The Wonders of Macquarie Island

By ALEX WHITE

Mercury

• May 24, 2015

King penguins stand tall and proud as they survey their frozen realm on Macquarie Island. Picture: JASON EDWARDS

 

Juvenile elephant seals share the beach at Green Gorge. Picture: JASON EDWARDS

 

THOUSANDS of kilometres from the nearest city traffic jam, the wild residents of Macquarie Island have a congestion problem of their own. The black and white birds pack the rocky shores and squawk to be heard above the rabble. It is breeding time on the 34km animal sanctuary in the Southern Ocean, and real estate is in short supply.

More than a million penguins march happily up and down the beaches busily preparing their young for the final dash to the sea. The inquisitive king penguins — the smaller cousin of the emperor penguins — are the friendliest birds on the island.

 

More than 950,00 birds pack the beach at Green Gorge, but despite the crowding they merrily waddle after any human visitor, trilling incessantly. “Macca”, as the island is commonly known, is a heritage-listed area 1500km southeast of Tasmania.

It remains one of Australia’s most remote and protected islands. To bird enthusiasts, also known as Twitchers, it is the penguin Mecca. Four different species breed throughout the year, including the shy gentoos and the yellow feather-headed royals and rockhoppers.

A Royal penguin preening its partner at Bauer Bay. Picture: JASON EDWARDS

 

Temperatures drop as low as -5C, and gale-force winds batter the island almost constantly. But the pecking pack seem unbothered by the sub­antarctic conditions. Lining the penguin colonies are the 4m elephant seals that also call the island home.

Any approach prompts an angry growl from the gnarled trunks of these huge beasts. But they are rarely disturbed — fewer than 1000 tourists make the trek across the Southern Ocean to visit the tiny island.

Tasmania Parks and Wildlife former ranger-in-charge Chris Howard says tourism is welcome, and he urged more adventurous Aussies to make the trip.

After living on the island for two years, patrolling solo and hosting intrepid travellers, Mr Howard says it remains a mysterious place. “Most people don’t know much about it. It might sound corny in a way to say it, but it is a privilege to work on the island,” he says. “People wait a lifetime to get to here.”

A hungry skua scavenges for a meal at Green Gorge. Picture: JASON EDWARDS

 

Flick the biosecurity sniffer dog is ready to go to work at Macquarie Island. Picture: JASON EDWARDS

 

But it was only a few years ago that the wild terrain and the exotic animals were under threat.
In 2007 Macca was teeming with more than 100,000 rabbits — originally introduced by seal hunters.
During their 100-year reign they devoured the native grasses, causing mass erosion.
That led to landslides, and tonnes of mud and rock poured on to the beaches killing scores of penguins and seals.

An elephant seal catches up on some much-needed beauty sleep at Bauer Bay. Picture: JASON EDWARDS

 

Australia embarked on the world’s biggest island pest-eradication effort, placing 13 dog handlers and hunters on the ground in the $25 million program.
After covering 94,000km on foot, in 2014 the hunters finally declared the island to be pest-free. Last month, workers returned to remove the remote survival huts used in the project.
These days the only introduced species are 13 human expeditioners plucked from all over Australia.
The tight-knit crew will man the island for the next 12 months before the Aurora Australis arrives next year to take them home.

Alex White was in Macquarie Island as a media guest of Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service and the Australian Antarctic Division.

Green Gorge lit up by an aurora australis, as seen from the ship bearing the same name. Picture: JASON EDWARDS

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