589: 1383: 4753:. Fisheries Research Report No. 148. Department of Fisheries, Government of Western Australia. 2597:), but individuals have occasionally been observed there. For a complete list of species, see 2495: 678: 5491: 3962:. Environment Australia, Department of the Environment, Australian Government. Archived from 3898: 3859: 3367:"Long-awaited Abrolhos Islands management plan 'disappointing' for Midwest tourism advocates" 2824: 2504: 2237: 2015: 2008: 1622: 1534: 1499: 1352: 1309: 1248:. There is a clear seasonal variation, with values ranging from a summer high of around 35.7 1205: 1081: 1057: 2542:

have been recorded from the shallow waters of the Houtman Abrolhos. These are predominantly

743:, as it was Houtman who later wrote about the discovery in a letter to the directors of the 5726: 3833: 3759: 3533: 2862:

Although an important tourist destination, the tourists are not allowed to stay overnight.

2690: 2519: 2500: 2458: 2375: 2257: 2221: 2173: 1950: 1403: 1345: 802: 736: 368:, which was wrecked in 1629 (followed by massacre of over 100 survivors by mutineers), and 354: 20: 4686: 353:

breeding sites, and the centre of Western Australia's largest single-species fishery, the

8: 5640: 5549: 5519: 4381:

Cooper, N.K.; How, R.A.; Desmond, A. (2006). "Probable local extinction of the Bush Rat,

2942: 2872: 2855: 2461:

painted these corals while visiting the Houtman Abrolhos in 1894. He referred to them as

2304:

in the area. In addition to direct killing of the animals, it is likely that much of the

2288: 2267:(coral trout). For a complete list of fish species recorded at the Houtman Abrolhos, see 2157: 2047: 2022: 1922: 1677: 1628: 1610: 1546: 1423: 1192: 951: 941: 931: 853: 763: 666: 494: 485: 481: 363: 4048: 3837: 3390: 2917:

Christmas on the briny: the innocents abroad, or, a holiday trip to the Abrolhos islands

2454: 1914:), both of which are listed as rare and therefore afforded special protection under the 314: 5635: 5564: 5496: 4821: 4713:

The Marine Flora and Fauna of the Houtman Abrolhos Islands, Western Australia, Volume 1

4625:

The marine flora and fauna of the Houtman Abrolhos Islands, Western Australia: Volume 1

4600:

The marine flora and fauna of the Houtman Abrolhos Islands, Western Australia: Volume 1

4160: 4104: 4076: 4028: 4005:

The marine flora and fauna of the Houtman Abrolhos islands, Western Australia, Volume 1

3633:

Western Australia: A history from its discovery to the inauguration of the Commonwealth

2399: 2054: 1857:) was established on Pigeon and Rat Islands, but has been eradicated by poisoning. The 1721: 1601: 1507:, South Australia, is the most widely distributed plant species in the Houtman Abrolhos 1249: 1176: 1124: 957: 690: 249: 5244: 4132: 2950:, published by The Film Centre WA in 1981, and of a piece of classical music entitled 2880:

is one of the most celebrated episodes in Australian popular history; in the words of

650:, as indicated by the discovery on Beacon Island of a flaked stone artefact made from 5737: 5697: 5692: 5619: 5593: 5405: 5395: 5378: 5370: 5074: 5019: 4985: 4960: 4935: 4876: 4851: 4628: 4603: 4416: 4339: 4309: 4206: 3685: 3652: 3631: 3614: 3601: 3557: 3508: 3481: 3461: 3404: 3251: 3216: 2846: 2645: 2439: 2197: 2149: 1904: 1814: 1747:

occurs only on five islands in the Wallabi Group, and is protected as rare under the

1693: 1660:

The Houtman Abrolhos is home to around 100 species of bird; for a complete list, see

1583:, which is rated Priority Two under the Department of Environment and Conservation's 1558: 1356: 1341: 1212: 1165: 1069: 1053: 965: 845: 671: 602: 458: 237: 4825: 1881: 5572: 4813: 4580: 4231: 3926: 3841: 3500: 3270:

Australia 1:100000 Topographic Survey, Map sheet 1640 (Edition 1): Abrolhos Special

2932: 2801:), the western rock lobster, and a number of species of finfish, most of which are 2029: 1899: 1552: 1379: 1061: 834: 830: 795: 2701:

After Shark Bay, the Houtman Abrolhos supports Western Australia's second largest

