Page 12 - Lifestyles in Palm Beach Gardens - April '21

Page 12, Lifestyles in Palm Beach Gardens
Kangaroo Island: A Place Like No Other

By Don Kiselewski, MCC, and Kuma Aboriginal mainland tell stories in their “dream
D.S., Palm Beach Gardens time” of spirits on the island. In their beliefs today, the island
Travel Leaders is known as the “Land of the Dead.”
As soon as you step off Because of the rugged coast on Kangaroo Island and most
the ferry from the mainland of South Australia, lighthouses to aid in navigation became
of Australia, you know that a necessity. “Shipwreck coast” is the name given to this part
you’re in a special place. of the world. An average of one wreck per mile of shoreline
Kangaroo Island is located of South Australia and Victoria emphasized the magnitude
in the South Indian Ocean, of the navigation problems involved. Cape du Couedic, the
some 12 miles southwest of rugged southwestern part of the island, was named in honor of
Cape Jervis on the Fleurieu distinguished French sea captain Charles Louis, Chevalier du
Peninsula of South Australia. Couedic de Kergoualer. Shipwrecks at this location included There is a plethora of other animals on the island as well.
Around 9,000 years ago, the island was cut and separated the Mars (1875), Emily Smith (1877) and Loch Sloy (1899), Seal Beach, as well as the coastline around the island, is
from the peninsula. What remained is an island that is 100 which prompted the construction of a kerosene-powered light literally covered by sea lions returning from their swim to
miles long (east to west) and approximately 30 miles wide. in the picturesque lighthouse structure in 1909. Built before feed in the ocean. The koala was thought to be extinct at one
It boasts a population of almost 5,000 (Source: Australian roads, the lighthouse was serviced by sea until 1940. time on the island because of fires and loss of habitat. Nine
Bureau of Statistics). Before WWII, approximately 75 percent of the island was pair and a few young were introduced back on the island
Today, the island is so tight-knit that when the state of in virgin condition and had never been cleared of its original from French Island in Victoria in the 1930s. As a result
Southern Australia sends more state patrol officers to the island vegetation for farming. In 1948, 174 excited and optimistic men of the controlled environment and lack of predators, their
on the ferry, the word that the “law is coming” spreads over were selected for the task of homesteading the unspoiled scrub. number is estimated at over 2,000. These “cuddly” animals
the entire island before the ferry docks at Penneshaw. Needless Families operated from a work base in the center of the island, can easily be spotted in the manna, swamp or blue gum tree
to say, very few locals are caught by the state troopers. which became the village of Pandama in order to tackle the on the island.
Kingscote is the largest town on the island, where about monumental task, living in primitive barrack-like conditions. They used to be called “fairy” penguins; however, the
one-third of the island residents live. The others are spread By 1964, these hearty individuals had achieved their goal of name has been upgraded to “little penguins.” At dusk, these
in small hamlets throughout the island. Parndana, a small converting the raw land into workable farms and pastures for small creatures come ashore, literally by the thousands,
town in the center of the island, was started as the hub of the their sheep. Today, large herds of kangaroos run freely over along the rocky beach to spend their evening on dry land.
settlement program that began at the end of WWII. Servicemen these pasture lands at will. Often herds of 500 kangaroos are A popular activity on the island is to watch the penguin
returning from the war were given a chance to obtain land by seen in one paddock at the same time, grazing on the beautiful parade march ashore.
homesteading. This became the heart of today’s agricultural green grass. In 2001, the kangaroo population was estimated
economy on the island. at 27,000 … that’s about seven kangaroos per square mile. Kangaroo Island on page 13
As with most of Australia, the original inhabitants of
Kangaroo Island were Aborigines. However, their occupation “Service is our number one priority”
of the island is somewhat of a mystery. When Europeans first
discovered the island, it was clear of any Aborigines. Based 561-743-0070
upon evidence and later studies, it is believed that the island
was abandoned by the Aboriginal people 11,000 years before. www.palmspoolservices.com
Perhaps the best reason for the absence of Aboriginals is the
belief that the island is inhabited by the dead. The Ngarrindjeri

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