Wikipedia

Smooth Island (Tasmania)

Smooth Island, is a privately owned island with an area of 59.31 ha (146.6 acres)[1] lying close to the south-eastern coast of Tasmania, Australia. The island is part of the Sloping Island Group situated in Norfolk Bay and surrounded by the Tasman and Forestier Peninsulas.[1] The towns Dunalley and Murdunna are nearby. Smooth Island differs from other Tasmanian islands as it has an unencumbered freehold title down to the high-water mark.

Smooth Island
Smooth Island sunset
Smooth Island is located in Tasmania
Smooth Island
Smooth Island
Location in Tasmania
Geography
LocationNorfolk Bay
Coordinates42°56′42″S 147°47′06″E / 42.94500°S 147.78500°E / -42.94500; 147.78500
ArchipelagoSloping Island Group
Area59.31 ha (146.6 acres)
Coastline3.38 km (2.1 mi)
Highest elevation44 m (144 ft)
Administration
StateTasmania
Additional information
Time zone

Administration

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For administrative purposes, the island is within the Tasman Council, the land district of Pembroke, the legislative council of Rumney and the electorate of Lyons at state and federal levels.[citation needed] It lies within the Fire Management Area Committee Boundary (FMAC) of 'East Coast'.[citation needed]

Smooth Island is privately owned; it has a freehold title with no covenants. In 2014 Smooth Island was gazetted as a Private Forest Timber Reserve.[2] The coast line 200 m (660 ft) from the Smooth Island waterline has been classified Zone 23 (Environmental management) under the Tasman Interim Planning Scheme 2015.[3][4]

Access

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Smooth island is private property to the coastal high-water mark; unauthorised public access, including mooring of vessels, is prohibited. Subject to authorisation, Smooth Island is easily accessible by boat and helicopter. The island's terrain is suited to the construction of a small airstrip.

Services

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The island receives radio coverage from ABC Local Radio (936 AM), 3G mobile phone coverage from Telstra and wireless coverage from the National Broadband Network. The table below outlines the nearest services and facilities to Smooth Island.

Service type Name Address Coordinates Distance by air Distance by boat Distance by road from Murdunna Reference
Public boat ramp Murdunna boat ramp [note 1] [note 2] 5.7 km 5.8 km – [5]
Ambulance Dodges Ferry Ambulance Station [note 3] [note 4] 17 km 21 km 28 km [6]
Medical (family doctor) Dodges Ferry Medical [note 5] [note 6] 17 km 21 km 28 km [7]
Major hospital Royal Hobart Hospital [note 7] [note 8] 37.5 km 56 km 65 km [8]
Police (and defibrillator) Dunalley Police Station [note 9] [note 10] 6.7 km 6.7 km 9 km [9]
Mobile phone transmission tower Telstra 3G 850 MHz [note 11] [note 12] 6 km – – [10]
Wireless internet transmission tower National Broadband Network [note 11] [note 12] 6 km – – [10]
Fuel Shell Dunalley [note 13] [note 14] 6.5 km 6.5 km 9 km [11]
General store Dunalley Supermarket [note 15] [note 16] 6.7 km 6.7 km 9 km [12]
Large shopping centre Sorell plaza shopping centre [note 17] [note 18] 25 km 29 km 40 km

Recreational fishing

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"All waters 200 metres seaward from the low water mark of Smooth Island: Shark Refuge Area. No taking of shark, skates or rays, except elephantfish. Where permitted, graball nets must not be set for more than 2 hours and can only be set from sunrise until one hour before sunset. No mullet nets. No set lines (ong lines and drop lines)."[13]

Geography

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Smooth Island lies 2.24 km (1.39 mi) from both Dunbabin Point[14] and Chronicle Point on the mainland, and 2.3 km (1.4 mi) from King George Island, measured from the nearest coastlines.

The island has two hilly peaks separated by a saddle.[note 19] The height above sea level of the North peak, South peak and saddle are 43 m (141 ft), 40 m (130 ft) and 30 m (98 ft) respectively.[note 20][note 21]

Climate

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See here for live data from Smooth Island's Weather Station.