1873:) is also reported to have been present on East Wallabi Island, but is no longer. 1577:, is no longer considered a priority species. The remaining priority species are 5763: 5684: 5663: 5658: 5601: 5447: 5430: 3906: 2813: 2773: 2484: 2415: 1974:

have been recorded at the Houtman Abrolhos. This figure comprises 178 species of

1858: 1766: 1653: 1616: 1329: 1188: 1112: 891: 882:

Houtman Abrolhos labelled 'Houtman Rocks' on Western Australia state map for 1897

553: 2609:

The sponges of the Houtman Abrolhos are poorly studied, although 109 species of

5732: 5653: 5609: 5580: 5504: 3845: 3594: 3340:"Houtman Abrolhos National Park listed in bid to protect pristine island chain" 3309: 2407: 2367: 2313: 2247: 2181: 1902:. The most significant terrestrial reptile species are the spiny-tailed skink ( 1790: 1782: 1685: 1595: 1512: 1477: 1415: 1337: 1100: 470: 461:. Its 122 islands and associated coral reefs comprise three island groups, the 420: 5319:"'Sovereign citizen' argues his claim as the 'prince' of the Abrolhos Islands" 5267:"How a giant seal helped foil one of Australia's biggest drug smuggling plots" 4817: 2279:

carried to the islands by the Leeuwin Current from populations further north.

5853: 5837: 5554: 5541: 5382: 5374: 4653:

The Marine Flora and Fauna of the Houtman Abrolhos Islands, Western Australia

4343: 4238:. Department of Environment and Conservation, Government of Western Australia 3811:

The Marine Flora and Fauna of the Houtman Abrolhos Islands, Western Australia

3619:(Project Gutenberg of Australia ed.). Amsterdam: Frederik Muller and Co. 3561: 3465: 2802: 2653: 2360: 2356: 1866: 1762: 1758: 1573: 1564: 996: 638:

said that their top priority is preservation of the wildlife on the islands.

522: 518: 462: 406: 177: 164: 5409: 4549: 1926:), a Houtman Abrolhos endemic that is listed as a Priority 4 species by the 1789:

Only two species of land mammal are indigenous to the Houtman Abrolhos, the

5755: 5627: 5188: 3168: 2905: 2717: 2649: 2626: 2431: 2332: 2301: 1834: 1822: 1729: 1725: 1713: 1709: 1705: 1701: 1689: 1407: 1264: 1037: 869: 564:. A great many ships have been wrecked in the Pelsaert Group, most notably 526: 466: 454: 413: 339: 150: 5830:

Notes: with the name still in use in either original or Anglicised version

5112:. Department of Fisheries, Government of Western Australia. Archived from 3478:

Houtman to Managers of the East India Company, October 7, 1619; quoted in

2740:

The Department of Fisheries have issued a number of licences to cultivate

1753:. Also gazetted as rare, the Australasian subspecies of the lesser noddy, 758: 5585: 5054:. Department of the Environment and Heritage, Australian Government. 2005 4336:

Inventory of the Land Conservation Values of the Houtman Abrolhos Islands

3636:(Project Gutenberg of Australia ed.). Oxford at the Clarendon Press. 2919:, Deborah Lisson's 1991 The Devil's Own, and Alison Louise Wright's 1998 2842: 2828: 2786: 2778: 2752: 2634: 2630: 2618: 2586: 2105: 1983: 1979: 1842: 1777: 1645: 1571:

As of 2001, five species of priority flora occurred on the islands. One,

1410:

significance of the islands is their isolation, allowing them to provide

1272: 1169: 841: 726: 450: 342:

off the west coast of Australia about 80 kilometres (50 mi) west of

296: 5208: 1494: 968:. Pelsaert and some of his crew set off in an open boat to Batavia (now 940:

A 1647 engraving showing the Beacon Island massacre of survivors of the

441: 5536: 5528: 4415:. Department of the Environment and Heritage, Government of Australia. 4261: 3726:. A Narrative of her Past. Together With Biographies of Her Leading Men 2622: 2610: 2551: 2515: 2352: 1717: 1516:

location information was recorded. There have also been collections of

1333: 1201: 1108: 1085: 1073: 1005: 575: 335: 4584: 1528:, but no information has been published on these non-vascular groups. 1056:

published a chart of "The Houtman Rocks", based on the 1840 survey of

904:. On a map produced by Gerritsz the following year, they are labelled 381:

with no municipal government, subject to direct administration of the

35: 5750: 5361:(1991). "The Abrolhos coral reefs – history and present management". 5051:

