Northumberland Islands
The Northumberland Islands are a scattered island chain off the eastern coast of Queensland, Australia.
Geography and history
The Northumberland Islands are to the south-east of the city of Mackay roughly between the latitudes 21°S and 22°S. All islands are of the continental type. The island group was named by James Cook during his historic voyage along Australia's eastern seaboard in 1770, after the First Duke of Northumberland, Hugh Percy. Both Cook and Matthew Flinders make note of the island group in their journals, Cook describing them as such:In 1855, a botany expedition led by naturalist Frederick Strange visited the islands on his ship Vision. Four of the expedition were killed by Aboriginal people at Middle Percy Island. Those killed were Frederick Strange and his assistant Richard Spinks, William Spurling and Andrew Gittings. Captain Chimmo of the Royal Navy vessel, sailed to the island and conducted an investigation. He decided to take ten of the islanders prisoner. These prisoners, including three women and three children, were sent to Sydney for trial. One child died in custody and the rest were eventually shipped back to Gladstone.
The island group is remote, and apart from charter flights to Marble Island they are accessible only by private yacht.
The Northumberland Islands are further subdivided into smaller groups: the Bedwell Group, Beverley Group, Broad Sound Islands, Duke Islands, Flat Isles, Guardfish Cluster and Percy Isles. The islands are listed below, with the geographical coordinates of the largest islands given. Only the major islands of each group are listed.
Bedwell Group
Name origin: Staff Commander E. P. Bedwell, surveyor- Calliope Island
- Connor Islet
- Innes Island
- George Island
- Poynter Island
Beverley Group
- Beverlac Island
- Digby Island
- Double Island
- Henderson Island
- Hull Island
- Keelan Island
- Knight Island
- Minster Island
- Noel Island
- Prudhoe Island
Broad Sound Islands
- Long Island
- Quail Island
- Tern Island
- Wild Duck Island
Duke Islands
- Alnwick Island
- Bamborough Island
- Cheviot Island
- Hexham Island
- High Peak Island
- Hunter Island
- Iron Islet
- Marble Island
- Otterbourne Island
- Shields Island
- Steep Island
- Tweed Island
- Tynemouth Island
Flat Isles
- Aquila Island
- Avoid Island
- Flock Pigeon Island
- Red Clay Island
Guardfish Cluster
- Bluff Island
- Curlew Island
- Tinonee Peak Island
Percy Isles
- Hotspur Island
- Shrewsbury Rock
- Middle Percy Island
- North East Island
- Pine Islet
- Pine Peak Island
- South Percy Island
- Sphinx Island
- Walter Island