Mitchells Island

Mitchells Island is the largest of several islands in the mouth of the Manning River. It is roughly triangular in shape and has an area of approximately 130 km² (50 sq mi). It is bordered on the north by the main channel of the Manning River, on the southwest by Scotts Creek, and on the east by the Pacific Ocean. The ocean edge extends from Old Bar in the south to Harrington to the north.

Mitchells Island is located at 31°53'60S 152°37'0E and varies its altitude from sea level to 151 m (495 ft). It is named after Thomas Livingstone Mitchell (1792–1855), who served as Surveyor-General for Australia. It and the adjacent Oxley Island is a shale outcrop rather than a sandy deposit.^[1]

The population of Mitchells Island is approximately 300 permanent residents. Much of the island was covered by dairy farms but today there is only one remaining farm.^[1] It is a popular holiday location and has two caravan parks and many rental homes and units.

Mitchells Island largely consists of dense rainforest, home to many native animals including koalas, echidnas, wallabies, possums, bandicoots, quolls, goannas and birds.

The housing estate Manning Waters was developed in 1991 with two houses, growing to 36 homes today. The Islands historical St. Marks church was built in 1872, its first service on 6 June of that year. Legend has it the Church was built from a large cedar log washed down river from the timber mill during floods, and the cemetery is on the highest point of the Island looking over the river towards the little brother mountain ranges. There is one village on the island, Manning Point, approximately 330 km (210 mi) north of Sydney.^[2] Besides the holiday rental units, it has a general store, a bowling club, the two caravan parks, a cafe, and a bait shop. The general store is also the news agent, the video rental shop, the Australia Post Office, the bottle shop, the burger and fish and chips grill, and the grocery store.

The Pacific Ocean forms the eastern border of the island. While the entire length is a sand beach, there are two accesses. The northern access is from the village of Manning Point and is reinforced to allow four-wheel drive vehicle access. The southern access is from Beach Road. This access is a narrow path over the boundary dune. Neither beach is patrolled.

References[]

^ ^a ^b Dow L, Guyon D, Irving R, McPhee M, Matthews A, Prineas P, Rubinich T, Simpson J (1995). Reader's Digest Illustrated Guide to Australian Places. Surry Hills, NSW: Reader's Digest. p. 70. ISBN 0-86438-399-1.
^ Maps.Google.Com

Coordinates: 31°54′S 152°37′E / 31.900°S 152.617°E / -31.900; 152.617

[ReadersDigest-1] Dow L, Guyon D, Irving R, McPhee M, Matthews A, Prineas P, Rubinich T, Simpson J (1995). Reader's Digest Illustrated Guide to Australian Places. Surry Hills, NSW: Reader's Digest. p. 70. ISBN 0-86438-399-1.

[2] Maps.Google.Com

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v t Towns, suburbs and localities of Mid-Coast Council, in the Hunter & Mid North Coast Regions, New South Wales
Towns, suburbs and localities	Allworth Back Creek Barrington Black Head Blueys Beach Bobin Boomerang Beach Booral Bulahdelah Bungwahl Cabbage Tree Island Carrington Cedar Party Coolongolook Coopernook Cooplacurripa Copeland Cundletown Darawank Diamond Beach Dungog Elands Elizabeth Beach Failford Fernhill Forster Gloucester Hannam Vale Harrington Hawks Nest Johns River Karuah Killabakh Koorainghat Krambach Lansdowne Limeburners Creek Manning Point Mitchells Island Monkerai Mount George Nabiac Nooroo North Arm Cove Number One Old Bar Pacific Palms Purfleet Seal Rocks Smiths Lake Stratford Stroud Tahlee Taree Tea Gardens Tinonee Tuncurry Wallabi Point Wallis Island Wallis Lake Wingham
Rivers and other waterways	Avon River Barnard River Barrington River Bowman River Coolongolook River Cooplacurripa River Crawford River Curricabark River Gloucester River Karuah River Mammy Johnsons River Manning River Myall Lakes Myall River Smiths Lake Telegherry River The Branch River Wallamba River Wallingat River Wallis Lake Wards River
National parks	Barrington Tops National Park Booti Booti Ghin-Doo-Ee Myall Lakes Wallingat
Other places and points of interest	Broughton Island Cape Hawke Gloucester Tops Mitchells Island Port Stephens Singing Bridge Tahlee historic property Tops to Myall Heritage Trail