Lizard, Queensland

{{Infobox Australian place

| type = suburb

| name = Lizard

| city =

| state = qld

| image = Lizard-Island-Australia-2018-Luka-Peternel.jpg

| caption = Lizard Island beach with Prince Charles Island (right), 2018

| coordinates = {{coord|-14.7544|145.34|type:city_region:AU-QLD|display=inline,title|name=Lizard (centre of locality)}}

| pop = 65

| pop_year = {{CensusAU|2021}}

| pop_footnotes =

| established =

| postcode = 4871

| area = 2833.7

| timezone = AEST

| utc = +10:00

| dist1 =

| dir1 =

| location1 =

| dist2 =

| dir2 =

| location2 =

| dist3 =

| dir3 =

| location3 =

| dist4 =

| dir4 =

| location4 =

| lga = Shire of Cook

| stategov = Cook

| fedgov = Leichhardt

| near-n = Coral Sea

| near-ne = Coral Sea

| near-e = Coral Sea

| near-se = Coral Sea

| near-s = Hope Vale

| near-sw = Hope Vale

| near-w = Starcke

| near-nw = Starcke

}}

Lizard is an offshore locality consisting of a number of islands in the Great Barrier Reef area of the Coral Sea within the Shire of Cook, Queensland, Australia. It includes Lizard Island. In the {{CensusAU|2021}}, Lizard had a population of 65 people.

Geography

The locality consists of many island groups and islands. Being in the Great Barrier Reef area, there are many coral reefs with low-lying islands (known as coral cays) which can develop or erode over time. Consequently many are unnamed or poorly documented. The named features are listed in the table, from north to south.

class="wikitable"

!Name

!Size

!Coordinates

!Notes

Nymph Island

|{{convert|76.3396|ha}}

|{{coord

14.6543|145.2529|type:isle_region:AU-QLD|name=Nymph Island}}

|It is surrounded by the Nymph Reef. It is part of the Turtle Group National Park.{{cite QPN|24924|Nymph Island|island|access-date=25 November 2020}}{{Queensland Globe|access-date=27 October 2023}}

Prince Charles Island

|{{convert|1.0756|ha}}

|{{coord

14.6666|145.4439|type:isle_region:AU-QLD|name=Prince Charles Island (Osprey Island)}}

|Also known as Osprey Island, it is just off the west coast of Lizard Island connected by the Lizard Island Reef. It is part of the Lizard Island National Park.

Lizard Island

|{{convert|8.6287|km2}}

|{{coord

14.6671|145.4606|type:isle_region:AU-QLD|name=Lizard Island}}

|Named on 12 August 1770 by Lieutenant James Cook, commander of HMS Endeavour, noting "...the only land animals we saw here were lizards".{{cite QPN|19800|Lizard Island|island|access-date=25 November 2020}}{{Cite web |date=12 November 2020 |title=Marine islands - Queensland |url=https://www.data.qld.gov.au/dataset/geographic-features-queensland-series/resource/ffa00969-099d-4fd4-98f8-81e9aea26df6 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201125063021/https://www.data.qld.gov.au/dataset/geographic-features-queensland-series/resource/ffa00969-099d-4fd4-98f8-81e9aea26df6 |archive-date=25 November 2020 |access-date=25 November 2020 |website=Queensland Open Data |publisher=Queensland Government}} It is a continental island rising to {{Convert|350|m}} above sea level with the Lizard Island Reef. It is the largest island in the Lizard Island National Park.

Seabird Islet

|approx {{Convert|1.75|ha}}

|{{coord

14.6916|145.4658|type:isle_region:AU-QLD|name=Seabird Islet}}

|A small continental island, covered in grass, shrubs and granite boulders. It is a nesting site for osprey, black-naped terns, bridled terns, silver gulls, Torres Strait Pigeons and reef herons.{{cite QPN|30316|Seabird Islet|island in Shire of Cook|access-date=1 October 2023}} It is south of Lizard Head on Lizard Island and is part of the Lizard Island Reef and the Lizard Island National Park. It is the only named island in the Bird Islets.

Bird Islets

|{{coord

14.6922|145.4663|type:isle_region:AU-QLD|name=Bird Islets}}

|An island group south of Lizard Head on Lizard Island within the Lizard Island Reef. Its only named island is Seabird Islet.{{Cite web |date=12 November 2020 |title=Island groups - Queensland |url=https://www.data.qld.gov.au/dataset/geographic-features-queensland-series/resource/35dda38a-7be9-42b4-be8d-e0ebb180b0d6 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201125062205/https://www.data.qld.gov.au/dataset/geographic-features-queensland-series/resource/35dda38a-7be9-42b4-be8d-e0ebb180b0d6 |archive-date=25 November 2020 |access-date=25 November 2020 |website=Queensland Open Data |publisher=Queensland Government}}

Palfrey Island

|{{convert|51.8023|ha}}

|{{coord

14.6926|145.4464|type:isle_region:AU-QLD|name=Palfrey Island}}

|A continental island rising to {{Convert|130|m}} to south of Research Point on Lizard Island and part of the Lizard Island Reef and the Lizard Island National Park.{{cite QPN|25834|Palfrey Island|island|access-date=25 November 2020}}

Eagle Island

|{{convert|3.5178|ha}}

|{{Coord

14.6968|145.3774|type:isle_region:AU-QLD|name=Eagle Island}}

|Within the Eyrie Reef, it was named by Lieutenant James Cook on the HMS Endeavour on 13 August 1770. It is part of the Lizard Island National Park.{{cite QPN|11002|Eagle Island|island|access-date=25 November 2020}}

