Cleft Island (Victoria) Explained

Cleft Island
Sobriquet:Skull Rock
Map:Australia Victoria South Gippsland Shire
Location:Bass Strait
Coordinates:-39.1575°N 146.295°W
Length M:300
Width M:200
Country:Australia
Country Admin Divisions Title:State
Country Admin Divisions:Victoria

Cleft Island, also known as Skull Rock, is a small, rugged, granite island in the Anser group of islands to the south-west of Wilsons Promontory, Victoria, Australia.

The island is within Wilsons Promontory National Park. The surrounding waters to the mean high-water mark are within Wilsons Promontory Marine National Park. It is part of the Wilsons Promontory Islands Important Bird Area, identified as such by BirdLife International because of its importance for breeding seabirds.[1]

It is partially hollowed out by ancient waves, creating a cave wide and tall.[2]

Only 9 people have ventured into the cavern, finding "old cannon balls left by passing ships practicing their aim". Adventurers had to land on the top of the rock by helicopter, then they shimmied down ropes to gain entrance to the cave. The Australian defence force have been blamed for the other holes in the rock, being used for target practice in the past.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Important Bird Areas factsheet: Corner Inlet . 2017 . BirdLife International.
  2. Web site: Neil Oliver shares new Coast stories and goes places few others have ever ventured. January 11, 2015. 14 September 2017.