Geology

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Smooth Island geological survey

Smooth Island consists of diabase or dolerite rock, a subvolcanic intrusion that probably occurred from 56 to 33.9 million years ago during the Eocene epoch of the Cenozoic era.[15] A geological survey identified consolidated, brownish, fine-grained quartz sandstone occurring on the island's north-east coastline at approximately 2 m (6.6 ft) above sea level, covered by sand. It was said to be similar to the sandstone samples retrieved from South Arm that contained numerous fossils but no fossils were found in the samples taken from Smooth Island.[16][17] The western aspect of the island contains dolerite (tholeiitic) with locally developed granophyre from the Jurassic period. The water table is classified as a surficial sediment aquifer (porous media – unconsolidated).[18]

Because the island predominantly has a sloping hard rock shore, there is little vulnerability to flooding or erosion due to a rise in sea level.[19] A coastal acid sulfate soil analysis produced a result of "extremely low" along the north and north-east side of the island.[19]

Ecosystem

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See here for an overview of Smooth Island's fauna and flora.

 
Short-tailed shearwater and little penguin colonies, Smooth Island.

Marine ecology

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Pie chart depicting the types of fish found along the east coast of Smooth island between 1995 and 1996
 
The marine habitat of Smooth Island

Smooth Island is surrounded by a low-profile reef. A region of gravel or hard sand extends from the reef on the eastern coast towards King George Island and King George Sound. The reef on the western coast is surrounded by sand and a body of silt approaches the south-west coast of the island. Between Smooth Island and King George Island lies a dense bed of seagrass (Halophila australis) and eelgrass (Zostera tasmanica) covering about 12.5 ha (31 acres).[20] Studies have found dense populations of South Australian cobbler (Gymnapistes marmoratus) within this region because this fish prefers patchy beds of eelgrass.[21] The island's east coast has the densest concentration of Little weed whiting (Neoodax balteatus) in Norfolk Bay; an assessment in 1995–1996 revealed that 88% of the fish caught were of the species Little Rock Whiting (Neoodax balteatus) and Bridled Leatherjacket (Acanthaluteres spilomelanurus).[22]

A species of red algae (Rhabdonia verticillata)[23][24] has been found close to the island.[25] The fish species flathead, trumpeter, perch, cod and Australian salmon can be found in the waters immediately surrounding the island. Dolphins are frequently sighted and killer whales (Orcinus orca)[26] are infrequently sighted near the island.[27][28] The Spotted handfish and the Live-bearing Seastar (Parvulastra vivipara) are threatened marine species that may be present in the waters surrounding Smooth Island.[29] A killer whale was identified 1 km (0.62 miles) north-east of the current lighthouse position. Several humpback whales were spotted near Smooth Island in June 2017.[30]

Ecological rehabilitation

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The terrestrial ecosystem of Smooth Island has been damaged by overgrazing and slashing-and-burning,[31] and through the commercial hunting of wildlife.[32] The island's natural vegetation has been largely displaced by exotic grass, thistle, bracken, scattered eucalypts and African boxthorn bushes. Between 0.86 ha (2.1 acres)[33] and 18 ha (44 acres) of shearwater rookeries are present on Smooth Island and the impact of repeated fires on these habitats has been studied.[31] The island' current owners intend to systematically restore its native ecosystem. Since March 2014, a diverse range of native Tasmanian flora have been planted throughout the island.[34] Remnant eucalypts are also expected to seed on the island's south-east coast since grazing has ceased.

History

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Main article: History of Smooth Island

Toponymy

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Matthew Flinders was the first to chart the island on 15 December 1798 and named it "Smooth Island" on his contemporaneous maps[35][36] but the island does not appear on his 1814 map.[37] In 1824 Thomas Scott referred to the island as "Garden Island" on his maps. The origins of this are not entirely clear, and other sources are inconclusive about the above assertions.[38] and state that the island was first named on a map by "Cross (1830)" and "Frankland" (1837)", before stating several pages later that the island was first named "Smooth Island".

According to a 1911 newspaper article, the island "is not named in the map of D'Entrecasteaux, even though it was marked".[39] During the early 21st century, Smooth Island was occasionally listed as "Lot 1 Norfolk Bay, Dunalley TAS 7177" on some real-estate classifieds.[40]

Much confusion exists about the names of many of the islands in South East Tasmania. Garden Island has become an alternative name for both Green Island[41] and Smooth Island. A newspaper article from 1836 refers to a Garden Island in the Pembroke Land District.[42][43]

Structures

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Formal survey of Smooth Island, 1863

A survey of Smooth Island was completed on 14 July 1863; it reveals the presence of the original jetty, a spring and a guano excavation site on the island. A lighthouse (K 3621.2) was installed on the north peak in 1991.[44] It was relocated by request of the landowners in 2014.[note 22][45][note 23][46]

Potential uses

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Smooth Island's south and west coasts have alkaline soil while the east slope has acidic soil.[47] The crops with the greatest yield potential are as follows:[47]

