Editing Ball's Pyramid

{{Short description|Island in the Pacific Ocean}}
{{distinguish|Bass Pyramid}}
{{Use Australian English|date=May 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2018}}
{{Infobox islands
| native_name                       = <!-- or |local_name= -->
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| image_name                        = Balls Pyramid near Lord Howe Island.jpg
| image_size                        = 280
| image_caption                     = Ball's Pyramid seen from the surrounding waters
| image_map                         = Ball's Pyramid and Lord Howe Island map v2.svg
| image_map_size                    =
| image_map_caption                 = Ball's Pyramid is to the southeast of Lord Howe Island
| pushpin_map                       = Oceania
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| coordinates                       = {{Coord|31|45|15|S|159|15|06|E|type:isle_region:AU_scale:100000|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
| etymology                         =
| location                          = [[Pacific Ocean]]
| archipelago                       =
| waterbody                         =
| total_islands                     =
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| area_km2                          = <!-- or |area_m2= or |area_ha= -->
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| length_m                          = 1100
| length_footnotes                  =
| width_m                           = 300
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| coastline_km                      = <!-- or |coastline_m=  -->
| coastline_footnotes               =
| elevation_m                       = 572
| elevation_footnotes               = <ref>{{cite web |title=Ball's Pyramid |url=https://www.peakbagger.com/peak.aspx?pid=11769 |website=Peakbagger |access-date=17 March 2023}}</ref>
| highest_mount                     =
| country                           = {{AUS}}
| country_admin_divisions_title = State
| country_admin_divisions = [[New South Wales]]
| timezone1                         =
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}}
'''Ball's Pyramid''' is an uninhabited [[islet]] in the [[Pacific Ocean]] located {{convert|20.|km}} southeast of [[Lord Howe Island]], between [[Australia]] and [[New Zealand]]. The steep rocky [[basalt]] outcrop is the eroded [[volcanic plug|plug]] of a [[shield volcano]] and [[caldera]] that formed 6.4{{nbsp}}million years ago.<ref name="bpe"/><ref>{{Cite web |last=Woodroffe |first=Colin |title=Balls Pyramid and the efficacy of marine abrasion |url=https://serc.carleton.edu/vignettes/collection/35376.html |access-date=2023-06-28 |website=Vignettes: Key Concepts in Geomorphology |publisher=Carleton College |language=en}}</ref> It is {{convert|572|m}} high, while measuring {{convert|1100.|m}} in length and only {{convert|300.|m}} across, making it the tallest volcanic [[stack (geology)|stack]] in the world.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lordhoweisland.info/conservation/geo.htm|title=Geography and Geology|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140912073751/http://www.lordhoweisland.info/conservation/geo.htm|archivedate=12 September 2014|work=Lord Howe Island Tourism Association|accessdate=2009-04-20}}</ref>

Ball's Pyramid, which is part of Australia's [[Lord Howe Island Marine Park]], is positioned in the centre of a submarine shelf  surrounded by rough seas, which makes any approach difficult.<ref name="bpe">{{cite web |last=Woodroffe |first=Colin |date=29 May 2012 |title=Balls Pyramid and the efficacy of marine abrasion |work=Vignettes |publisher=[[Carleton College]] |url=http://serc.carleton.edu/vignettes/collection/35376.html |access-date=9 July 2013}}</ref>

==History==
===Discovery===
[[File:Ball's Pyramid.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|left|Illustration of Ball's Pyramid that accompanied [[Arthur Phillip]]'s description]]

The pyramid is named after [[Royal Navy]] [[Lieutenant (navy)|Lieutenant]] [[Henry Lidgbird Ball]], who reported discovering it in 1788. On the same voyage, Ball also [[Lord Howe Island#History|discovered Lord Howe Island]], Ball's Pyramid's nearest landmass.

In ''The Voyage of Governor Phillip to Botany Bay with an Account of the Establishment of the Colonies of Port Jackson and Norfolk  Island'' (1789), [[Arthur Phillip]] gives this description of the area around Ball's Pyramid before describing Lord Howe Island:

<blockquote>There lies about four miles from the south-west part of the pyramid, a dangerous rock, which shows itself a little above the surface of the water, and appears not to be larger than a boat. Lieutenant Ball had no opportunity of examining whether there is a safe passage between them or not.<ref name=ArthurPhilip>{{cite book |last=Philip |first=Arthur |date=1789 |title=The Voyage of Governor Phillip to Botany Bay with an Account of the Establishment of the Colonies of Port Jackson and Norfolk Island |publisher=[[John Stockdale]] |location=Piccadilly, London |url=https://archive.org/details/thevoyageofgover15100gut |access-date=9 April 2014}}</ref></blockquote>

