Shelter Island (Western Australia)

Shelter Island is approximately  due west of Albany, Western Australia. 

It is often mistakenly referred to as Muttonbird Island, which is the much smaller island located immediately east of Shelter Island. The beach immediately west of Shelter Island is known as Muttonbird Beach, and is popular for swimming, surfing, fishing, and four wheel driving.

Shelter Island is approximately  off-shore from Muttonbird Beach separated by a channel that has an average depth of  it is regarded as a suitable open-water dive site.    

The island consists of a mass of granite but has sufficient soil for plant growth and is well vegetated on top. The island supports breeding populations of flesh-footed shearwaters and little penguins as well as small populations of feral cats and black rats.

Little penguins have also been seen on the island.

The total area of the island is . It was declared a Class 1A Nature Reserve in 1973.

References

Category:Nature reserves in Western Australia
Category:Islands of the Great Southern (Western Australia)