Penguin

PENGUIN ISLAND

Penguin Island lies 42 Km (26 miles) south of Perth off the coast of Rockingham. Whalers and sealers were known to use the island in the 1800's. A man by the name of Seaforth McKenzie was the first person to live on Penguin Island. He lived there from about 1914 to 1926 and tried to turn the island into a resort. He hollowed out caves in the islands limestone for people to stay in while visiting the island. These caves still exist today and are used by the many visitors to the island. In 1987 the Australian Department of Conservation and Land Management bought out the lease on the island and turned it into a conservation park. They have done a fantastic job of preserving this island as a natural habitat for the many birds and animals that live on the island. They have constructed "The Penguin Experience" as an information and educational facility about the penguins that inhabit the island.

Penguin Island gets its name from the Little Penguin or Fairy Penguin that inhabit the island. There are about 600 breeding pairs of Fairy Penguins on the island. They nest from about June to September, during which time no visitors are allowed on the island. There are also many other forms of wildlife on the island which I was lucky enough to photograph some. I spent the afternoon on the island with some good friends and took many pictures of the ocean, limestone formations, and wildlife. I am going to share a few of the pictures with you now. There are alot of photos and I hope you enjoy them all.

Penguin Island from the ferry

Fairy Penguins for which the island is named

The following photos are just some of the limestone structures that can be found on the island. They have been formed over the years from wind and surf.