Misplaced Pages

#390609

81-504: Commencing in 2012, named in honour of Indigenous journalist Les Kennedy (1958–2011) in the year after his death, the intention was to stage an event in NSW equivalent to journalism awards in other states and territories . However the Kennedy Awards quickly grew to being a national event. The Kennedy Foundation was created as a charitable organisation on 7 March 2014 in order to attract funds for

162-544: A governor , appointed by the monarch (currently King Charles III ), which by convention he does on the advice of the state premier. The Administrator of the Northern Territory, by contrast, is appointed by the governor-general . The Australian Capital Territory has neither a governor nor an administrator. Instead, since the enacted of the Australian Capital Territory (Self-Government) Act 1988 (Cth) ,

243-622: A mainland coastline of 32,994 kilometres (20,502 mi) and claims an exclusive economic zone of about 8,200,000 square kilometres (3,200,000 sq mi). At Federation in 1901, what is now the Northern Territory was within South Australia, what are now the Australian Capital Territory and Jervis Bay Territory were within New South Wales, and Coral Sea Islands was part of Queensland. Ashmore and Cartier Islands

324-666: A contiguous residential of Queanbeyan , was excised out of New South Wales when the Australian Capital Territory was established in 1909. Some Urban Centres and Localities reported by the Australian Bureau of Statistics include some agglomerations of cities spreading across state borders, including Gold Coast –Tweed Heads, Canberra –Queanbeyan, Albury – Wodonga (New South Wales-Victoria) and Mildura – Wentworth (Victoria-New South Wales) Heard Island and McDonald Islands The Territory of Heard Island and McDonald Islands ( HIMI ; ISO 3166 region code: HMD, HM, 334; )

405-589: A few recent surveys, the non-arthropod invertebrate fauna of Heard Island remain poorly known. Beetles and flies dominate Heard Island's known insect fauna, which comprises up to 21 species of ectoparasite (associated with birds and seals) and up to 13 free-living species. Approximately half of the free-living insects are habitat-specific, while the remainder are generalists found in a variety of habitats, being associated with either supralittoral or intertidal zones, Poa cookii and Pringlea antiscorbutica stands, bryophytes , lichen-covered rocks, exposed rock faces or

486-574: A maximum elevation of 2,745 metres (9,006 ft) at Mawson Peak , the historically active volcanic summit of Big Ben, to which the average ascent from shore is steeper than that for any island of comparable size or larger; only seven smaller islands are steeper . A July 2000 satellite image from the University of Hawaii 's Institute of Geophysics and Planetology (HIGP) Thermal Alert Team showed an active 2-kilometre-long (1.2 mi) and 50- to 90-metre-wide (164–295 ft) lava flow trending south-west from

567-434: A number of algal species are recorded from there. At least 100 species of terrestrial algae are known from Heard Island, commonly in permanently moist and ephemeral habitats. Forests of the giant Antarctic kelp Durvillaea antarctica occur at a number of sites around Heard Island and at least 17 other species of seaweed are known, with more to be added following the identification of recent collections. Low seaweed diversity

648-491: A number of small wetland sites scattered around its coastal perimeter, including areas of wetland vegetation, lagoons or lagoon complexes, rocky shores and sandy shores, including the Elephant Spit . Many of these wetland areas are separated by active glaciers. There are also several short glacier-fed streams and glacial pools. Some wetland areas have been recorded on McDonald Island but, due to substantial volcanic activity since

729-467: A place called Oil Barrel Point. From 1855 to 1882 a number of American sealers spent a year or more on the island, living in appalling conditions in dark smelly huts, also at Oil Barrel Point. At its peak the community consisted of 200 people. By 1880, sealers had wiped out most of the seal population and then left the island. In all, the islands furnished more than 100,000 barrels of elephant seal oil during this period. A number of wrecks have occurred in

810-716: A state or internal territory. Excluding the Heard Island and McDonald Islands and the Australian Antarctic Territory (which are governed by the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water ), the external territories are governed by the federal Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts . Norfolk Island had its own legislature from 1979 to 2015. Each state

