{{Short description|Island in Western Australia}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}} {{Use Australian English|date=August 2019}} {{Infobox islands | name = Browse | native name = <!-- or local name to remove the "native name:" prefix --> | sobriquet = <!-- or nickname --> | image_name = ISS056-E-195592 - View of Western Australia.jpg | image_size = | image_caption = Satellite image of Browse Island taken in 2011 by ISS Expedition 29 | image_alt = | map = Western Australia | image_map = {{maplink |frame=yes |plain=yes |frame-align=center |frame-width=220 |frame-height=220 |text=Browse Island |zoom=14 |type=shape |stroke-colour=#C60C30 |stroke-width=3 }} | location = Timor Sea | coordinates = {{coord|14|06|32|S|123|32|57|E|display=inline,title}} | archipelago = | total islands = | major islands = | area ha = | area footnotes = | rank = | length km = | length footnotes = | width km = | width footnotes = | coastline km = | coastline footnotes = | elevation m = | elevation footnotes = | highest mount = <!-- name --> | Country heading = | country = Australia | country admin divisions title = | country admin divisions = | country admin divisions title 1 = | country admin divisions 1 = | demonym = | population = 0 | population as of = | density km2 = | density footnotes = | ethnic groups = | website = | additional info = }} '''Browse Island''' is a small, approximately {{convert|14|ha|acre|0|adj=on}}, uninhabited island lying in the Timor Sea about {{convert|180|km|abbr=on}} north-west of the Kimberley coast of north-western Australia. It is a Western Australian Nature Reserve that is classed as 'Not Class A'{{efn|Also listed as 'Class C', an outdated classification.<ref name=spa>{{cite book |title=Status Performance Assessment: Biodiversity Conservation of Western Australian Islands. Phase II – Kimberley Islands. Final Report. |author=Anon |year=2010 |publisher=Conservation Commission of Western Australia |url=http://conservation.wa.gov.au/media/8919/final%20version_14april2010.pdf |access-date=2013-12-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180314234512/https://www.conservation.wa.gov.au/media/8919/final%20version_14april2010.pdf |archive-date=2018-03-14 |url-status=dead }}</ref>}} vested with the state Conservation Commission and managed by the Department of Environment and Conservation.<ref name=spa /><ref name=caswell>{{cite web |url=http://www.nopsema.gov.au/assets/epsummaries/EP-Summary-PGS-Caswell-multi-client-3D-Seismic-survey.pdf |title=Caswell MC3D Marine Seismic Survey Environment Plan: Public Summary |accessdate=3 December 2013 |first= |last= |publisher=National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority |date= |archive-date=24 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160324025207/http://nopsema.gov.au/assets/epsummaries/EP-Summary-PGS-Caswell-multi-client-3D-Seismic-survey.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> It is considered Western Australia's most remote island,<ref>{{Citation |last=Moro |first=Dorian |title=Browse Island: A journey to Western Australia's most remote nature reserve |date= |work=Landscope |pages=22-27 |year= |url=https://library.dbca.wa.gov.au/static/Journals/080052/080052-34.014.pdf |access-date= |publisher= |last2=Palmer |first2=Russel |last3=Greatwich |first3=Bruce |last4=Dickinson |first4=Ruth |last5=Anderson |first5=Hannah |author-link= |author2-link=}}.</ref> and is also one of the most remote Australian islands to not fall under external territory status.

==Environment==

===Fauna=== The island is an important nesting site for green turtles as well as seabirds. Introduced house mice are present. It is surrounded by extensive coral reefs. The waters around the island are a site of upwelling associated with concentrations of tropical krill, and there have been unconfirmed reports of humpback whales feeding there.<ref name=spa/><ref name=caswell/>

===Human impact=== The island was mined for guano from 1870 to 1890.<ref name=LHWA/> There are nine historic shipwrecks around the island, including one which is listed on the Register of the National Estate. There is a helipad which is used by the oil and gas industry. The surrounding waters are visited by Indonesian fishers, as the island lies in the MOU 74 Box area allowing traditional Indonesian fishing activities within the Australian Fishing Zone.<ref name=spa/><ref name=caswell/>

It is rumoured the island was used during World War 2 by the American Navy.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Sheppard |first1=Bob |title=The mysterious stone lines and mounds on Browse Island |url=https://heritagedetection.wordpress.com/2017/02/11/the-mysterious-stone-lines-and-mounds-on-browse-island-1/ |website=wordpress.com |publisher=Wordpress |access-date=7 April 2021}}</ref>

An acetylene-powered lighthouse was constructed on the southern end of the island in 1945; it was converted to solar power in 1985.<ref name=LHWA>{{cite web|url=http://members.upnaway.com/~obees/lights/kimberley/browse.html|title=Browse Island - Admiralty Reference # 1642|year=2012|accessdate=3 August 2014|publisher=Lighthouses of Western Australia|archive-date=7 December 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221207170307/http://members.upnaway.com/~obees/lights/kimberley/browse.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The liquid natural gas production platform ''Ichthys Explorer'' is located near the island. It is the world's largest semi-submersible platform.

==Notes and references== {{Notelist}} {{reflist}}

==External links== * [http://www.navegar-es-preciso.com/news/arrecifes-e-islas-australianas-en-el-mar-de-timor/ Arrecifes e islas australianas en el Mar de Timor] (Spanish)

Category:Islands of the Kimberley (Western Australia) Category:Protected areas of Western Australia Category:Uninhabited islands of Australia