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For other places with the same name, see Barrow Island (disambiguation) Barrow Island is a 202 km2 sub-tropical island 50 km northwest off the coast of Western Australia. Phillip Parker King named the island in 1816, although numerous navigators had noted its existence since the early 1600's. The island contains no evidence of aboriginal australians. Until last century the island remained un-inhabitated mostly because of a lack of water. Barrow Island is noted for its flat spinifex grasslands spotted with termite mounds. No exotic animals have been established and so many rare and endangered species have flourished. Animals species that find shelter in this habitat include two species of turtle, bettongs, perentie (Australia's biggest lizard), the Barrow Island Wallaroo also known as euros or common wallaroos, the spectacled hare-wallaby, the golden bandicoot, green turtles, dugong and osprey. Oil was discovered on the island in 1954. The first oil field on Barrow Island was established in 1964. There are currently 400 oil wells on the island and this field has been Australia's leading producer of oil by the number of barrels per life of the field. In 1995 there were 430 wells producing oil and natural gas. Oil tankers are filled by a submarine pipeline that extends 10 km offshore. Oil companies have established a 200 room apartment complex for workers.
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