891-490: Is 1.13 square kilometres ( 7 ⁄ 16  sq mi). There is a small group of islets and rocks about 10 km ( 5 + 1 ⁄ 2  nmi) north of Heard Island, consisting of Shag Islet, Sail Rock, Morgan Island and Black Rock. They total about 1.1 square kilometres ( 7 ⁄ 16  sq mi) in area. Mawson Peak and McDonald Island are the only two active volcanoes in Australian territory. Mawson Peak

SECTION 10

#1732854665391

972-537: Is a successor to historical British colonies , and each has its own constitution. The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) and Northern Territory for the most part operate indistinguishably from the states (for example, both have representation in the Parliament since 1948 and in the Senate since 1975), even though they do not have constitutional status as states and territorial legislation can be overridden. Surrounded by

1053-529: Is also one of the highest Australian mountains (higher than Mount Kosciuszko ). It is surpassed by Dome Argus , Mount McClintock and Mount Menzies in the Australian Antarctic Territory , a territorial claim unrecognised by most other countries, meaning that Mawson Peak is the highest mountain over which Australia has true sovereignty . Mawson Peak has erupted several times in the last decade and as recently as May 2023. An earlier eruption

1134-723: Is an Australian external territory comprising a volcanic group of mostly barren Antarctic islands, about two-thirds of the way from Madagascar to Antarctica . The group's overall land area is 372 km (144 sq mi) and it has 101.9 km (63 mi) of coastline. Discovered in the mid-19th century, the islands lie on the Kerguelen Plateau in the Indian Ocean and have been an Australian territory since 1947. Heard Island and McDonald Islands contain Australia's only two active volcanoes . The summit of one, Mawson Peak ,

1215-519: Is best developed on coastal areas at elevations below 250 m. Bryophytes (mosses and liverworts) contribute substantially to the overall biodiversity of Heard Island, with 43 mosses and 19 liverworts being recorded, often occupying habitats unsuitable for vascular plants, such as cliff faces. Bryophytes are present in most of the major vegetation communities including several soil and moss-inhabiting species. A 1980 survey of McDonald Island found lower diversity than that on Heard Island; four mosses and

1296-476: Is called the "legislative assembly", except in South Australia and Tasmania, where it is called the "house of assembly". Tasmania is the only state to use proportional representation for elections to its lower house; all others elect members from single member constituencies, using preferential voting . The upper house is called the "legislative council" and is generally elected from multi-member constituencies using proportional representation. Along with Queensland,

1377-434: Is due to the island's isolation from other land masses, unsuitable beach habitat, constant abrasion by waves, tides and small stones, and the extension of glaciers into the sea in many areas. Heard Island has a range of terrestrial environments in which vegetation occurs. Seven general vegetation communities are currently recognised, although vegetation composition is considered more of a continuum than discrete units: One of

1458-536: Is high. This is due to the combination of low species diversity and climatic amelioration. During the 2003/04 summer a new plant species, Cotula plumosa , was recorded. Only one small specimen was found growing on a coastal river terrace that had experienced substantial development and expansion of vegetation over the past decade. The species has a circumantarctic distribution and occurs on many subantarctic islands. 71 species of lichens have been recorded from Heard Island and they are common on exposed rock, dominating

1539-800: Is higher than any mountain in all other Australian states, territories or claimed territories , except Dome Argus , Mount McClintock and Mount Menzies in the Australian Antarctic Territory . This Antarctic territory is a land claim unrecognised by most other countries, meaning that Mawson Peak is the highest mountain over which Australia has true sovereignty . The islands are among the most remote places on Earth : They are located about 4,100 kilometres (2,200 nautical miles) southwest of Perth , 3,850 km (2,080 nmi) southwest of Cape Leeuwin , Australia, 4,200 km (2,300 nmi) southeast of South Africa , 3,830 km (2,070 nmi) southeast of Madagascar , 1,630 km (880 nmi) north of Antarctica, and 450 km (240 nmi) southeast of

