The Needle Rocks, also known as the Needles, are a group of five main rock islets located close to the south-western coast of Tasmania, Australia. With a combined area of approximately , the islets are part of the Maatsuyker Islands Group, and comprise part of the Southwest National Park and the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Site.Brothers, Nigel; Pemberton, David; Pryor, Helen; & Halley, Vanessa. (2001). Tasmania’s Offshore Islands: seabirds and other natural features. Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery: Hobart.
The Maatsuyker Island Lighthouse is located on Maatsuyker Island and illuminates the Needle Rocks.
Fauna
The vegetation is dominated by the pig face, a succulent plant.
The islets are part of the Maatsuyker Island Group Important Bird Area, identified as such by BirdLife International because of its importance as a breeding site for seabirds. Recorded breeding seabird and wader species are the little penguin (40 pairs), short-tailed shearwater (860 pairs), fairy prion (10,600 pairs), Pacific gull, silver gull, sooty oystercatcher and black-faced cormorant. The metallic skink is present. Up to 1200 Australian fur seals use the rocks as a regular haul-out site.
See also
South East Cape South West Cape List of islands of Tasmania
References