Cool fact…

February 15 2005 is the 150th anniversary of the first recorded landing on Heard Island, made by a party from the whaling vessel Corinthian.

Heard Island

Heard Island and McDonald Islands (HIMI) is a subantarctic island group located in the Southern Ocean, about 4,000 kilometres south west of mainland Australia.

The islands and surrounding waters teem with wildlife and other natural wonders that make HIMI a special place.

About Heard Island
General information about the special qualities of the HIMI region.

Nature
Learn about the landscapes and ecosystems of the HIMI region.

History
The discovery, human use, and heritage of Heard Island.

Image gallery
See the rugged landscape, and the hardy plants and animals of HIMI.

Research
How HIMI contributes to global science through research.

Protect and manage
How it is ensured that the special qualities of HIMI are maintained.

News and features

Seen on Heard Island (03 Jun 11): Penguins and elephant seals took centre-stage in timelapse images from a remote monitoring… more
State of the Parks Report 2007/08 (01 Aug 08): Every year the Director of National Parks prepares a 'State of the Parks'… more
Bringing Heard Island closer to home (01 Feb 08): Two exciting initiatives are bringing isolated Heard Island and McDonald Islands closer to… more
Volcanic activity at McDonald Island (01 Mar 05): After some 75 000 years lying dormant and home only to seals, penguins… more

More news and features