1620-588: Is in the order of 1,300 to 1,900 mm (51.2 to 74.8 in); rain or snow falls on about 3 out of 4 days. According to the Australian Bureau of Meteorology , Heard Island (Atlas Cove) receives an average of 96.8 snowy days annually. Meteorological records at Heard Island are incomplete. The islands are part of the Southern Indian Ocean Islands tundra ecoregion that includes several subantarctic islands. In this cold climate, plant life

1701-523: Is mainly limited to grasses, lichens, and mosses . Low plant diversity reflects the islands' isolation, small size, severe climate, the short, cool growing season and, for Heard Island, substantial permanent ice cover. The main environmental determinants of vegetation on subantarctic islands are wind exposure, water availability, parent soil composition, salt spray exposure, nutrient availability, disturbance by trampling (from seabirds and seals) and, possibly, altitude. At Heard Island, exposure to salt spray and

SECTION 20

#1732854665391

1782-524: The Antarctic Convergence now absent from the Heard Island flora may colonise the island if climate change produces more favourable conditions. Some plant species are spreading and modifying the structure and composition of communities, some of which are also increasing in distribution. It is likely that further changes will occur, and possibly at an accelerated rate. Changes in population numbers of seal and seabird species are also expected to affect

1863-643: The Antarctic fur seal and the subantarctic fur seal . Leopard seals visit regularly in winter to haul-out though they do not breed on the islands. Crabeater , Ross and Weddell seals are occasional visitors. Heard Island and the McDonald Islands are free from introduced predators and provide crucial breeding habitat in the middle of the vast Southern Ocean for a range of birds. The surrounding waters are important feeding areas for birds and some scavenging species also derive sustenance from their cohabitants on

1944-492: The Australian Capital Territory , which collectively forms 79% of the entire population of Australia (more than three-quarters of all Australians). Most of the major population centres are located east and south of the Great Dividing Range on the coastal plains and their associated hinterland regions. The states originated as separate British colonies prior to Federation in 1901. The Colony of New South Wales

2025-698: The Australian Journalists Association , which was exposed as a front for an organisation of dubious integrity, the Journalists First Inc., a small group of conservative political operatives based in Queensland which spread anti-vaccination and other controversial information. The foundation ceased its association with this organisation in May 2022. The foundation is a strong advocate for cultural and gender diversity in media. As of August 2022

2106-558: The Colony of Western Australia (initially established as the smaller Swan River Colony in 1829), the Province of South Australia (1836), the Colony of New Zealand (1840), the Victoria Colony (1851) and the Colony of Queensland (1859). Upon federation, the six colonies of New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia, and Tasmania became the founding states of

2187-636: The Division of Fraser until 2016) in the ACT and by the ACT's two senators. In other respects, the territory is administered directly by the Federal Government through the Territories portfolio. The external territory of Norfolk Island possessed a degree of self-government from 1979 until 2015. Each state has a bicameral parliament, except Queensland, which abolished its upper house in 1922. The lower house

2268-514: The Federal Parliament can override territorial legislation. The federal High Court of Australia acts as a final court of appeal for all matters, and has the authority to override any state judiciary. While all states and internal territories have their own judicial system (subject to appeal to the High Court), most external territories are subject to the judiciary and legislature of either

2349-573: The German New Guinea . Following World War I , the Australian government received a League of Nations mandate for Nauru . After World War II, the Territory of Papua, Territory of New Guinea and Nauru were all controlled by the Australian government as United Nations trust territories . Nauru was granted independence in 1968. The majority of Australians live in the eastern coastal mainland states of New South Wales , Queensland , Victoria , and

2430-481: The Heard shag . Although not a true seabird, the Heard Island subspecies of the black-faced sheathbill also breeds on the island. Both the shag and the sheathbill are endemic to Heard Island. A further 28 seabird species are recorded as either non-breeding visitors or have been noted during 'at-sea surveys' of the islands. All recorded breeding species, other than the Heard Island sheathbill, are listed marine species under

2511-742: The Indian , Pacific , and Southern oceans, Australia is separated from Maritime Southeast Asia and New Guinea by the Arafura Sea , the Timor Sea , and the Torres Strait , from Island Melanesia by the Coral Sea , and from New Zealand by the Tasman Sea . The world's smallest continent , Australia is also the sixth-largest country by land area and sometimes considered the world's largest island . Australia has

Kennedy Awards (journalism) - Misplaced Pages Continue

2592-822: The Jervis Bay Territory , and the Northern Territory on the Australian mainland ; and seven are external territories : the Ashmore and Cartier Islands , the Australian Antarctic Territory , Christmas Island , the Cocos (Keeling) Islands , the Coral Sea Islands , Heard Island and McDonald Islands , and Norfolk Island that are offshore dependent territories . Every state and internal territory (except

2673-500: The Kerguelen Islands (part of French Southern and Antarctic Lands ). The islands, which are uninhabited, can be reached only by sea, which from Australia takes two weeks in the vessels normally used to access them. Neither island cluster had recorded visitors until the mid-1850s. An American sailor, John Heard, on the ship Oriental , sighted Heard Island on 25 November 1853, en route from Boston to Melbourne . He reported

2754-702: The Patanela expedition). The second ascent was made by five members of the Heard Island Expedition 1983 (sometimes referred to as the Anaconda expedition). A helicopter landing was made at the summit by an ANARE team on 21 December 1986. An Australian Army team was successful in making the third ascent in 2000. In 1991, the islands were the location for the Heard Island feasibility test , an experiment in very long-distance transmission of low frequency sound through

2835-813: The Australian Constitution the federal Parliament has plenary power to make laws for all territories including all external territories. The Cocos (Keeling) Islands voted for integration in 1984. Together with Christmas Island, these two territories comprise the Australian Indian Ocean Territories . Commonwealth laws apply automatically to the territories unless expressly stated otherwise and residents of both external territories are associated with Northern Territory for federal elections. They are, thus, constitutionally part of Australia. The Heard Island and McDonald Islands, although uninhabited, are treated as constitutionally part of Australia by

2916-636: The Australian Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Act (1999, four are listed as threatened species and five are listed migratory species. Under the EPBC Act a recovery plan has been made for albatrosses and giant petrels, which calls for ongoing population monitoring of the species found at HIMI, and at the time of preparing this plan a draft recovery plan has also been made for the Heard Island cormorant (or shag) and Antarctic tern. The recorded populations of some seabird species found in

2997-507: The Australian federal government under Section 122 of the Constitution of Australia no longer exist: Two present-day Oceanic countries, Papua New Guinea (PNG) and Nauru , were administered by the federal government of Australia as de facto or de jure external territories for differing periods between 1902 and 1975. Following World War II , the Papua and New Guinea Act 1949 placed

3078-570: The Jervis Bay Territory) is self-governing with its own independent executive government , legislative branch , and judicial system , while the rest only have local government status overseen by federal departments . State and territory governments may legislate on matters concerning their citizens, subject to the limits of the federal constitution (notably section 51 and section 109 ). Each state and internal territory (except Jervis Bay Territory) has its own legislature , although

3159-546: The Ramsar Convention. Non-wetland vegetated parts of the islands also support penguin and other seabird colonies. The islands have an Antarctic climate, or Tundra climate ( ET ) under the Köppen climate classification, tempered by their maritime setting. The weather is marked by low seasonal and daily temperature ranges; persistent and generally low cloud cover; frequent precipitation and strong winds. Snowfall occurs throughout

3240-492: The Reserve have shown marked change. The king penguin population is the best studied seabird species on Heard Island and has shown a dramatic increase since first recorded in 1947/48, with the population doubling every five years or so for more than 50 years. A paper reviewing population data for the black-browed albatross between 1947 and 2000/01 suggested that the breeding population had increased to about three times that present in

3321-460: The Territory of New Guinea in an "administrative union" with the Territory of Papua, and the combined Territory of Papua and New Guinea was created. However, both territories remained technically distinct for some administrative and legal purposes, until 1975, when the combined entity eventually was given independence as Papua New Guinea. Nauru was previously under the German colonial empire as part of

Kennedy Awards (journalism) - Misplaced Pages Continue

3402-595: The awards and other endeavours, including providing scholarships for young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander journalists. The awards have been run annually without interruption since 2012. In 2021 they were also referred to as the NRMA Kennedy Awards, being sponsored by the NRMA . There were 34 categories in 2022. In 2021–2022 the Kennedy Foundation entered a sponsorship deal with an organisation calling itself

3483-651: The callsigns VK0HI (the Anaconda expedition) and VK0JS and VK0NL (the Cheynes II expedition), with a further operation in January 1997 (VK0IR). The DXpedition in March 2016 (VK0EK) was organised by Cordell Expeditions, and made over 75,000 radio contacts. Mawson Peak, atop Big Ben, was first climbed on 25 January 1965 by five members of the Southern Indian Ocean Expedition to Heard Island (sometimes referred to as

3564-413: The central government. Norfolk Island's status is controversial, with the present (as of 2018 ) government taking measures to integrate the territory into Australia proper (including representation in parliament and compulsory voting). The Norfolk Islanders have not formally consented to this change in constitutional status and assert that they are not Australian. Two internal territories established by

3645-418: The coast. Relics that survive from that time include trypots, casks, hut ruins, graves and inscriptions. This caused the seal populations there to either become locally extinct or reduced to levels too low to exploit economically. Modern sealers visited from Cape Town in the 1920s. Since then the populations have generally increased and are protected. Seals breeding on Heard include the southern elephant seal ,

3726-568: The discovery one month later and had the island named after him. His wife Fidelia Heard provided the first written description and drawings of the island. William McDonald aboard the Samarang discovered the nearby McDonald Islands six weeks later, on 4 January 1854. No landing took place on the islands until March 1855, when sealers from the Corinthian , led by Erasmus Darwin Rogers , went ashore at

3807-461: The early 1950s and the late 1980s. Heard Island supports a relatively low number of terrestrial invertebrate species compared to other Southern Ocean islands, in parallel with the low species richness in the flora–that is, the island's isolation and limited ice-free area. Endemism is also generally low and the invertebrate fauna is exceptionally pristine with few, if any, (successful) human-induced introductions of alien species. Two species, including

3888-686: The foundation is chaired by accountant Carl Dumbrell; in 2021 the chair was Rocco Fazzari. The awards take place in Sydney. The main prize is Journalist of the Year (won by women in seven out of the nine events after 2012). Five of its awards are named after outstanding journalists, in several categories: Sport ( Peter Frilingos ); Indigenous Affairs ( John Newfong ); Outstanding Columnist ( Peter Ruehl ); Les Kennedy (Outstanding Crime Reporting) and Outstanding Foreign Correspondent ( Tom Krause ). Australian states and territories The states and territories are

3969-624: The functions of the head of the Executive – commissioning government, proroguing parliament and enacting legislation – are exercised by the Assembly itself and by the chief minister . Jervis Bay Territory is the only non-self-governing internal territory. Until 1989, it was administered as if it were a part of the ACT, although it has always been a separate territory. Under the terms of the Jervis Bay Territory Acceptance Act 1915 ,

4050-462: The governor will appoint as premier whoever leads the party or coalition which exercises control of the lower house (in the case of Queensland, the only house) of the state parliament. However, in times of constitutional crisis , the governor can appoint someone else as premier. The head of government of the self-governing internal territories is called the "chief minister". The Northern Territory's chief minister, in normal circumstances whoever controls

4131-433: The islands. The islands have been identified by BirdLife International as an Important Bird Area because they support very large numbers of nesting seabirds. Nineteen species of birds have been recorded as breeding on Heard Island and the McDonald Islands, although recent volcanic activity at the McDonald Islands in the last decade is likely to have reduced vegetated and un-vegetated nesting areas. Penguins are by far

