{{Short description|Island of Western Australia}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2015}} {{Use Australian English|date=December 2015}} [[File:Lancelin Island, October 2010.jpg|thumb|Lancelin Island]] {{Location map |Western Australia |label=Lancelin Island |relief=yes |lon_dir=E |lat_dir=S |lat_deg=31|lat_min=00 |lon_deg=115|lon_min=19 |position=bottom |width=250 |float=right |mark=Cercle rouge 100%.svg |marksize=20 |caption=Location of Lancelin Island in the Indian Ocean }} [[File:Lancelin Jetty, 2015 (01).JPG|thumb|Lancelin Jetty with Lancelin Island in the background]] '''Lancelin Island''' is an island in [[Western Australia]] near [[Lancelin, Western Australia|Lancelin]].
==Description== The island occupies an area {{convert|8.16|ha|acre|0}} and is situated {{convert|600|m|ft|0}} from the mainland. The island has a maximum elevation of {{convert|27|m|ft|abbr=on}}.<ref name =Turq/> It is composed of [[limestone]] and is linked to [[Edwards Island (Western Australia)|Edwards Island]] by intertidal and subtidal [[reef]] platforms. Both islands are gazetted as A Class nature reserves.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fish.wa.gov.au/Documents/management_papers/fmp149.pdf |title=Final Plan of Management for the Lancelin Island Lagoon Fish Habitat Protection Area |date=1 March 2001 |accessdate=6 December 2015 |publisher=Fisheries Western Australia |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304045706/http://www.fish.wa.gov.au/Documents/management_papers/fmp149.pdf |archivedate= 4 March 2016 }}</ref>
The island has a large beach on the landward side of the island and a smaller beach on the seaward side. The waters off the western side of the island are also a protected area, the Lancelin Island Lagoon Fish Habitat Protection Area, made up of areas of [[seagrass]] and reef systems.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://beachcombers-kit.fish.wa.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Lancelin-Island-Map.pdf|title=Lancelin Island Lagoon Fish Habitat Protection Area Map|accessdate=6 December 2015|publisher=[[Government of Western Australia]]}}</ref>
Along with Edwards Island it is at the southern end of the [[Turquoise Coast (Western Australia)|Turquoise Coast]] islands nature reserve group, a chain of 40 islands spread over a distance of {{convert|150|km|mi|0}}.<ref name=Turq>{{cite web|url=http://www.dpaw.wa.gov.au/images/documents/parks/management-plans/decarchive/turquoise_coast_final.pdf|title=Turquoise Coast islands nature reserves management plan|year=2004|accessdate=6 December 2015|publisher=[[Government of Western Australia]]}}</ref>
==Origin and history== The island was formed approximately 10,000 years ago after large fluctuations in sea levels caused erosion on large areas of the [[continental shelf]] during periods of glaciation. Large parallel sand dunes then formed and hardened into limestone, forming islands, most of which have been separated from the mainland for 6,500 years.<ref name=Turq/>
The [[Noongar]] peoples are the traditional inhabitants of the Lancelin area.
The first European to find and name the island was the French explorer [[Jacques Félix Emmanuel Hamelin|Hamelin]] in 1801 aboard {{ship|French corvette|Naturaliste||2}}.<ref name=CRC>{{cite web|url=http://lancelin.crc.net.au/OurCommunity/Pages/History-of-Lancelin.aspx |title=History of Lancelin |accessdate=6 December 2015 |publisher=Lancelin Community Resource Centre |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208061606/http://lancelin.crc.net.au/OurCommunity/Pages/History-of-Lancelin.aspx |archivedate= 8 December 2015 }}</ref> It was named after the scientific writer, {{thinspace|P.|J.}} Lancelin.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gingin.wa.gov.au/index.php/tourism-and-information/history/historical-information|title=Historical Information|accessdate=6 December 2015|publisher=[[Shire of Gingin]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208104617/http://www.gingin.wa.gov.au/index.php/tourism-and-information/history/historical-information|archive-date=8 December 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref>
During the 1920s the area became popular as a holiday destination, with many shacks appearing on the mainland. During [[World War II]] the island was used by the [[Royal Australian Air Force]] for bombing practice. The [[crayfish]]ing industry commenced operations in the area in 1947.<ref name=CRC/>
==Flora and fauna== The island has a high diversity of plants and supports over 50 plant species. The vegetation is mostly close to the ground and composed mostly of salt-tolerant grasses and shrubs. Sandier places are dominated by a low heath with shallower soils over limestone areas supporting herbfields and grasslands. The [[Nitraria billardierei|nitre bush]] covers the slopes and plateau of the island. Sea birds are known to inhabit the island with some species using the island as a breeding site.<ref name=Turq/> The [[Lancelin Island skink]] (''Ctenotus lancelini)'', a threatened species of lizard, is [[Endemism|endemic]] to and named after the island.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dpaw.wa.gov.au/images/documents/plants-animals/threatened-species/recovery_plans/liskink_wmp22.pdf|title= Lancelin Island Skink Recovery Plan|year=2000|author1=Pearson, David |author2=Jones, Barbara |publisher=Department of Conservation and Land Management}}</ref><ref>[[species:Bo Beolens|Beolens, Bo]]; [[species:Michael Watkins|Watkins, Michael]]; [[species:Michael Grayson|Grayson, Michael]] (2011). ''The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles''. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. {{ISBN|978-1-4214-0135-5}}. (Lancelin, p. 150).</ref> [[Australian sea lion|Sea lions]] are known to visit the island but do not use it as a breeding site.<ref name=Turq/>
The Lancelin Island Lagoon Fish Habitat Protection Area has had over 200 species of flora and fauna that have been identified within the area.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://beachcombers-kit.fish.wa.gov.au/coastal-marine-life/habitats/marine-conservation-areas/lancelin-island-lagoon-fish-habitat-protection-area/|title=Lancelin Island Lagoon Fish Habitat Protection Area|accessdate=6 December 2015|publisher=[[Government of Western Australia]]}}</ref>
==See also== * [[List of islands of Western Australia]]
==References== {{reflist}} {{AusplacesnamedbyFrench |state=expanded}} {{coord|31|00|23|S|115|19|00|E|display=title|region:AU_type:isle}}
[[Category:Nature reserves in Western Australia]] [[Category:Islands of the Wheatbelt (Western Australia)]]