Friends of Snake Island
The Friends of Snake Island (FOSI) includes members of the Tasmanian Sea Canoeing Club (TSCC), the Kettering Yacht Club (KYC) and other local community members. It was recognised that, while the island has traditionally been, and continues to be, a popular destination for people with access to boats, it has unfortunately suffered some degradation over the years. We aim to reverse that degradation!
Branch Files
- Island Biosecurity - Generic Island Biosecurity document
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Where we work
Snake island has traditionally been, and continues to be, a popular destination for people with access to boats. It has unfortunately suffered some degradation over the years.
Snake Island lies in Snake Bay in the D’Entrecasteaux Channel, about 4 kilometres east of Woodbridge.It is about 4.5 hectares in size, and with a small stand of White Gums (Eucalyptus viminalis), forms part of the habitat of a colony of forty spotted pardalotes. The vegetation on the rest of the island includes a good stand of mature Casuarinas, (Allocasuarina verticillata) and open native grasslands. Unfortunately, the island has also been invaded by Spanish Heath, (Erica lusitanica), which has taken over a large area in the north of the island.
What we do
The success of our application to Envirofund, has enabled us to equip ourselves for the next few years to maintain our weed eradication programme, which is already showing fantastic progress. While the working bees, which are held several times a year, are targeting larger bushes using the cut and paste method of control, we have also contracted a company to spray the smaller growth. This will be repeated in the coming months to maximise our efforts. In order to monitor results in various areas where we have used various herbicides and cutting methods, we have also established quadrats and recorded their positions.
Being an island wildcare group presents some logistical problems at times, but because it is also a great boating and overnight camping destination, the problems are greatly outweighed by the delightful setting and solitude of the place. Because it is such a special place, both to FOSI and the community generally, we are determined to see the weed problems eradicated and the island returned to a more agreeable condition.
Island Biodiversity Procedures
Island Biosecurity – for guidance on how to ensure that you do not inadvertently carry pests and diseases onto Snake Island
Our Contacts
President – Greg Baxter snakeisland@wildcaretas.org.au