St Helena Island National Park
| St Helena Island National Park Queensland | |
|---|---|
Ruins of the butcher's shop and bakery at St Helena | |
| Coordinates | 27°23′36″S 153°13′54″E / 27.39333°S 153.23167°E |
| Established | 1979 |
| Area | 75 ha (185.33 acres) |
| Managing authorities | Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service |
| Website | St Helena Island National Park |
| See also | Protected areas of Queensland |
St Helena Island is a heritage-listed island in Moreton Bay, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It is 21 kilometres (13 mi) east of Brisbane and 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) east of the mouth of the Brisbane River. Originally used as a prison, it is now a national park. Local Australian Aboriginals called the island Noogoon but it was renamed St Helena after an Aboriginal man named Napoleon was exiled there in 1827. The island is visible from the mainland, particularly the suburbs of Wynnum, Manly and Lota. It has its own permanent water supply, a spring in the centre of the island. Many migratory birds use the island as a watering hole; it forms part of the Moreton Bay and Pumicestone Passage Important Bird Area, so identified by BirdLife International because it supports large numbers of migratory waders, or shorebirds.