| St Helens Island | |
| Local Name: | --> |
| Nickname: | --> |
| Map: | Australia Tasmania |
| Map Relief: | 1 |
| Coordinates: | -41.3333°N 168°W |
| Location: | Tasman Sea |
| Archipelago: | Waterhouse Island Group |
| Area Ha: | 51 |
| Area M2: | or |
| Area Ha: | --> |
| Length M: | --> |
| Width M: | --> |
| Coastline M: | --> |
| Country: | Australia |
| Country Admin Divisions Title: | State |
| Country Admin Divisions: | Tasmania |
The St Helens Island, part of the Waterhouse Island Group, is a 51ha granite island situated in the Tasman Sea, lying close to the north-eastern coast of Tasmania, Australia.[1]
Other islands in the Waterhouse Group include Ninth, Tenth, Waterhouse, Little Waterhouse, Maclean, Baynes, Foster, Swan, Little Swan, Cygnet and Paddys islands and Bird Rock and George Rocks islets.[1]
Three applications were made to the colonial government in 1841, each for three acres, to operate shore-based whaling stations on the island. It is not clear if all or any of these was taken up.[2]
The island is a conservation area, though it has been burnt in the past and is still subject to severe rabbit grazing.[1] The island forms part of the St Helens Important Bird Area, identified as such by BirdLife International because of its importance as a breeding site for seabirds and waders.[3]
Recorded breeding seabird species are little penguin, short-tailed shearwater, common diving-petrel, white-faced storm-petrel, Pacific gull and silver gull. European rabbits have been introduced. The metallic skink is present.[1]