island, following his leadership of the 1936 McCoy Society expedition: "A century ago it was covered with a dense, almost impenetrable, growth of the mixed bushy scrub that characterizes certain parts of the coast of the adjacent mainland. Some sixty years ago this dense scrub was still standing over the major portion of the island; but to-day the whole of the plateau is devoid of any growth more majestic than bracken fern and thistles. The whole plateau is, at present, a windswept area, clothed only by vegetation knee-high at the best, and at the worst, by loose volcanic soil or bare rock. This denudation of forest cover is due to human interference, for pigs were at one time turned down on the island, rabbits were liberated and are still living in their thousands, and sealers, fishermen and guano workers have cut down and burned the stunted and wind-blown trees that formerly covered the island." The landscape of the island's plateau is now bleak and windswept. It lacks trees and is still largely covered with grasses and bracken on thin black soil. The dominant vegetation communities are grassland and closed fernland. The vulnerable Shore Spleenwort (Asplenium obtusatum) still survives there. Fauna The island is one of four Australian fur seal breeding colonies in Victoria and, with an estimated 27,000 seals, is the largest such colony in Australia. It is occasionally visited by Australian sea lions and southern elephant seals. Pigs and rabbits were previously introduced but have since disappeared or been eradicated. The island is home to breeding little penguins (2000 pairs), common diving-petrels (1000 pairs), fairy prions (1000 pairs), and short-tailed shearwaters (15,000 pairs). White's skink is the only reptile present. The surrounding waters are visited by great white sharks. Access Access to Lady Julia Percy Island itself is restricted, and landing is by permit only. However, boat cruises from Port Fairy to the waters around the island are popular; they allow people to see the seal colony and watch whales and seabirds on the way. References Further reading Moyne Shire Council: Lady Julia Percy Island Lady Julia Percy Island, Victorian Resources Online, Department of Primary Industries, Victoria. Accessed 2007-12-09. Lady Julia Percy Island State Faunal Reserve, Aussie Heritage. Accessed 2007-12-13. External links Visit Lady Julia Percy Island By Boat Charter Unincorporated areas of Victoria (Australia) Islands of Victoria (Australia) Nature reserves in Victoria (Australia) Bass Strait Volcanoes of Victoria