Artwork

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Painting inspired by Smooth Island

Smooth Island has been the subject of several notable paintings: Amanda Davies X Marks the Spot (2022 Glover Prize Finalist),[49] Robyn Harman's Smooth Island (2021),[50] Michael Weitnauer's Norfolk Bay[51][52] and Dale Frank's "Dunalley, Smooth Island".[53] It has been mentioned in poems such as "Two Kinds of Silence" by Kathryn Lomer:[54]

I could lose or find myself
in this private Bermuda triangle-
Connelly's Bay, Lime Bay, Smooth Island;

In the dusk Smooth Island's navigation light
begins to blink its code name
to sailors bound for Dunalley[54]

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See also

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Footnotes

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  1. ^ Sommers Bay Road, Murdunna, Tas 7173
  2. ^ 42°56′45″S 147°51′18″E / 42.945952°S 147.855128°E / -42.945952; 147.855128
  3. ^ Tiger Head Rd, Dodges Ferry, Tas 7173
  4. ^ 42°51′27″S 147°36′41″E / 42.857603°S 147.611366°E / -42.857603; 147.611366
  5. ^ 52 Carlton Beach Rd, Dodges Ferry, Tas 7173
  6. ^ 42°51′28″S 147°37′04″E / 42.857818°S 147.617753°E / -42.857818; 147.617753
  7. ^ 48 Liverpool St, Hobart, Tas 7000
  8. ^ 42°52′48″S 147°19′46″E / 42.879905°S 147.329534°E / -42.879905; 147.329534
  9. ^ 126 Arthur Hwy, Dunalley, Tas 7177
  10. ^ 42°53′14″S 147°48′37″E / 42.887223°S 147.810238°E / -42.887223; 147.810238
  11. ^ a b 17 Constance St, Dunalley, Tas 7177
  12. ^ a b 42°53′23″S 147°48′21″E / 42.889719°S 147.805765°E / -42.889719; 147.805765
  13. ^ 119 Arthur Hwy, Dunalley, Tas 7177
  14. ^ 42°53′14″S 147°48′43″E / 42.887226°S 147.812031°E / -42.887226; 147.812031
  15. ^ 168 Arthur Hwy, Dunalley, Tas 7177
  16. ^ 42°53′22″S 147°48′22″E / 42.889480°S 147.806124°E / -42.889480; 147.806124
  17. ^ Cole Street, Sorell, Tas 7172
  18. ^ 42°46′57″S 147°33′59″E / 42.782389°S 147.566468°E / -42.782389; 147.566468
  19. ^ North Peak: 42°56′40″S 147°46′56″E / 42.9444°S 147.78219°E / -42.9444; 147.78219. South Peak:42°56′56″S 147°47′10″E / 42.94877°S 147.7862°E / -42.94877; 147.7862. Saddle: 42°56′46″S 147°47′05″E / 42.9461°S 147.78472°E / -42.9461; 147.78472
  20. ^ Measured on 30 December 2015 using barometric function of Garmin Monterra. Sea level calibrated to 0 metres when tide was at 1.11 m (3 ft 8 in). After the first set of measurements the device was recalibrated to sea level (−7 cm (−2.8 in)) and the altitude of the three features was reassessed, increasing the altitude of all points by 1 m (3 ft 3 in). It is the second set of measurements which have been recorded. Conditions: pressure 1,015.4 hPa (14.727 psi), humidity 53%, 20.4 km (12.7 mi) NE wind, no rain, dew point 12.7 °C (54.9 °F).
  21. ^ Other data suggests the north peak is 39.95m above sea level, and south peak 36.81m above sea level. See this link Archived 22 August 2018 at the Wayback Machine for evidence.
  22. ^ To the following location: 42°56′24″S 147°46′53″E / 42.9399167°S 147.7812667°E / -42.9399167; 147.7812667
  23. ^ The specifications of the light remain unchanged since this relocation. Its height is 2 m (6 ft 7 in). The light's range was 6 nmi (11 km; 6.9 mi) in clear weather. It is a stainless steel pole in the water. The technical specifications of the lighthouse are: FL(3)W, period 6.1 seconds (i.e.: a cluster of 3 flashes of a white light is produced, which repeats every 6.1 seconds)
  24. ^ 'Highly suitable' area: Most of the west side of the island – in addition to the south east side (near the shack, north of Crap Rock). 'Suitable' area: The remainder of the island.
  25. ^ 'Highly suitable' area: Along a channel from the saddle to the south peak. 'Suitable' area: The remainder of the island.
  26. ^ a b 'Highly suitable': A small patch at the very top of the north peak.
  27. ^ 'Highly suitable': isolated patches, and most of the rest of the island is classified as 'suitable'.

