{{Short description|Body of water in South Australia}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2014}} {{Use Australian English|date= June 2014}} {{Infobox body of water | name = Investigator Strait | native_name = |pushpin_map=South Australia | native_name_lang = | image = Australia.A2010283.0435.250m.jpg | alt = | caption = Investigator Strait is the body of water between Yorke Peninsula (i.e. the central land mass) and Kangaroo Island | image_bathymetry = | alt_bathymetry = | caption_bathymetry = | location = [[Australia]] | coords = {{coord|-35.4|137.6|dim:200000_region:AU|display=inline,title}} | type = | inflow = | rivers = | outflow = | catchment = | basin_countries = [[Australia]] | agency = | designation = | length = {{convert|135.3|km|mi|abbr=on}}<ref name=B1762>{{cite book|last=Hydrographic Department, Ministry of Defence|title=Gulf of St Vincent and approaches (chart no. 1762)|date=1983}} – reproduced by the Royal Australian Navy Hydrographic Service</ref> | width = {{convert|48|km|mi|abbr=on}}<ref name=B1762/> | area = {{convert|6100|km2|abbr=on}}<ref name=Bye>Bye, J.A.T. (1976): Physical oceanography of Gulf St Vincent and Investigator Strait. In: [[Charles Rowland Twidale|Twidale, C.R.]], Tyler, M.J. & Webb, B.P. (Eds.), ''Natural history of the Adelaide Region''. Royal Society of SA Inc, Adelaide. pp. 143.</ref> | depth = {{convert|34|m|ft|abbr=on}}<ref name=Bye/> | max-depth = {{convert|75|m|ft|abbr=on}}<ref name= Bye /> | volume = | residence_time = | salinity = | shore = | elevation = | frozen = | islands = [[Althorpe Islands|Althorpes]]<br>[[Chinamans Hat Island|Chinamans Hat]]<br>[[Haystack Island|Haystack]]<br>[[Seal Island (Investigator Strait)|Seal]] | sections = | trenches = | benches = | cities = [[Marion Bay, South Australia|Marion Bay]], [[Stenhouse Bay, South Australia|Stenhouse Bay]], [[Cape Jervis]], [[Stokes Bay, South Australia|Stokes Bay]], [[Emu Bay, South Australia|Emu Bay]] | website = | reference = }}
'''Investigator Strait''' is a body of water in [[South Australia]] lying between the [[Yorke Peninsula]], on the [[Australia]]n mainland, and [[Kangaroo Island]]. It was named by [[Matthew Flinders]] after his ship, [[HMS Investigator (1798)|HMS ''Investigator'']], on his voyage of 1801–1802. It is bordered by the [[Gulf St Vincent]] in the northeast.
==Discovery and exploration== It was named Investigator’s Strait by Flinders on Monday 29 March 1802.<ref name="fli66">{{cite Q |Q133875246 |mode=cs1 |last=Flinders |first=Matthew |author-link=Matthew Flinders |orig-year=1814 }}</ref>{{rp|p=256}}
==Extent== Investigator Strait is bounded by Yorke Peninsula to its north and by Kangaroo Island to its south. Flinders identified its boundaries with the following adjoining bodies of water - [[Gulf St Vincent]] and [[Backstairs Passage]]. The Strait’s boundary with [[Gulf St Vincent]] is the line from [[Troubridge Point]] on Yorke Peninsula to [[Cape Jervis (headland)|Cape Jervis]] on Fleurieu Peninsula.<ref name= Bye /> Its boundary with [[Backstairs Passage]] is the line from [[Cape Jervis (headland)|Cape Jervis]] on [[Fleurieu Peninsula]] to [[Kangaroo Head]] (west of [[Penneshaw]]) on Kangaroo Island. Flinders noted that Backstairs Passage is a body of water separate to Investigator Strait.<ref name="fli66" />{{rp|p=262}} The boundary between the strait and [[Nepean Bay]] on the north-east coast of Kangaroo Island is a line between [[Point Marsden]] and Kangaroo Head.<ref name=Pub175>{{cite enroute|175|2017|215}}</ref> The Strait’s western boundary by definition is the line from [[Cape Spencer (South Australia)|Cape Spencer]] on Yorke Peninsula to [[Cape Borda]] on Kangaroo Island.
==Protected areas== A number of [[protected areas]] are located both within and adjoining the Strait’s extent.