Assessment of the Abrolhos Islands and Mid West Trawl Managed Fishery

4306: 4169: 4141: 4113: 4085: 4057: 2850: 2764: 2707:

Abrolhos Islands and Mid West Trawl Limited Entry Fishery Notice 1993

2675: 2648:

species have been collected at the Houtman Abrolhos. 34 of these are

2559: 2543: 2463: 1975: 1850: 1268: 818: 359: 5436:

Fisheries Western Australia – Exploring the Houtman Abrolhos Islands

4982:

The marine flora and fauna of the Houtman Abrolhos Islands, Volume 2

4957:

The marine flora and fauna of the Houtman Abrolhos Islands, Volume 2

4932:

The marine flora and fauna of the Houtman Abrolhos Islands, Volume 2

4873:

The marine flora and fauna of the Houtman Abrolhos Islands, Volume 2

4848:

The marine flora and fauna of the Houtman Abrolhos Islands, Volume 2

2100: 5718: 4285: 4199:

Management of the Houtman Abrolhos System: A Draft Review 2007–2017

3483:

The part borne by the Dutch in the discovery of Australia 1606–1765

3317: 2768: 2527: 2305: 1805:). Both are native only to West and East Wallabi Islands, although 1798: 1521: 1504: 1245: 1229: 1001: 887: 786:). Etymologically it is a contraction of the Portuguese expression 771: 647: 401: 4747:

Historical distribution and abundance of the Australian sea lion (

3486:(Project Gutenberg of Australia ed.). London: Luzac & Co. 2693:

fishery, the largest single-species fishery in Western Australia.

2530:

were recorded there by the Percy Sladen Trust Expedition of 1916.

614:

The islands are a part of Western Australia. They are part of the

2760: 2547: 2539: 2480: 1968: 1827: 1665: 1538:(nitre bush), which has been recorded on 106 islands; the exotic 1442: 1313: 1009: 990: 984: 969: 814: 791: 731: 566: 369: 350: 5139:"Batavia Discovery 50th Anniversary | Western Australian Museum" 4409:

Great Southern Land: The maritime exploration of Terra Australis

4380: 3813:. Vol. 1. Perth: Western Australian Museum. pp. 11–46. 3197:. Department of Maritime Archaeology, Western Australian Museum. 1211:

Unlike most other major ocean currents, there is no large-scale

1008:. Later, the men landed ten chests of money, containing 315,836 778:

means 'thorn', and originally designated the spiny fruit of the

4870: 4799:"Primary Productivity of Reef-Building Crutose Coralline Algae" 3931:. Western Australia: Department of Environment and Conservation 2555: 2309: 1737: 1525: 1476:

The vegetation of the Houtman Abrolhos islands is dominated by

1021: 806: 779: 651: 503: 3131:"Great Circle Distance between GERALDTON and HOUTMAN ABROLHOS" 1000:

the heavy swell made evacuation impossible until 18 June. The

878: 5163:

Wood, Thomas (1940). "Introduction". In Uren, Malcolm (ed.).

3137:. Geoscience Australia, Australian Government. Archived from 2954:, written by William Stewart in 1988 under commission to the 2749: 2621:

identified at the Houtman Abrolhos include 22 species of the

2276: 1971: 1743:

There are two subspecies of bird endemic to the islands. The

1720:. In addition, they contain important breeding areas for the 1187:

The Houtman Abrolhos lies almost directly in the path of the

1148: 1096: 1089: 1033: 655: 4845: 3403:. Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions. 1433:

In marine terms, the Houtman Abrolhos is located within the

1398:(IBRA), the islands of the Houtman Abrolhos fall within the 4911:

Fromont, J. (1999). "Demosponges of the Houtman Abrolhos".

4781: 2967:

Department of Primary Industries & Regional Development

2391: 1833:

Two introduced mammals are established on the islands. The

1649: 1517: 1284: 1267:

is generally well-mixed, with no evidence of a significant

4655:. Vol. 1. Western Australian Museum. pp. 239–53. 4570: 3920:"Geraldton Sandplains 2 (GS2 – Geraldton Hills subregion)" 3397:

Houtman Abrolhos Islands National Park: Management Plan 97

1439:

Integrated Marine and Coastal Regionalisation of Australia

5181:"Western Australian Premier's Book Awards – 1999 Winners" 4361: 3430:

Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development

636:

Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development

4175: