Tasmanian Seamounts
| Tasmanian Seamounts | |
|---|---|
South of Tasmania | |
| Summit depth | 660 and 1,700 m (2,000 and 6,000 ft) |
| Height | 300 to 600 m (1,000 to 2,000 ft) |
| Summit area | 25 km (16 mi) across |
| Location | |
| Location | South of Tasmania |
| Country | Australia |
| Geology | |
| Type | Seamounts (underwater volcanoes) |
| Age of rock | ~55 million years old |
| Last eruption | 7 million years ago |
The Tasmanian Seamounts (also Tasman Seamounts and Tasmania Seamounts) are a group of seamounts (underwater volcanoes) located off the southern tip of Tasmania. The seamounts were created more than 55 million years ago by the Tasman hotspot. The seamounts are ecologically important, and harbor a lush marine ecosystem, but are threatened by overfishing. For this reason, part of the Tasmanian Seamounts were incorporated into a marine reserve in 1999.