===Survey and exploration===
[[File:Balls Pyramid, South Pacific Denham 1853 Nla.obj-231291098.jpg|thumb|upright|Denham's 1853 chart of Ball's Pyramid]]
In May 1853, [[Henry Mangles Denham]] with {{HMS|Herald|1824|6}} and {{HMS|Torch|1845|6}} surveyed the area around [[Lord Howe Island]] including Ball's Pyramid, producing the first chart of the pyramid.<ref>{{cite book |last1=David |first1=Andrew |title=The Voyage of HMS Herald |date=1995 |publisher=Melbourne University Press |isbn=0-522-84390--5 |pages=29–30}}</ref>

The first recorded person to go ashore is believed to have been Henry Wilkinson, a [[geologist]] at the New South Wales Department of Mines, in 1882.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2023-05-19 |title=Story of the first successful ascent of Ball's Pyramid in the Pacific Ocean |url=https://www.thearchaeologist.org/blog/story-of-the-first-successful-ascent-of-balls-pyramid-in-the-pacific-ocean |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=The Archaeologist |language=en-US}}</ref>

In 1964, a team from Sydney attempted to climb to the summit of the pyramid. However, the climbers were forced to turn back on the fifth day as they ran short of food and water. The expedition was the idea of Australian adventurer [[Dick Smith (entrepreneur)|Dick Smith]], who was a member of Rover Scouts at the time. The expedition also involved other members of the [[Scouts Australia|Scouting]] movement and other people. Smith went on the expedition, but did not attempt the climb due to an unexpected medical operation two weeks before the expedition.

Ball's Pyramid was first climbed on 14 February 1965 by Bryden Allen, [[John Davis (filmmaker)|John Davis]], [[Jack Pettigrew]] and David Witham of the Sydney Rock Climbing Club. Jack Hill of New Zealand then climbed to the summit with Pettigrew on the following day. Don Willcox and Ben Sandilands were part of the support team.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220106061931/https://www.uq.edu.au/nuq/jack/Bryden.html|title=Archived version of Bryden Allen's climbing page|website=Wayback Machine}}</ref>

In 1979, Smith returned to the pyramid, together with climbers John Worrall and Hugh Ward. They successfully reached the summit and unfurled a [[flag of New South Wales]] provided to them by [[Premier of New South Wales|Premier]] [[Neville Wran]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sinclair |first=Shirley |date=2022-06-09 |title=World's largest volcanic sea stack is a geological wonder to behold |url=https://www.sunshinecoastnews.com.au/2022/06/10/adventure-island-little-known-wonder-you-have-to-see-to-believe/ |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=Sunshine Coast News |language=en-AU}}</ref>

Climbing was banned in 1982 under amendments to the Lord Howe Island Act, and in 1986, all access to the island was banned by the Lord Howe Island Board. In 1990, the policy was relaxed to allow some climbing under strict conditions, which in recent years has required an application to the relevant state minister.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/hansart.nsf/V3Key/LA19960501045|title=Mr Andrew Fraser (Coffs Harbour)|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929095404/http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/hansart.nsf/V3Key/LA19960501045|archivedate=2007-09-29|work=[[New South Wales Legislative Assembly]]|date=1 May 1996}}</ref>

==Geography==

Like Lord Howe Island and the [[Lord Howe Seamount Chain]], Ball's Pyramid is based on the [[Lord Howe Rise]], part of the submerged [[continent]] of [[Zealandia]]. Ball's Pyramid has a few satellite islets. Observatory Rock and Wheatsheaf Islet lie about {{convert|800|m}} west-northwest and west-southwest respectively, of the western extremity of Ball's Pyramid. Southeast Rock is a pinnacle located about {{convert|3.5|km}} southeast of Ball's Pyramid.<ref name=":0" />

The shelf is {{convert|20|km}} in length and averages {{convert|10|km}} in width and lies under an average depth of {{convert|50|m}} of water.<ref name="bpe"/> It is separated by a {{convert|500|m|ft|-deep|adj=mid}} [[submarine canyon]] from another shelf on which Lord Howe Island is located. The cliffs of the [[stack (geology)|stack]] continue under the water surface to the level of the shelf.

==Flora and fauna==
[[File:Balls Pyramid, Lord Howe Marine Park 1008.jpg|thumb|A closer view of the island]]

===''Melaleuca howeana''===
A ''[[Melaleuca howeana]]'' shrub was found growing on Ball's Pyramid. The bush was growing in a small crevice where water was seeping through cracks in the underlying rocks. This moisture supported relatively lush plant growth which had, over time, resulted in a buildup of plant debris several metres deep.<ref name=geo>{{cite web|title=Lord Howe Island: Return of the tree lobster|url=http://www.geocurrents.info/place/australia-and-pacific/lord-howe-island-return-of-the-tree-lobster|publisher=GeoCurrents|access-date=9 September 2022}}</ref>