References

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  1. ^ a b Nigel Brothers; David Pemberton; Helen Pryor; Vanessa Halley (1 May 2001). Tasmania's offshore islands: seabirds and other natural features. Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery. ISBN 978-0-7246-4816-0. Archived from the original on 21 April 2023. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  2. ^ "Map i Tenure". Parks.tas.gov.au. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
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  6. ^ "Ambulance Service – Dodges Ferry – Department of Health and Human Services". dhhs.tas.gov.au. Archived from the original on 18 March 2017. Retrieved 18 March 2017.
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  10. ^ a b "Oz Towers, Search for towers in your area". oztowers.com. Archived from the original on 4 September 2015. Retrieved 29 August 2015.
  11. ^ "Service Stations in Dunalley, TAS 7177 Australia | Whereis®". www.whereis.com. Archived from the original on 5 September 2019. Retrieved 5 September 2019.
  12. ^ "Dunalley General Store". womo.com.au. 9 August 2009. Archived from the original on 25 January 2016. Retrieved 29 August 2015.
  13. ^ "Recreational Fishing". dpipwe.tas.gov.au. Archived from the original on 1 May 2019. Retrieved 6 September 2019.
  14. ^ Great Britain. Hydrographic Dept (1982). Australia pilot: South, south-east and east coasts of Australia from Green Cape to Port Jackson, including Bass Strait and Tasmania. Hydrographer of the Navy. Archived from the original on 21 April 2023. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  15. ^ Australia. Bureau of Mineral Resources, Geology and Geophysics. Mineral Resources of Australia: Summary reports. Archived from the original on 21 April 2023. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
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  19. ^ a b "Listmap: Land Information System Tasmania". Maps.thelist.tas.gov.au. Archived from the original on 14 December 2014. Retrieved 28 December 2014.
  20. ^ "Mapping of Inshore Marine Habitats" (PDF). Imas.utas.edu.au. 2001. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 May 2013. Retrieved 28 December 2014.
  21. ^ "FRDC 1994" (PDF). 1998. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 May 2013. Retrieved 28 December 2014.
  22. ^ Jordan, A.R.; Mills, D.M.; Ewing, G.; Lyle, J.M. (December 1998). Assessment of inshore habitats around Tasmania for life-history stages of commercial finfish species (PDF). Taroona, Tas.: Tasmanian Aquaculture and Fisheries Institute Marine Research Laboratories. ISBN 0646368753. Archived (PDF) from the original on 17 April 2021. Retrieved 7 September 2021.
  23. ^ "Rhabdonia verticillata" (PDF). Flora.sa.gov.au. Archived (PDF) from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
  24. ^ "Rhabdonia verticillata, State Herbarium of South Australia". flora.sa.gov.au. Archived from the original on 25 March 2015. Retrieved 6 April 2015.
  25. ^ Blackman, Adrian J; Matthews, David J (1982). "Halogenated phloroglucinols from Rhabdonia verticillata". Phytochemistry. 21 (8): 2141–2142. Bibcode:1982PChem..21.2141B. doi:10.1016/0031-9422(82)83072-0.
  26. ^ "18 Jul 1894 – SHIPPING. ARRIVED.—Yesterday". nla.gov.au. 18 July 1894. p. 2. Archived from the original on 21 April 2023. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  27. ^ "Murdunna – RBasket (Real Estate Basket), Best Search Engine for Real Estate". rbasket.com.au. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  28. ^ "Murdunna TAS 7178". Domain. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  29. ^ Bryant, Sally L.; Jackson, Jean (1999). Tasmania's threatened fauna handbook: what, where and how to protect Tasmania's threatened animals (PDF). Hobart, Tas.: Parks and Wildlife Service. ISBN 0724662235. Archived (PDF) from the original on 25 July 2021. Retrieved 7 September 2021.
  30. ^ "ABC OPEN: Smooth Island in Norfolk Bay – From Project: Pic of the Week". open.abc.net.au. Archived from the original on 3 June 2019. Retrieved 1 December 2017.
  31. ^ a b Brothers, N.; Harris, S. (1999). "The effects of fire on burrow-nesting seabirds particularly short-tailed shearwaters (Puffinus tenuirostris) and their habitat in Tasmania" (PDF). Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania. 133: 15–22. doi:10.26749/rstpp.133.1.15. Archived (PDF) from the original on 17 April 2015. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
