Australia

Heard and McDonald Islands

WHS Score 3.08
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4.0

  • Roman Bruehwiler

Heard Island and McDonald Islands are uninhabited, barren islands located in the Southern Ocean, with a complete absence of alien plants and animals, as well as human impact.

The islands have been territories of Australia since 1947, and contain the only two active volcanoes in Australian territory, one of which, Mawson Peak, is the highest Australian mountain. The volcanoes are covered by snow and glaciers. The islands furthermore see major breeding populations of seals, petrels, albatrosses and penguins.

Community Perspective: this site has been unreviewed so far.

Site Info

Official Information
Full Name
Heard and McDonald Islands (ID: 577)
Country
Australia
Status
Inscribed 1997 Site history
History of Heard and McDonald Islands
1991: Referred
Bureau - 1st ever sub-Antarctic nomination. Uniqueness c.f. other such islands not clear. Not sure if it meets criteria
1997: Inscribed
Inscribed
WHS Type
Natural
Criteria
  • viii
  • ix
Links
UNESCO
whc.unesco.org
All Links
UNESCO.org
Related Resources

Community Information

  • Community Category
  • Natural landscape: Volcanic
Travel Information
Takes more than 5 days to visit
One thousand visitors or fewer
One thousand visitors or fewer
DD : “There have been no recent commercial tourism visits (2015 - 2020) but …
Recent Connections
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Connections of Heard and McDonald Islands
Geography
  • Uninhabited islands
    Never inhabited
  • Indian Ocean
  • World's Highest Topographically isolated summits
    Mawson Peak, Heard Island 30th most isolated (2046/2745)
  • Territorial Highest points
    "Big Ben" the summit of Heard Island 2745m/9006 ft (Mt Kosciuszko on "mainland" Australia is only 2229m/7313ft)
  • Submerged continent
    Kerguelen Plateau
  • Formerly inhabited islands
    "In the sealing period from 1855 to 1880, a number of American sealers spent a year or more on the island, living in appalling conditions in dark smelly huts, also at Oil Barrel Point. At its peak the community consisted of 200 people. " (Wiki)
  • Dependent territories
    The Territory of Heard Island and McDonald Islands is an Australian external territory.
  • Glaciers
    "Over 80 percent of Heard Island is permanently covered by ice, and twelve major glaciers (and several minor) descend from Big Ben....Glaciers that formerly terminated at sea level in 1947 now terminate hundreds of metres inland." and "In 1947, Heard Island's glaciers covered 288 km2 or 79 percent of the island. By 1988 this had decreased by 11 percent to 257 km2. About half of this change occurred during the 1980s" Named glaciers include Gotley (the largest at 13kms long), Brown, Compton, Winston, Stephenson and Baudissin
  • Recently Active Volcanoes
    The main volcano on Heard Island is called Big Ben (with Mawson Peak as the summit). Others are Mt Dixon and Laurens Peninsular. Eruptions were recorded in 2008, 2007, 2006, 2003-04, 2000-01, 1993, 1992, 1985-87, 1954, 1953, 1950-52, 1910. McDonald island erupted 1996-2001, 2004, 2005 and doubled in size between 1980 and 2001
  • Southernmost
    No. 2, at 53?10 S
  • Subantarctic
    53°04′S 73°00′E
Trivia
Ecology
Human Activity
WHS on Other Lists
Timeline
  • Eocene
    The base rock formation in the Heard Island is marine geology formation of middle Eocene to early Oligocene limestones; the volcanic eruptions over lie these formations. (Wiki)
Visiting conditions
  • Takes more than 5 days to visit
    25 day cruise, if it ever runs

    See www.auroraexpeditions.com.au

  • Biosecurity rules for tourists

    See heardisland.antarctica.gov.au

  • One thousand visitors or fewer
    DD : “There have been no recent commercial tourism visits (2015 - 2020) but an unknown number and frequency of visits associated with fisheries inspections and Customs monitoring in EEZ, some of which are known to land on Heard Island.” (IUCN Outlook 2020)
  • Unusual Entry Requirements or Restrictions
    "(a) all clothing, personal gear (such as bags, cameras, back packs) and emergency equipment (such as sleeping bags, ropes) to be taken ashore must be inspected for organisms (including reproductive material), which if found must be removed and destroyed. (b) footwear to be taken ashore must be thoroughly scrubbed to remove all organisms (including reproductive material) which if found must be destroyed, and must be treated with a biocide" (Management Plan - some operators carry "sterile clothing" which has to be worn)
WHS Names
  • Named after individual people
    Captain John Heard, American sealer who sighted the island on 25 November 1853 & Captain William McDonald, who discovered the McDonald Islands close to Heard Island six weeks later, on 4 January 1854
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