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Arkhurst Island
HISTORY
Arkhurst Island
Today's Arkhurst Island was named Akhurst Island in
1866 by Commander G. S. Nares, RN, in HMS Salamander after
John Akhurst, Acting Boatswain 3rd Class. Nares' survey chart and Admiralty
chart BA347 in both its 1866 and 1882 editions show the name as 'Akhurst', but
from 1916 BA347 and other charts show it as 'Arkhurst'.
Nares' sailing directions, a copy of which appeared in the Port Denison Times 13 October 1866, show the island as 'Ackhurst Rock' and refer to what now is Grassy Island as 'Ackhurst Island'. However, no doubt to avoid confusion, by the time the survey chart was drawn, the rock had become 'Akhurst Island' and the island had become 'Grassy Island'.
During the Embury expeditions to Hayman Island in the 1930s
Monty Embury held a special lease 8348 for 10 years from 1 September 1934 over
Akhurst Island but following his departure from the scene and a review of the
lease in 1936 it was revoked in 1938 and the island declared a national park.
The Information on the Whitsunday Islands is reproduced by kind permission of Mr. Ray Blackwood from his book:
" The Whitsunday Islands An Historical Dictionary "
Please visit his site here. It is well worth the time!