  32. ^ "Currawong Lakes : What's New for 2010" (PDF). Currawonglakes.com.au. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 December 2014. Retrieved 11 January 2015.
  33. ^ "DISTRIBUTION, ABUNDANCE AND CONSERVATION STATUS OF SHORT-TAILED SHEARWATERS PUFFINUS TENUIROSTRIS IN TASMANIA, AUSTRALIA" (PDF). Marineornithology.org. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 11 January 2015.
  34. ^ "An island of your own". Mercury. 16 November 2013. Archived from the original on 29 November 2014. Retrieved 6 April 2015.
  35. ^ M Flinders (1798). "Chart of Terra Australis" (JPG). Gutenberg.net.au. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
  36. ^ Johann Jakob Egli (1871). Nomina geographica: Versuch e. allgem. geogr. Onomatologie. Brandstetter. Archived from the original on 21 April 2023. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  37. ^ "09 Sep 1911 – TASMANIAN NOMENCLATURE. THE PLACE-NAMES OF THE I..." nla.gov.au. 9 September 1911. p. 10. Archived from the original on 21 April 2023. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  38. ^ "The E. R. Pretyman index to Tasmanian place names". linctas.ent.sirsidynix.net.au. Archived from the original on 4 January 2017. Retrieved 4 January 2017.
  39. ^ "Tasmanian Nomenclature: The Place-Names of the State, a Record of Origins and Dates". Mercury (Hobart, Tas. : 1860 – 1954). Trove.nla.gov.au. 16 September 1911. p. 10. Archived from the original on 21 April 2023. Retrieved 28 December 2014.
  40. ^ "Lot 1 Norfolk Bay, Dunalley, TAS 7177 – Bedroom House For Sale". domain.com.au. Archived from the original on 18 April 2015. Retrieved 6 April 2015.
  41. ^ "History". Gtdhs.com. Archived from the original on 10 February 2015. Retrieved 11 January 2015.
  42. ^ "15 Jan 1836 – Classified Advertising". nla.gov.au. 15 January 1836. p. 4. Archived from the original on 18 July 2021. Retrieved 11 April 2015.
  43. ^ Matthew Flinders (1814). A Voyage to Terra Australia, Undertaken for the Purpose of Completing the Discovery of that Vast Country, and Prosecuted in the Years 1801, 1802, and 1803, in His Majesty's Ship the Investigator and Subsequently in the Armed Vessel Porpoise and Cumberland Schooner, ... W. Bulmer and Company, Cleveland-Row, and published by G. and W. Nicol, bookseleers to His Majesty, Pall-Mall. Archived from the original on 21 April 2023. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  44. ^ "18 Apr 2019 - Albatross May 1991 - Archived Website". Trove. Archived from the original on 17 April 2019. Retrieved 26 September 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  45. ^ Ionata Digital. "M46-14 Smooth Island Light". MAST. Archived from the original on 28 January 2015. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
  46. ^ Prostar Nga List of Lights, Radio AIDS and Fog Signals 2006 West Coasts of North and South America, Australia, Tasmania. ProStar Publications. 2006. ISBN 978-1-57785-715-0. Archived from the original on 21 April 2023. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  47. ^ a b "LISTmap – Land Information System Tasmania". Archived from the original on 6 January 2019. Retrieved 1 December 2018.
  48. ^ "Phosphate Rock – Garden Island – Norfolk Bay" Archived 15 February 2015 at the Wayback Machine Department of State Growth, Government of Tasmania. Retrieved 20 February 2015
  49. ^ "X marks the spot _ Arrangement in flesh tones_ View from the artist's studio in Premaydena looking down over the paddocks towards Ferguson's Bay, into Norfolk Bay, with Smooth Island and Big Red in the distance, 2022 John Glover Art Prize". 27 October 2022. Archived from the original on 27 October 2022. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
  50. ^ "Wayback Machine". 19 March 2023. Archived from the original on 19 March 2023. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
  51. ^ "Michael Weitnauer Artist". michaelweitnauer. Archived from the original on 5 September 2019. Retrieved 5 September 2019.
  52. ^ Prins, Stewart (7 January 2002). "Garden Island makes a winning work". The Mercury.
  53. ^ "ART  GALLERIES". schubertcontemporary.com.au. Archived from the original on 17 March 2015. Retrieved 6 April 2015.
  54. ^ a b Kathryn Lomer (2010). Two Kinds of Silence. ReadHowYouWant.com. ISBN 978-1-4587-8272-4. Archived from the original on 21 April 2023. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
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