SECTION 50

#1732854665391

4212-829: The last landing was made in 1980, their present extent is unknown. The HIMI wetland is listed on the Directory of Important Wetlands in Australia and, in a recent analysis of Commonwealth-managed wetlands, was ranked highest for nomination under the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as Waterfowl Habitat (Ramsar Convention) as an internationally important wetland. Six wetland types have been identified from HIMI covering approximately 1860 ha: coastal 'pool complex' (237 ha); inland 'pool complex' (105 ha); vegetated seeps mostly on recent glaciated areas (18 ha); glacial lagoons (1103 ha); non-glacial lagoons (97ha); Elephant Spit (300 ha) plus some coastal areas. On Heard Island,

4293-555: The late 1940s, although a Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources CCAMLR) Working Group was cautious about the interpretation of the increasing trend given the disparate nature of the data, as discussed in the paper. The discovery of a large, previously unknown, colony of Heard shags in 2000/01 at Cape Pillar raised the known breeding population from 200 pairs to over 1000 pairs. The breeding population of southern giant petrels decreased by more than 50% between

4374-651: The laws of the ACT apply to the Jervis Bay Territory insofar as they are applicable and providing they are not inconsistent with an ordinance. Although residents of the Jervis Bay Territory are generally subject to laws made by the ACT Legislative Assembly, they are not represented in the assembly. They are represented in the Parliament of Australia as part of the Electoral Division of Fenner (named

4455-651: The legislative assembly, is appointed by the administrator. The term interstate is used within Australia to refer to a number of events, transactions, registrations, travel, etc. which occurs across borders or outside of the particular state or territory of the user of the term. Examples of use include motor vehicle registration, travel, applications to educational institutions out of one's home state. There are very few urban areas bifurcated by state or territory borders. The Queensland-New South Wales border runs through Coolangatta (Queensland) and Tweed Heads (New South Wales) and splits Gold Coast Airport . Oaks Estate ,

4536-482: The major vegetation components. The vascular flora comprises the smallest number of species of any major subantarctic island group, reflecting its isolation, small ice-free area and severe climate. Twelve vascular species are known from Heard Island, of which five have also been recorded on McDonald Island. None of the vascular species are endemic, although Pringlea antiscorbutica , Colobanthus kerguelensis , and Poa kerguelensis occur only on subantarctic islands in

4617-458: The majority of these types suites are found below 150 m asl. The wetland vegetation occurs in the 'wet mixed herbfield' and 'coastal biotic vegetation' communities described above. The wetlands provide important breeding and feeding habitat for a number of Antarctic and subantarctic wetland animals. These include the southern elephant seal and macaroni , gentoo , king and eastern rockhopper penguins, considered to be wetland species under

4698-712: The most abundant birds on the islands, with four breeding species present, comprising king , gentoo , macaroni and eastern rockhopper penguins . The penguins mostly colonise the coastal tussock and grasslands of Heard Island, and have previously been recorded as occupying the flats and gullies on McDonald Island. Other seabirds recorded as breeding at Heard Island include three species of albatross ( wandering , black-browed and light-mantled albatrosses ), southern giant petrels , Cape petrels , four species of burrowing petrels ( Antarctic and Fulmar prions , common and South Georgia diving petrels ), Wilson's storm petrels , kelp gulls , subantarctic skuas , Antarctic terns and

4779-459: The most rapidly changing physical settings in the subantarctic has been produced on Heard Island by a combination of rapid glacial recession and climate warming. The consequent increase in habitat available for plant colonisation, plus the coalescing of previously discrete ice-free areas, has led to marked changes in the vegetation of Heard Island in the last 20 years or so. Other species and vegetation communities found on subantarctic islands north of

4860-480: The new Commonwealth of Australia. The two territory governments (the Australian Capital Territory [ACT] and the Northern Territory [NT]), were created by legislation of the Federal Parliament—the NT in 1978 and the ACT in 1988. The legislative powers of the states are protected by the Australian constitution , section 107, and under the principle of federalism , Commonwealth legislation only applies to