===''Dryococelus australis''===
Ball's Pyramid supports the last known wild population of the [[Dryococelus|Lord Howe Island stick insect]] (''Dryococelus australis'').<ref name="Krulwich">{{cite web |last=Krulwich |first=Robert |author-link=Robert Krulwich |date=29 February 2012 |title=Six Legged Giant Finds Secret Hideaway for 80 years |publisher=[[National Public Radio]] |url=https://www.npr.org/sections/krulwich/2012/02/24/147367644/six-legged-giant-finds-secret-hideaway-hides-for-80-years |access-date=18 January 2016}}</ref>

Following the last sighting of the Lord Howe Island stick insect on Lord Howe Island in 1920, the species was presumed extinct. Evidence of continued survival on Ball's Pyramid was discovered during the 1964 climb when a dead specimen was found and photographed. Throughout the following years, several more dead specimens were discovered, but attempts to find live specimens were unsuccessful.<ref name="pinnacle">{{cite book|last=Smith|first=Jim|year=2016|title=South Pacific Pinnacle, The exploration of Ball's Pyramid|publisher=Den Fenella press|isbn=978-0-9943872-0-2}}</ref>

In 2001, a team of [[Entomology|entomologists]] and conservationists landed on Ball's Pyramid to chart its flora and fauna. As they had hoped, they discovered a population of the Lord Howe Island stick insect living in an area of {{convert|6|by|30|m|-1}}, at a height of {{convert|100|m}} above the shoreline, under a single ''M. howeana'' shrub. The population was extremely small, with only 24 individuals. Two pairs were brought to mainland Australia, and new populations have been successfully bred<ref>{{cite web |last=Thomas |first=Abbie |date=14 February 2001 |title=Giant stick insect rediscovered |url=http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2001/02/14/245820.htm |publisher=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]]}}</ref> with the ultimate goal of reintroduction to Lord Howe Island.

In 2014, an unauthorised climbing team sighted live stick insects in an exposed position {{convert|65|m}} below the summit of Ball's Pyramid in a thicket of [[sedge]] plants, suggesting that the insect's range on Ball's Pyramid is more widespread than previously held, and that its food preferences are not limited to ''Melaleuca howeana''.<ref name="pinnacle"/><ref>{{cite book|last=Smith|first=Jim|year=2015|title=Balls Pyramid, Climbing the world's tallest sea stack|publisher=Dick Smith Adventure Pty Ltd.|isbn=978-0-646-94603-0}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Islands|Volcanoes}}
* [[List of volcanoes in Australia]]
* [[Lot's Wife (crag)]]
* [[Rockall]]
* [[Stac Lee]]
* [[Stac an Armin]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite book |last=Hutton |first=Ian |year=1998 |title=The Australian Geographic Book of Lord Howe Island |publisher=[[Australian Geographic]] |isbn=1-876276-27-4}}
* "[https://web.archive.org/web/20160802115401/http://www.abc.net.au/austory/content/2005/s1343583.htm Rock of Ages]", transcript of [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]] ''Australian Story'' TV episode, 11 April 2005.

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{cite web |url= https://parksaustralia.gov.au/marine/parks/temperate-east/lord-howe/ |title= Lord Howe Island Marine Park |publisher= Parks Australia |series= Marine Parks }}
* {{cite web |url= http://www.hydro.gov.au/asdd/source/ANZCW0099024956.html |title= Lord Howe Island and Ball's Pyramid |series= Nautical Chart |publisher= [[Australian Hydrographic Service]] |url-status= dead |archive-date= December 8, 2012 |archive-url= https://archive.today/20121208194253/http://www.hydro.gov.au/asdd/source/ANZCW0099024956.html }}
* {{cite peakware|id=26|name=Ball's Pyramid }}
* {{cite web |url= http://volcano.oregonstate.edu/vwdocs/volc_images/australia/balls_pyramid/balls.html |title= Balls Pyramid |website= Volcano World |access-date= 9 July 2013 |archive-date= 3 March 2016 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160303183908/http://volcano.oregonstate.edu/vwdocs/volc_images/australia/balls_pyramid/balls.html |url-status= dead }}
* {{cite web |url= http://www.uq.edu.au/nuq/jack/Bryden.html |title= Mountaineering exploits: Ball's Pyramid |first= Bryden |last= Allen |publisher= University of Queensland }}

[[Category:Hotspot volcanoes]]
[[Category:Miocene shield volcanoes]]
[[Category:Shield volcanoes of Australia]]
[[Category:Stacks of Australia]]
[[Category:Uninhabited islands of Australia]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in New South Wales]]
[[Category:Volcanic plugs of Australia]]
[[Category:Volcanoes of the Pacific Ocean]]
[[Category:Volcanoes of Zealandia]]
[[Category:World Heritage Sites in Australia]]
[[Category:Polygenetic shield volcanoes]]
[[Category:Islands of New South Wales]]
[[Category:Pyramids in Australia]]