Macquarie Island

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Macquarie Island is the only place on earth where rocks from the earth's mantle (6 km below the ocean floor) are being actively exposed above sea-level. This makes it an important focus of geological study.

The island lies in the southwest corner of the Pacific Ocean, about half-way between Australia and Antarctica. Fauna found on the island include: Subantarctic Fur Seals, Antarctic Fur Seals, New Zealand Fur Seals and Southern Elephant Seals - over 80,000 individuals of this species. Royal Penguins breed only on this island; King Penguins, Southern Rockhopper Penguins and Gentoo penguins also breed here.

Year	Decision	Comments
1997	Inscribed	Reasons for inscription
1992	Rejected	Interesting geologically but not of Universal Significance. Possibility of a wider nomination possibly with NZ islands?

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• Macquarie Island
• Country: Australia
• Year: 1997
• Natural Heritage
  Criteria:  (7) (8)
• Category: Geological formation, Volcanic / thermal
• Connections: Endemic Bird Species . Named after individual people . Pacific Ocean . Penguins . Recorded discoveries . Rejected, and then inscribed . Southernmost . Uninhabited islands . World Biosphere Reserves .
  
  News and links:
  » Eradicating the cat population on Macquarie has damaged the local environment, allowing rabbits to rapidly reproduce in their absence (13-01-2009).
  » Help is finally on the way for this unique southern outpost. But will it be too late? (02-12-2007).
  » Macquarie's feral cats: a delicate ecological balance (24-02-2007).
  » World Heritage island in Australia threatened by rabbits and rats (22-10-2006).
  
  
  
  

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