Steep Island, also known as Steep Head, is a 21.6 ha island in Bass Strait in south-eastern Australia. It is part of Tasmania’s Hunter Island Group and lies between north-west Tasmania and King Island. It was once used for grazing sheep but title has been transferred to the Tasmanian Aboriginal community; with an estimated 250,000 shearwater burrows present, it is principally used for muttonbirding.[1]
The island forms part of the Hunter Island Group Important Bird Area.[2] Breeding seabirds and shorebirds include Little Penguin, Short-tailed Shearwater, Common Diving-Petrel, Pacific Gull, Silver Gull, Sooty Oystercatcher and Black-faced Cormorant. Tiger Snakes have been introduced to the island and pose a threat to breeding seabirds.[1]