4941-516: The ocean. The US Navy chartered vessels MV  Cory Chouest and Amy Chouest were used to transmit signals which could be detected as far away as both ocean coasts of the US and Canada. Heard Island, by far the largest of the group, is a 368-square-kilometre (142 sq mi) mountainous island covered by 41 glaciers (the island is 80% covered with ice ) and dominated by the Big Ben massif . It has

SECTION 60

#1732854665391

5022-518: The original areas and have expanded beyond them. Expeditioner boot traffic during the Australian Antarctic program expedition in 1987 may be at least partly responsible for the spread, but it is probably mainly due to dispersal by wind and the movement of seabirds and seals around the island. The potential for introducing plant species (including invasive species not previously found on subantarctic islands) by both natural and human-induced means

5103-454: The presence of breeding and moulting seabirds and seals is a particularly strong influence on vegetation composition and structure in coastal areas. Evidence from microfossil records indicates that ferns and woody plants were present on Heard Island during the Tertiary (a period with a cool and moist climate). Neither group of plants is present today, although potential Tertiary survivors include

5184-481: The second level of government of Australia . The states are partially sovereign , administrative divisions that are self-governing polities , having ceded some sovereign rights to the federal government. They have their own constitutions , legislatures , executive governments , judiciaries and law enforcement agencies that administer and deliver public policies and programs. Territories can be autonomous and administer local policies and programs much like

5265-484: The southern Indian Ocean. The plants are typically subantarctic, but with a higher abundance of the cushion-forming Azorella selago than other subantarctic islands. Heard Island is the largest subantarctic island with no confirmed human-introduced plants. Areas available for plant colonisation on Heard Island are generally the result of retreating glaciers or new ice-free land created by lava flows. Today, substantial vegetation covers over 20 km of Heard Island, and

5346-419: The states in practice, but are still legally subordinate to the federal government. Australia has six federated states : New South Wales (including Lord Howe Island ), Queensland , South Australia , Tasmania (including Macquarie Island ), Victoria , and Western Australia . Australia also has ten federal territories , out of which three are internal territories : the Australian Capital Territory ,

5427-452: The states where permitted by the constitution. The territories, by contrast, are from a constitutional perspective directly subject to the Commonwealth government ; laws for territories are determined by the Australian Parliament. Most of the territories are directly administered by the Commonwealth government, while two (the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory) have some degree of self-government although less than that of

5508-412: The states. In the self-governing territories, the Australian Parliament retains the full power to legislate, and can override laws made by the territorial institutions, which it has done on rare occasions. For the purposes of Australian (and joint Australia-New Zealand) intergovernmental bodies, the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory are treated as if they were states. Each state has

5589-414: The summit of Big Ben. The much smaller and rocky McDonald Islands are located 44 kilometres (27 mi) to the west of Heard Island. They consist of McDonald Island (186 m or 610 ft high), Flat Island (55 m or 180 ft high) and Meyer Rock (170 m or 560 ft high). They total approximately 2.5 square kilometres ( 15 ⁄ 16  sq mi) in area, where McDonald Island

5670-401: The three self-governing territories, the ACT, the Northern Territory, and Norfolk Island, each have unicameral legislative assemblies. The legislative assembly for the ACT is the only parliament with responsibility for both state/territory and local government functions. The head of government of each state is called the "premier", appointed by the state's governor. In normal circumstances,

5751-693: The thrips Apterothrips apteris and the mite Tyrophagus putrescentiae are thought to be recent, possibly natural, introductions. An exotic species of earthworm Dendrodrilus rubidus was also collected in 1929 from a dump near Atlas Cove, and has recently been collected from a variety of habitats including wallows, streams and lakes on Heard Island. The arthropods of Heard Island are comparatively well known with 54 species of mite and tick , one spider and eight springtails recorded. A study over summer at Atlas Cove in 1987/88 showed overall densities of up to 60 000 individual springtails per square metre in soil under stands of Pringlea antiscorbutica . Despite

