Betsey Island

{{Short description|Island in Tasmania, Australia}} {{Infobox islands | name = Betsey Island | native_name = Temeteletta | native_name_link = | native_name_lang = | sobriquet =  | image_name = Eudyptula novaehollandiae family exiting burrow.jpg | image_size = | image_caption = Betsey Island is an important breeding site for [[little penguins]] | image_alt = | image_map = | image_map_alt = | image_map_size = | image_map_caption = | pushpin_map = Tasmania | pushpin_label = | pushpin_label_position = | pushpin_map_alt = | pushpin_relief = | pushpin_map_caption = | coordinates = {{coord|43|03|S|147|29|E|display=title, inline}} | etymology = | location = River Derwent | grid_reference =  | archipelago = | waterbody = | total_islands = | major_islands = | area_km2 =  | area_footnotes = | rank = | length_km =  | length_footnotes = | width_km =  | width_footnotes = | coastline_km =  | coastline_footnotes = | elevation_m = | elevation_footnotes = | highest_mount = | country = Australia | country_admin_divisions_title = State | country_admin_divisions = Tasmania | country_admin_divisions_title_1 = | country_admin_divisions_1 = | country_admin_divisions_title_2 = | country_admin_divisions_2 = | country_capital_type = | country_capital = | country_largest_city_type = | country_largest_city = | country_capital_and_largest_city = | country_largest_city_population = | country_leader_title = | country_leader_name = | country_area_km2 =  | country1 = | country1_admin_divisions_title = | country1_admin_divisions = | country1_admin_divisions_title_1 = | country1_admin_divisions_1 = | country1_capital_type = | country1_capital = | country1_largest_city_type = | country1_largest_city = | country1_capital_and_largest_city = | country1_largest_city_population = | country1_leader_title = | country1_leader_name = | country1_area_km2 =  | demonym = | population = | population_as_of = | population_footnotes = | population_rank = | population_rank_max = | density_km2 = | density_rank = | density_footnotes = | languages = | ethnic_groups = | timezone1 = | utc_offset1 = | timezone1_DST = | utc_offset1_DST = | website = | additional_info = | footnotes = }} {{Use Australian English|date=August 2019}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}

'''Betsey Island''', along with the adjacent Little Betsey Island and Betsey Reef, forms a [[nature reserve]] with an area of 176 [[hectare|ha]] in south-eastern Australia. They are part of the Betsey Island Group, lying close to the south-eastern coast of [[Tasmania]] around the entrance to the [[River Derwent (Tasmania)|River Derwent]]. It is classified as an [[Important Bird Area]] by [[BirdLife International]]; it is an important site for [[little penguin]]s with an estimated 15,000 pairs breeding there,<ref name=Brothers2001>Brothers, Nigel; Pemberton, David; Pryor, Helen; & Halley, Vanessa. (2001). ''Tasmania's Offshore Islands: seabirds and other natural features''. Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery: Hobart. {{ISBN|0-7246-4816-X}}</ref> [[short-tailed shearwater]]s (130,000-170,000 nesting burrows), and [[black-faced cormorant]]s (over 200 breeding pairs).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.birdata.com.au/iba.vm |title=IBA: Betsey Island |accessdate=2011-05-18 |work=Birdata |first= |last= |publisher=Birds Australia |date= |archive-date=6 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706102341/http://www.birdata.com.au/iba.vm |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Name== The Aboriginal name of the island is '''''Temeteletta'''''.<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://eprints.utas.edu.au/19369/1/1-1859-Dialects-Aboriginal-Tribes-Tasmania.pdf |title=On the dialects and languages of the Aboriginal Tribes of Tasmania, and on their manners and customs |author=Milligan, Joseph |journal=Papers of the Royal Society of Tasmania |year=1858 |page=271 }}</ref>

The island has previously been known as Lady Franklin Island, Franklin Island, Betsy Island and Willaumez Island.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article10303114 |title=HISTORY OF BETSY ISLAND. |newspaper=[[The Mercury (Hobart)|The Mercury]] |location=Hobart, Tasmania |date=14 October 1913 |accessdate=5 January 2016 |page=4 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>

The first European name of the island was 'Bett's Island' after an officer who was on board an early ship exploring the region.<ref>{{Cite news | url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/36644532?searchTerm=%22Bett%27s%20Island%22%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20&searchLimits=exactPhrase=Bett%27s+Island%7canyWords%7cnotWords%7crequestHandler%7cdatefrom=1850-01-01%7cdate=1900-12-31%7cl-advstate=Tasmania%7csortby |title = Hobart Town and the South|pages = 3|newspaper = Launceston Examiner (Tas. : 1842 - 1899)}}</ref> Though an alternate explanation has been that a man called Betts was the original owner: 'The correct name is Betts's Island, the first owner having been a person of the name of Betts. Popular usage has sanctioned a different spelling.' (Cassell's Picturesque Australasia (1889): page 142)<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://access.bl.uk/item/viewer/ark:/81055/vdc_000000012A9E#?c=0&m=0&s=0&cv=0&xywh=-1765%2C-174%2C5681%2C3463 |title = Cassell's Picturesque Australasia. Edited by E. E. M. With ... Illustrations Volume 1. 2}}</ref>

==Flora and fauna== The northern part of the island is dominated by [[Eucalyptus globulus|Tasmanian blue gum]] forest, with the southern part mainly [[Cyperaceae|sedgeland]]. There is [[succulent plant|succulent]] [[salt marsh]] on the west. Problem weeds are [[Paraserianthes lophantha|Cape Leeuwin wattle]] and [[boxthorn]].

Apart from the penguins, shearwaters and cormorants, [[kelp gull]]s and [[white-bellied sea-eagle]]s have nested there. [[European rabbit]]s have been present on the island since 1825. [[Reptile]]s present include the [[she-oak skink]] and [[White's skink]].<ref name=Brothers2001/>

==References== {{reflist}}

[[Category:Islands of Tasmania]] [[Category:Protected areas of Tasmania]] [[Category:Important Bird Areas of Tasmania]] [[Category:Islands of Australia (tenure: nature reserve)]]