Turning the Tide Newsletter – Spring 2024
Ice & Fire
Uninhabited by humans, these dramatic outposts of ice and fire are home to unique plants and wildlife of global significance.
Australia’s little-known Heard and McDonald Islands are a collection of volcanoes and rocks soaring up out of the Southern Ocean, 4,000 km south-west of Western Australia and approximately 1,700 km from the Antarctic continent.
They are Australia’s only two active volcanoes. They are home to over four million penguins from seven different species, tens of thousands of elephant seals and fur seals, banks of slowgrowing corals, and two types of flying seabirds found nowhere else on the planet.
The Australian Government is currently reviewing the Heard and McDonald Islands Marine Park. This is a once-in-a-decade opportunity to preserve these wild Sub-Antarctic islands.
Consultation Results Pending
Thank you to the thousands of supporters who made a submission to protect Heard and McDonald Islands. We await the consultation outcome. Previously we secured full protections around Macquarie Island – we hope for a similar result.