5832-435: The underside of rocks. There is a pronounced seasonality to the insect fauna, with densities in winter months dropping to a small percentage (between 0.75%) of the summer maximum. Distinct differences in relative abundances of species between habitats has also been shown, including a negative relationship between altitude and body size for Heard Island weevils. The fauna of the freshwater pools, lakes, streams and mires found in

5913-491: The vascular plant Pringlea antiscorbutica and six moss species. Volcanic activity has altered the distribution and abundance of the vegetation. The vascular flora covers a range of environments and, although only six species are currently widespread, glacial retreat and the consequent connection of previously separate ice-free areas is providing opportunities for further distribution of vegetation into adjacent areas. Low-growing herbaceous flowering plants and bryophytes are

5994-651: The vegetation by changing nutrient availability and disturbance through trampling. One plant species on Heard Island, Poa annua , a cosmopolitan grass native to Europe, was possibly introduced by humans, though is more likely to have arrived naturally, probably by skuas from the Kerguelen Islands where it is widespread. It was initially recorded in 1987 in two deglaciated areas of Heard Island not previously exposed to human visitors, while being absent from known sites of past human habitation. Since 1987 Poa annua populations have increased in density and abundance within

6075-454: The vegetation in some areas. As with plants, a 1980 survey of McDonald Island found lower diversity there, with just eight lichen species and a number of non-lichenized fungi recorded. The main indigenous animals are insects along with large populations of ocean-going seabirds , seals and penguins . Sealing at Heard Island lasted from 1855 to 1910, during which time 67 sealing vessels are recorded visiting, nine of which were wrecked off

6156-493: The vicinity of the islands. There is also a discarded building left from John Heard's sealing station that is situated near Atlas Cove. The islands were formally claimed by the United Kingdom in 1910 and transferred to Australia on 26 December 1947. The transfer was confirmed in letters exchanged on 19 December 1950. The archipelago became a World Heritage Site in 1997. The first recorded aircraft landing on McDonald Island

6237-585: The year. Monthly average temperatures at Atlas Cove (at the northwestern end of Heard Island) range from 0.0 to 4.2 °C (32.0 to 39.6 °F), with an average daily range of 3.7 to 5.2 °C (38.7 to 41.4 °F) in summer and −0.8 to 0.3 °C (30.6 to 32.5 °F) in winter. The winds are predominantly westerly and persistently strong. At Atlas Cove, monthly average wind speeds range between around 26 and 33.5 km/h (16.2 and 20.8 mph). Gusts in excess of 180 km/h (110 mph) have been recorded. Annual precipitation at sea level on Heard Island

6318-470: Was accepted by Australia in 1934 and was annexed to the Northern Territory prior to adoption of the Statute of Westminster in 1942, deemed effective from 1939; it has thus become part of Australia. Each external territory is regulated by an Act of the federal Parliament. These Acts contain the majority of provisions determining the legal and political structure applying in that external territory. Under s 122 of

6399-474: Was filmed on 2 February 2016. The volcano on McDonald Island, after being dormant for 75,000 years, became active in 1992 and has erupted several times since, the most recently in 2005. Heard Island and the McDonald Islands have no ports or harbours; ships must anchor offshore. The coastline is 101.9 km (63.3 mi) in extent, and a 12 nmi (22 km) territorial sea and 200 nmi (370 km) exclusive fishing zone are claimed. Heard Island has

6480-423: Was founded in 1788 and originally comprised much of the Australian mainland, as well as Lord Howe Island , New Zealand , Norfolk Island , and Van Diemen's Land , in addition to the area currently referred to as the state of New South Wales. During the 19th century, large areas were successively separated to form the Colony of Tasmania (initially established as a separate colony named Van Diemen's Land in 1825),

6561-426: Was made by Australian scientists Grahame Budd and Hugh Thelander on 12 February 1971, using a helicopter. There were at least five private expeditions to Heard Island between 1965 and 2000. Several amateur radio operators have visited Heard, often associated with scientific expeditions. The first activity there was in 1947 by Alan Campbell-Drury. Two amateur radio DXpeditions to the island took place in 1983 using

#390609