===Aquatic reserves=== *[[Troubridge Hill Aquatic Reserve|Troubridge Hill]] west of [[Troubridge Point]] on the south coast of Yorke Peninsula.<ref>{{cite web|title=Troubridge Hill Aquatic Reserve|url=http://www.pir.sa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/65419/7._AqResWeb.pdf|publisher=Primary Industries and Regions SA (PIRSA)|access-date=19 June 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150405180456/http://www.pir.sa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/65419/7._AqResWeb.pdf|archive-date=5 April 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref>
===Marine parks=== *[[Southern Spencer Gulf Marine Park]] - the west end of the strait including the coasts of both Yorke Peninsula and Kangaroo Island.<ref>{{cite web|title= Southern Spencer Gulf Park Management plan summary|url=http://www.environment.sa.gov.au/files/a620016c-0205-4580-a174-a11700a0a36f/mp-gen-12southernspencer-managementplan.pdf|publisher=Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources|access-date=19 June 2014|page=2 of 6}}</ref> *[[Lower Yorke Peninsula Marine Park]] - east end of the strait adjoining the south coast of Yorke Peninsula.<ref>{{cite web|title= Lower Yorke Peninsula Marine Park summary|url= http://www.environment.sa.gov.au/files/2ed484df-6acc-436f-b75f-a11700a0ee28/mp-gen-13loweryorkepeninsula-managementplan.pdf |publisher=Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources|access-date=19 June 2014|page=2 of 6}}</ref> *[[Western Kangaroo Island Marine Park]] - west end of the strait adjoining the north coast of Kangaroo Island.<ref>{{cite web|title= Western Kangaroo Island Park Management plan summary|url= http://www.environment.sa.gov.au/files/5531fc53-c6cf-4f8c-b518-a11700a1d969/mp-gen-16westernkangarooisland-managementplan.pdf |publisher=Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources|access-date=23 June 2014|page=27 of 29}}</ref> *[[Encounter Marine Park]] covers the east end of the strait including its boundaries with Nepean Bay and Backstairs Passage.<ref>{{cite web|title=Encounter Marine Park Management plan summary|url=http://www.environment.sa.gov.au/files/a27fabf3-c4fc-4b93-85b4-a11f00f2f772/mp-gen-mgmtplansumm-15-encounter.pdf|publisher=Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources|access-date=17 June 2014|page=2 of 6}}</ref>
===National parks and other reserves=== The following reserves are located on the south coast of Yorke Peninsula (from west to east): *[[Innes National Park]] (includes Chinamans Hat Island)<ref>{{cite web|title= Innes National Park Management Plan |url= http://www.environment.sa.gov.au/files/4f44bdbf-3770-49ce-bcac-9e4f00b1a358/PARKS_PDFS_INNES_MP.pdf |publisher= Department for Environment and Heritage |access-date=24 June 2014|page =6|year=2003}}</ref> *[[Point Davenport Conservation Park]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Mainland Conservation Parks of Yorke Peninsula Management Plan 2009|url=http://www.environment.sa.gov.au/files/40ccb65e-c97a-4f04-af74-9e4f00b16e48/mainland-cps-of-yp-mp.pdf|publisher=Department for Environment and Heritage|access-date=15 July 2014|page=2}}</ref> The following reserves are located on the north coast of Kangaroo Island (from west to east): *[[Flinders Chase National Park]]<ref>{{cite web|title= Flinders Chase National Park, Kelly Hill Conservation Park, Ravine des Casoars Wilderness Protection Area and Cape Bouguer Wilderness Protection Area Management Plans |url= http://www.environment.sa.gov.au/files/937b2d35-3d3e-41f0-9e9e-9e4f00b1a9a9/PARKS_PDFS_KI_MISC_MP.pdf |publisher= Department for Environment, Heritage and Aboriginal Affairs |access-date=1 May 2014|pages=5|year=1999}}</ref> *[[Cape Torrens Wilderness Protection Area]]<ref name=WPA-MP>{{cite web|title=Cape Torrens and Western River Wilderness Protection Areas Management Plan 2006|url=http://www.environment.sa.gov.au/files/b856ee27-ac75-4c8d-931f-9e4f00b17c7d/PARKS_PDFS_CAPETORRNSWPA.pdf|publisher=Department for Environment and Heritage|access-date=15 July 2014|page=2}}</ref> *[[Western River Wilderness Protection Area]]<ref name=WPA-MP/> The following reserve is located on Althorpe Islands, Haystack Island and Seal Island at the north-west end of the strait: *[[Althorpe Islands Conservation Park]]<ref name=mp>{{cite book |title= Management Plan - Althorpe Islands, Goose Island and Troubridge Island Conservation Parks |year=2009 |publisher= Department of Environment & Heritage |location=Adelaide |isbn= 978-1-921466-76-2 |pages=1, 2 & 4|url= http://www.environment.sa.gov.au/files/3fbcb962-2f67-4e9b-ae0d-9e4f00b16923/cons-gen-althorpe-goose-troubridge-parkmgmtplan-adopted.pdf }}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist |30em}}
==Further reading== {{Refbegin |30em}} * Arnott, T., (1996), ''Investigator Strait Maritime Heritage Trail'', Heritage Branch, Department for Environment, Heritage and Aboriginal Affairs. Adelaide ({{ISBN|0 7308 4720 9}}). * Coroneos, Cosmos & McKinnon, Robert; (1997), ''Shipwrecks of the Investigator Strait and the Lower Yorke Peninsula'', Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Adelaide, South Australia. ({{ISBN|0-9588496-3-3}}). * McKinnon, R.; (1993), ''Shipwreck sites of Kangaroo Island'', State Heritage Branch, Department of Environment and Land Management. Adelaide ({{ISBN|0730826929}}). {{Refend}}
{{List of Australian seas}}
[[Category:Investigator Strait| ]] [[Category:Straits of Australia]] [[Category:Kangaroo Island]] [[Category:Yorke Peninsula]]