[2][3] The island is private property and has been severely affected by grazing livestock, fire, muttonbirding and the introduction of exotic animals.

[6] George Robinson visited the island in the 1830s and records sealers taking mutton birds there in 1837.

[7] The Great Dog Island Group includes: The island's vegetation is dominated by the grass Poa poiformis, aided by the burrowing and fertilising activities of the shearwaters in conjunction with regular burning-off.

However, at the north-eastern side of the island, there is a remnant mixed forest community, rare within the Furneaux Group, of manna gum and Acacia verticillata with various species of Allocasuarina, Melaleuca and Leptospermum.

A native mammal recorded from the island is the rakali, along with introduced mice, rats and feral cats.