[4] Together with the nearby Eddystone and Sidmouth Rock the island constitutes the 2 ha (5-acre) Pedra Branca Important Bird Area (IBA), identified as such by BirdLife International because it supports over 1% of the world populations of shy albatrosses and Australasian gannets.

8, a Japanese steel fishing vessel of 258 t (254 long tons) led by Captain Nakayama, on its way to Hobart for a mechanical inspection, hit Pedra Branca and within a few minutes sank in deep water.

The Tasmanian coroner's report includes testimony from three witnesses who described how Saunders was swept away when a "wave hit the island resulting in heavy spray coming up to and over the 45 m (148 ft) level".

According to historian Kenneth McIntyre, Pedra Branca is one of only two Australian places with a name of Portuguese origin, the other being the Houtman Abrolhos islands in Western Australia.

[10] Pedra Branca is home to a big wave surf break at a reef approximately 40 km (25 mi) offshore.

Later, in 2008, Ross Clarke-Jones and Tom Carroll joined local surfer Marti Paradisis and brothers James and Tyler Hollmer-Cross to shoot a story about it which was featured on 60 Minutes.