St Alouarn Islands are a group of islands and rocks south-east of

Cape Leeuwin Cape Leeuwin is the most south-westerly (but not most southerly) mainland point of the Australian continent, in the state of Western Australia. Description A few small islands and rocks, the St Alouarn Islands, extend further in Flinders ...

Western Australia Western Australia (WA) is the westernmost state of Australia. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east, and South Australia to the south-east. Western Aust ...

, approximately 11 km south of Augusta in

Flinders Bay Flinders Bay is a bay in western Australia, immediately south of the townsite of Augusta, Western Australia, Augusta, and close to the mouth of the Blackwood River. The bay lies to the north east of Cape Leeuwin which is the most south-westerly ...

History

In March 1772, the crew of the French naval vessel ''Le Gros Ventre'', commanded by

Louis Aleno de St Aloüarn Louis may refer to: People * Louis (given name), origin and several individuals with this name * Louis (surname) * Louis (singer), Serbian singer Other uses * Louis (coin), a French coin * HMS ''Louis'', two ships of the Royal Navy See also ...

, became the first Europeans known to have visited the islands. A few weeks later, at

Dirk Hartog Island Dirk Hartog Island is an island off the Gascoyne (Western Australia), Gascoyne coast of Western Australia, within the Shark Bay, Western Australia, Shark Bay World Heritage Area. It is about long and between wide and is Western Australia's ...

, St Aloüarn formally claimed part of Western Australia for France. The islands were named after St Aloüarn in 1792, by Antoine d'Entrecasteaux, as the leader of a subsequent French expedition.

Location

The Point Matthew lookout on the road between Augusta and Cape Leeuwin has the islands identified in a brass compass plate that also identifies distances. Point Matthew lookout plaque

Wrecks

There are a number of wrecks in the vicinity of Cape Leeuwin. The best-known wreck near the islands was that of the Aberdeen White Star ship SS ''Pericles'' on an uncharted rock on 13 March 1910, within sight of the

Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse __NOTOC__ The Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse is a lighthouse located on the headland of Cape Leeuwin, the most south-westerly point on the mainland of the Australian Continent, in the state of Western Australia. Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse was construct ...

in daylight hours.

Whale watching Whale watching is the practice of observing whales and dolphins (cetaceans) in their natural habitat. Whale watching is mostly a recreational activity (cf. birdwatching), but it can also serve scientific and/or educational purposes.Hoyt, E. ...

boats leaving from Augusta Port tend not to venture into this group of islands and rocks, but travel around Flinders Bay to the east of the islands. The islands are significant for their bird colonies – with Seal Island and St Alouarn Island being reserves for that purpose. The named islands, in order of distance from mainland are:

Named islands and rocks

Seal Island

Seal Island (Augusta, Western Australia) Seal Island () is located near Augusta, Western Australia in the South West region.Gazetteer of Australia (1996). Belconnen, ACT: Australian Surveying and Land Information Group. It is located just east of Cape Leeuwin, and lies closer to la ...

– is a large flat brownish rock, 1.5 km south of Point Matthew. : possibly named by

George Vancouver Captain (Royal Navy), Captain George Vancouver (; 22 June 1757 – 10 May 1798) was a Royal Navy officer and explorer best known for leading the Vancouver Expedition, which explored and charted North America's northwestern West Coast of the Uni ...

in 1791, recorded by Archdeacon in 1878 : Status: Seal Island Nature Reserve – National Parks and Nature Conservation Authority : Size: approx 4 ha in area – Conservation of Fauna reserve Seal Island 2013 5747

Saint Alouarn Island

* Saint Alouarn Island :- 5.5 km south east of Point Matthew :: Created as an A class reserve – May 1960 :: Named a Wildlife Sanctuary – December 1972 :: Named a Nature Reserve – May 1979 : Saint Alouarn Island Nature Reserve – : Size: approx 8.5 ha in area – Conservation of Fauna reserve Saint Alouarn Island 5457

Flinders Island

* Flinders Islet (also Flinders Island) – (also identified by some sources as Flinders Island :: Named Island in Admiralty Chart 1037 of 1878 :: Vested as 'Flinders Island and various rocks south of Augusta' as 'A' reserve in 1986. :: Named as part of a sanctuary zone in the

Ngari Capes Marine Park The Ngari Capes Marine Park is a marine protected area on the lower south west coast of Western Australia, located approximately south of . The marine park was gazetted on and the park's western and southern boundaries are the limit of coasta ...

:- 7 km south east of Point Matthew Augusta Boat Harbour November 2013

Rocks

There are a few named rocks in the group * Square Rock – 7.5 km south east of Point Matthew * South-West Breaker – approximately 9 km south-southwest of Point Matthew is the farthest named rock from the mainland. Unnamed rocks run parallel to the line of named islands above, between Cape Leeuwin and South-West Breaker, with one exception – Spout Rock, west of Flinders Islet.

Augusta Port

In 2009, the gazettal of the ''Augusta Port Area'' delineated the port in reference to the northernmost point (at High water level) on Saint Alouarn Island (with truncated spelling), as well as Seal Island, and Point Matthew. In 2013 – 2013, the Western Australian government, through the Royalties for Regions programme, constructed a new harbour outside of the Hardy Inlet area of the Blackwood River mouth. The port is to the south, and within view of Flinders Bay settlement and boat ramp. It is located adjacent to the road that goes to Cape Leeuwin lighthouse. Oceangoing vessels had previously anchored in Flinders Bay, or used the Flinders Bay jetty; however, its short-term operation between the 1890s and 1930s subsequently left the bay with no port facility.