Macquarie Island - 7151

It's been 10 years since Macquarie Island was declared pest free. Scientists say the transformation of the World Heritage-listed area has been extraordinary, but new threats are on the horizon.

It's been 10 years since Macquarie Island was declared pest free. Scientists say the transformation of the World Heritage-listed area has been extraordinary, but new threats are on the horizon.

There is no denying his roly-poly appeal — but the return of the southern elephant seal nicknamed "Neil" to dry land in Tasmania has prompted experts to plead yet again that if the public don't stay clear, there could be dire consequences.

Amazed birdwatchers believe a young king penguin that approached them on a Coorong beach may never have seen a human before, with the species normally staying in Antarctica and on sub-Antarctic islands.

Australia is surrounded by stunning islands — you may even spend time on one this summer. Join us on a whistle-stop tour to explore how some of our most iconic isles rose from the sea.

Macquarie Island, halfway between Hobart and Antarctica, is a haven for seabirds and seals. Now the federal government has signed off on plans to almost triple the size of the Macquarie Island marine park.

Australia's federal environment minister signs off on plans to almost triple the size of the marine park off Macquarie Island — and the seafood industry's peak body have concerns about the process by which the decision was made.

For decades rabbits, cats, rats and mice wreaked havoc on the sub-Antarctic island, which lies 1,500 kilometres south-east of Tasmania.

The Federal Government has revealed its proposal to massively expand a marine park around Macquarie Island, halfway between Australia and Antarctica.

An area roughly the size of Germany is set to be added to Australia's protected marine zones, safeguarding the future of millions of penguins, seals and sea birds on Macquarie Island.

Between now and the end of the century, thousands of square kilometres of permanently ice-free habitat is going to spread out across Antarctica, unlocking new habitats for natives and pests.

The rusted barrels on the beach stand as a grim reminder of how penguins here once came close to being wiped out by humans for their oil. In the years since, they have returned — but now they could be facing a different man-made threat.

The sub-Antarctic Macquarie Island is populated with 4 million birds, and ranger Kim Kliska is tasked with counting every single one of these fluffy king penguin chicks.

In 1989, a magnitude-8.2 earthquake on Macquarie Island shook expeditioners out of their bunks, with the event often touted as the largest inter-oceanic earthquake of the 20th century. Now, there are fears another quake or tsunami in the region could endanger the lives of people working on the remote island.

It's some 1,550 kilometres away from the closest hardware store, but work is underway to lay the foundations of a renovation project on the remote and rugged Macquarie Island that will take seven years to complete.

The Nella Dan was scuttled on Christmas Eve 1987. Now, scientists have pinpointed the Antarctic resupply ship's exact resting place.

Rescuers say they have managed to save 50 whales from a large group beached on Tasmania's West Coast - but 380 animals have died and 30 more are still stranded and clinging to life.

Marine conservation experts are being deployed to Tasmania's West Coast where a large pod of whales has reportedly been stranded — with one witness estimating up to 250 animals in distress or dead.

An energetic fox terrier cross is all that stands between the fragile World Heritage area and another catastrophic influx of pests.

Last year, the wandering albatrosses only laid three eggs on this sub-Antarctic island — this season six out of 10 eggs hatched.