Flinders Island off South Australia's Eyre Peninsula converted to eco tourism and major conservation project

Flinders Island off South Australia's Eyre Peninsula was government funded to become a refuge for nationally-threatened mammals, including the banded hare wallaby (inset centre), with its resident shorebirds such as the eastern osprey (top). The island also offered surfing, snorkelling and fishing among eco tourism dovetailing with its conservation. 
Images courtesy Australian and South Australian governments

South Australia’s Flinders Island, privately owned by the Woolford family since 1978, was opened to eco tourism in the 21st Century as it became the focus of a significant conservation project – boosted by $4.8 million funding from the Australian and South Australian governments in 2025. The funding was to create a refuge for nationally threatened mammals, including the banded hare wallaby.

Peter and Pamela Woolford began operating a merino sheep station on the island  – South Australia's fourth largest – of about 4,000 hectares, about 30 kilometres west of Elliston on the state's Eyre Peninsula. Surrounded by the Investigator Group Marine Park protected area, the island had 50 kilometres of diverse coastline and native vegetation covering about 75% of the island, making it an ideal haven for some threatened species.

The Woolfords found a passion for nature and a taste for its seafood when Peter, in 1984, gained a licence to harvest abalone off the island, starting the Eyrewoolf Abalone business taken over by sons Tobin and Jonas. The Woolford brothers later started opening Flinders Island to eco escape tourism and recreation.

In 2020, the Woolford brothers signed a conservation agreement with the South Australian and Australian governments, covering 95% of the island, to eradicate its feral its black rats, feral cats and mice so threatened native animals from mainland could be introduced. This was in addition to a 1995 heritage agreement covering about 250 hectares.

British navy explorer Matthew Flinders discovered Flinders Island in February 1802 and named it after his brother Samuel Flinders, the second lieutenant on the HMS Investigator. French captain Nicolas Baudin sailed by in April 1802 and named it Ilse Andreassy.

Around 1826, sealing begun on the island and whaling by 1845. Sealer Bill Bryant lived on the island more than 17 years, harvesting seals. The island’s first pastoral lease was granted in 1845 and, by 1867, Flinders Island carried 4,000 sheep over two titles, as well as a guano mining from before 1900, with many merchant ketches servicing the coastline.

Sheep, horses, cattle, milk thistles and oats were introduced to Flinders Island, probably by Willie Schlink and his family. With many small ketches servicing the island, 1,500 acres (610 hectares) of the island were cleared and were producing 1,400 to 2,000 bags of wheat annually, along with the sheep. Black and white white rabbits ran wild on the island but, when the island was sold in 1911, 30,000 wallabies had been killed there. The island continued to be used mostly for farming, although that diminished as transport costs rose.

The steamship Kapara, was wrecked in Bryants Bay in 1942 – bringing black rats to the island. Cats then were introduced to control rats around the farm houses.

Around 75% of Flinders Island was covered by native shrubland, a contrast with other Eyre Peninsula islands noted by Matthew Flinders. Also unlike the other islands, Flinders had no snakes but 12 skink and three gecko species. Migratory seabirds were present in the summer, along with a few species of resident shorebirds and raptors including osprey, white bellied sea eagle and the Australian kestrel. Marine species were plentiful and sightings of the Australian sea lion, dolphins and the western blue groper were common.  As part of the Investigator Islands Important Bird Area, Flinders had a colony of little penguins that suffered from the cats, rats and mice.

The Woolford family’s eco tourism venture was based at Eyrewoolf Homestead on the beachfront of Groper Bay, with spectacular views of the rugged coastline toward Topgallant Isles. With access to the island by air or boat, guests were welcomed by the Woodlfords one group at a time, giving them the chance to feel the freedom of the island lifestyle with 50 kilometres of coastline. Surfing, snorkelling and diving crystal clear waters was among activities offered with an abundance of species for fishing.