Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2022L01285:reg:13:p92
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2022L01285
Segment Type: reg
Provision Reference: reg 13 (pt 92/98)
Character Range: 495834–499454

density of burrows at North Head.
Introduced species
Table 41 indicates that up to 2021, sixteen species of vertebrates are known to have been introduced to Macquarie Island since its discovery. Four of these species are still present on Macquarie Island, with rabbits, rats and mice eradicated from the island recently (Parks & Wildlife Service 2014). Sindel et al. (2017) identified three invasive, non-native plant species as well-established on the island: meadow grass (Poa annua), chickweed (Stellaria media) and starweed (Cerastium frontanum), none of which were identified as having a population-level impact on the albatross and petrel populations.
Table 41: Vertebrate animal species introduced to Macquarie Island.
Introduced species still present on Macquarie Island, 2021  Introduced species no longer present on Macquarie Island, 2021

common starling (Sturnus vulgaris)                          European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus)

common redpoll (Acanthis flammea)                           ship rat (Rattus rattus)

European goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis)                    house mouse (Mus musculus)

mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)                                cat (Felis catus)

                                                            cow (Bos taurus)

                                                            dog (Canis familaris)

                                                            donkey (Equus asinus)

                                                            goat (Capra hircus)

                                                            horse (Equus caballus)

                                                            pig (Sus scrofa)

                                                            sheep (Ovis aries)

                                                            weka (Gallirallus australis)

Effects of human occupation
Macquarie Island has a long history of human impacts. Seal and penguin oil harvesters occupied the island from 1810 to 1920 (Cumpston 1968, Townrow 1988). Albatrosses and giant petrels were harvested for food throughout this time, particularly in the early years (Cumpston 1968). While the number of albatrosses and giant petrels taken by the early settlers is unknown, it is likely to have been excessive, given the extent that other species were exploited. For example, sealers killed over 80,000 Southern Elephant Seals within the first 20 years of occupation, with fur seals completely eliminated from Macquarie Island after 25 years of exploitation (recolonising the island from the 1960s) (Rounsevell & Brothers 1984, Hindell & Burton 1988).
Wekas were introduced to Macquarie Island by the sealers as a source of food. These aggressive birds preyed upon penguin chicks, burrow-nesting petrels and invertebrates. An eradication program for wekas began in 1985 and ended when the last weka on the island was shot in 1988 (Copson 1988). Feral cats and rodents were recorded on the island by the 1820s and 1880s, respectively. Recent pest control programs ensured cats were eradicated by 2002, and rodents by 2014. Rabbits were introduced to the island in the 1870s and significantly modified the distribution of vegetation alliances, particularly the grasslands (Rounsevell & Brothers 1984). Rabbit control commenced in 1978 with the island declared free from rabbits in 2014, with subsequent recovery of plant communities (Parks & Wildlife Service 2014).
Few historical structures remain on the island. The modern station, located on the Isthmus, is comprised of over 40 buildings and structures for scientific and tourism