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Black Island
HISTORY
Black Island
Black Island south of Hayman Island and Black
Reef on the Barrier Reef north-east of Hayman Island were named in 1926 by
Captain J. A. Edgell, RN, in HMAS Moresby. The origin of the name
is not known but probably was after some person on board Moresby.
In 1896 Black Island and nearby Langford Island were visited by the American naturalist Alexander Agassiz in the course of a study of coral reefs and he referred to what now is Black Island as 'Woody Island'. One of his colleagues on the expedition was a Dr W. McM. Woodworth and it seems a reasonable assumption he may have gone under the nick-name of 'Woody' and that this could account for Agassiz's name for the island which is no more woody than any other island in the area. It also went under the local name of 'Stonehaven Island' during the 1930s no doubt because of its proximity to Stonehaven on Hook Island.
During the period of the Embury expeditions to Hayman Island, Monty Embury had a special lease (SL8351) for ten years from 1 September 1934 over Black Island but after his departure from the scene in 1935 and following a review of this lease in 1936, it was revoked in 1938 and the island declared a national park.
Following the takeover of Hayman Island by Ansett in 1948, Black Island became a picnic/ barbecue spot for Hayman guests and in the late 1950s a small jetty was erected at the north-west tip of the island together with a barbecue, shelter shed and toilets though these were later removed. Over the following years Hayman Island continued to use the island for barbecues and dubbed it 'Bali Hai'. In 1960 Ansett made representations to the Government to have the island included in their lease of Hayman Island but this was refused. At about the same time there were suggestions that the island be leased by Roylen Cruises for the construction of an underwater observatory but this also did not proceed.
In 1963 there was a further proposal from Enrich Makat that an underwater observatory be constructed on the island. He earlier had proposed a similar venture in Cid Harbour but had decided Black Island was a better venue. This proposal did not proceed either (Queensland National Parks and Wildlife Service files).
The Information on the Whitsunday Islands is reproduced by kind permission of Mr. Ray Blackwood from his book: " The Whitsunday Islands An Historical Dictionary ".
Please visit his site here. It is well worth the time!