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Boundary Islet, historically known as North East Islet, is a islet in the Hogan Group of Bass Strait, at a latitude of 39°12′ S, about east of the southernmost point of mainland Victoria. The islet straddles the maritime border of the states of Victoria and Tasmania, hence the name.
The Tasmanian portion of the islet forms that state's North East Islet Nature Reserve, gazetted on 5 April 1978.Tasmanian Government Gazette, 05 April 1978, no. 18,050, pp 930-932. The reserve's name was conferred prior to the islet's change of name, to Boundary Islet, under Tasmanian legislation. This change was gazetted on 28 March 1990.Tasmanian Government Gazette, 28 March 1990, no. 19,181, p 294.
This situation is accidental, and arose as a result of an error made by Captain John Black, who surveyed the position of the islet in 1801 and determined its latitude to be slightly farther north than it truly is. The boundary between Victoria and Tasmania was later set along the latitude of 39°12′ S, which was then thought to be completely south of Boundary Islet and not to traverse any land in Bass Strait. This would have made the islet completely within the jurisdiction of Victoria. However, when Boundary Islet's correct latitude was later determined it was found to straddle the border. It is for this reason that what was once known as North East Islet (being situated in the north-east of the Hogan Group) came to be known as Boundary Islet.
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