South Island

|{{convert|28.6527|ha}}

|{{coord

14.7018|145.4544|type:isle_region:AU-QLD|name=South Island (Newt Island)}}

|Also known as Newt Island, it is a continental island rising to {{Convert|110|m}} south of Lizard Island. It is part of the Lizard Island Reef and the Island Island National Park.{{cite QPN|31415|South Island|island|access-date=25 November 2020}}

Turtle Group

|{{coord

14.7227|145.1938|type:isle_region:AU-QLD|name=Turtle Group}}

|An island group consisting of a number of unnamed islands within the Turtle Group Reef. It is part of the Turtle Group National Park.{{cite QPN|35417|Turtle Group|island group in Shire of Cook|access-date=1 October 2023}}

Pethebridge Islets

|{{coord

14.7338|145.0916|type:isle_region:AU-QLD|name=Pethebridge Islets}}

|An island group consisting of two unnamed islands within the Pethebridge Islets Reef, formerly known as Q Reef or Kew Reef. It is part of the Turtle Group National Park.{{cite QPN|26531|Pethebridge Islets|island group in Shire of Cook|access-date=1 October 2023}}

North Direction Island

|{{convert|48.1906|ha}}

|{{coord

14.7455|145.5115|type:isle_region:AU-QLD|name=North Direction Island (Northern Direction Island)}}

|Also known as Northern Direction Island, it is surrounded by the North Direction Reef.{{cite QPN|24631|North Direction Island|island in Shire of Cook|access-date=1 October 2023}}

South Direction Island

|{{convert|55.2957|ha}}

|{{coord

14.8285|145.5249|type:isle_region:AU-QLD|name=South Direction Island}}

|It is surrounded by the South Direction Reef.{{cite QPN|31447|South Direction Island|island|access-date=25 November 2020}}

Rocky Islets

|{{coord

14.8625|145.4772|type:isle_region:AU-QLD|name=Rocky Islets}}

|An island group of 3 unnamed islands joined by the Rocky Islets Reef. One of them rises to {{Convert|30|m}}. The group is within the Three Islands Group National Park.{{cite QPN|28844|Rocky Islets|island group in Shire of Cook|access-date=1 October 2023}}

There are three national parks within the locality:

Lizard Island National Park{{Hsp}}{{Cite web |date=2009-10-19 |title=Lizard Island National Park |url=https://parks.des.qld.gov.au/parks/lizard-island |access-date=2023-10-27 |website=Parks and forests |publisher=Queensland Government |language=en-AU |archive-date=7 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230607032900/https://parks.des.qld.gov.au/parks/lizard-island |url-status=live }}
Turtle Group National Park{{Hsp}}{{Cite web |date=2009-10-22 |title=Turtle Group National Park |url=https://parks.des.qld.gov.au/parks/turtle-group |access-date=2023-10-27 |website=Parks and forests |publisher=Queensland Government |language=en-AU |archive-date=31 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230531195907/https://parks.des.qld.gov.au/parks/turtle-group |url-status=live }}
Three Islands Group National Park, which includes islands offshore of the neighbouring locality of Hope Vale{{Hsp}}{{Cite web |date=2010-03-01 |title=Three Islands Group National Park |url=https://parks.des.qld.gov.au/parks/three-islands |access-date=2023-10-27 |website=Parks and forests |publisher=Queensland Government |language=en-AU |archive-date=10 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230610122225/https://parks.des.qld.gov.au/parks/three-islands |url-status=live }}

History

The locality takes its name from Lizard Island, the largest island in the locality. The island was named on 12 August 1770 by Lieutenant James Cook, commander of HMS Endeavour, with the comment "...the only land animals we saw here were lizards".{{cite QPN|46133|Lizard|locality in Shire of Cook|accessdate=30 October 2019}}

Heritage listings

Mrs Watson's Cottage on Lizard Island is listed on the Queensland Heritage Register.{{cite QHR|15205|Stone ruin at Lizard Island|600430|access-date=7 July 2013}}

Demographics

In the {{CensusAU|2016}}, Lizard had a population of 49 people.{{Census 2016 AUS|id=SSC31684|name=Lizard (SSC)|access-date=20 October 2018|quick=on}}

In the {{CensusAU|2021}}, Lizard had a population of 65 people.{{Census 2021 AUS|id=SAL31669|name=Lizard (SAL)|access-date=28 February 2023|quick=on}}

Education

File:Lizard Island Airport.jpg

There are no schools in Lizard nor nearby. The options are distance education and boarding school.{{cite web |title=Layers: Locality; Schools and school catchments |url=https://qldglobe.information.qld.gov.au/ |access-date=27 October 2023 |website=Queensland Globe |publisher=Queensland Government |archive-date=19 December 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171219175447/https://qldglobe.information.qld.gov.au/ |url-status=live }}

Transport

Lizard Island Airport is on Lizard Island ({{coord|-14.6712|145.4525|type:airport_region:AU-QLD|name=Lizard Island Airfield}}).{{Cite web |date=22 October 2020 |title=Airports - Queensland |url=https://www.data.qld.gov.au/dataset/transport-features-queensland-series/resource/f5e72c21-4f70-4cca-a22e-f2265b85ee56 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201115071531/https://www.data.qld.gov.au/dataset/transport-features-queensland-series/resource/f5e72c21-4f70-4cca-a22e-f2265b85ee56 |archive-date=15 November 2020 |access-date=3 November 2020 |website=Queensland Open Data |publisher=Queensland Government}}

References

Category:Shire of Cook

Category:Localities in Queensland