Boundary Islet, historically known as North East Islet, is a

islet An islet ( ) is generally a small island. Definitions vary, and are not precise, but some suggest that an islet is a very small, often unnamed, island with little or no vegetation to support human habitation. It may be made of rock, sand and/ ...

in the Hogan Island Group of

Bass Strait Bass Strait () is a strait separating the island state of Tasmania from the Mainland Australia, Australian mainland (more specifically the coast of Victoria (Australia), Victoria, with the exception of the land border across Boundary Islet). The ...

, at a latitude of 39°12′ S, about east of the southernmost point of mainland Victoria. The islet straddles the

maritime border A maritime boundary is a conceptual division of Earth's water surface areas using physiographical or geopolitical criteria. As such, it usually bounds areas of exclusive national rights over mineral and biological resources,VLIZ Maritime Boun ...

of the

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

n states of Victoria and

Tasmania Tasmania (; palawa kani: ''Lutruwita'') is an island States and territories of Australia, state of Australia. It is located to the south of the Mainland Australia, Australian mainland, and is separated from it by the Bass Strait. The sta ...

, hence the name. The Tasmanian portion of the islet forms that state's North East Islet Nature Reserve, gazetted on 5 April 1978. The reserve's name was conferred prior to the islet's change of name, to ''Boundary Islet'', under Tasmanian legislation. This change was gazetted on 28 March 1990.

Tasmania–Victoria land border

Boundary Islet is divided in the east–west direction at the latitude 39°12′ S, with the northern portion belonging to Victoria and the southern portion belonging to Tasmania. This is Tasmania's only land border, and at long, it is the shortest land border between any two Australian states or territories. This situation is accidental, and arose as a result of an error made by Captain John Black, who surveyed the position of the islet in 1801 and determined its latitude to be slightly farther north than it truly is. The boundary between Victoria and Tasmania was later set along the latitude of 39°12′ S, which was then thought to be completely south of Boundary Islet and not to traverse any land in Bass Strait. This would have made the islet completely within the jurisdiction of Victoria. However, when Boundary Islet's correct latitude was later determined it was found to straddle the border. It is for this reason that what was once known as North East Islet (being situated in the north-east of the Hogan Group) came to be known as Boundary Islet.

References

{{Islands of Tasmania Islands of Victoria (state) Islands of Northern Tasmania Islands of Bass Strait Borders of Tasmania Borders of Victoria (state) Hogan Group

Tasmania–Victoria land border

See also

References