Nepean Island (Norfolk Island)

Unlike Norfolk and Phillip Islands, Nepean is not volcanic in origin, but is Late Pleistocene limestone formed from wind blown sand dunes between the last two ice ages. Calcareous sand grains were bound by carbonate cement to form a calcarenite limestone. ==Flora and fauna==

The island is made of calcareous rock dating from the late Pleistocene and is a breeding site for several species of seabirds. Before being cleared in the 1790s, the island was home to about 200 Norfolk Island Pines. Today, native plants present on the island include pigface, native spinach, moo-oo, native flax and native rush. The masked booby breeds onsite during the summer. From July to December little shearwaters breed on the island. Other birds such as the whale bird, grey noddy, black noddy, wedge-tailed shearwater, brown noddy and red-tailed tropicbird also breed on Nepean Island. It is a refuge for the endemic marbled gecko, which is now extinct on Norfolk Island. It is also home to the Phillip Island skink. The island is home to little nipper landcrabs and freshwater crabs. Green turtles are often seen off the coast of the island. ==See also==