Cocos Islands Environment and Heritage
Geography and climate
The Cocos (Keeling) Islands are located in the Indian Ocean at latitude 12°10' south and longitude 96°52' east. They are 2,950 km north-west of Perth 3,700 km west of Darwin and 900 km south-west of Christmas Island. There are twenty-seven coral islands in the group with a total land area of approximately 14 sq. km. There are 26 islands in the southern atoll of which two, Home Island and West Island, are inhabited. North Keeling Island is found 24 km to the North and is a single horseshoe shaped atoll about 1.2 sq km.
Both atolls are classic coral atolls, the typical horseshoe shape formation is affected by the prevailing winds and oceans. Coral sand beaches are to the seaward and mudflats can be found on the lagoon side. It was here that Charles Darwin developed his theory of coral atoll formation.
The climate is tropical with high humidity. Temperatures range from 23°C to 30°C. The average rainfall is 2,000 mm per annum falling mainly from January to August. The south-east trade winds blow most of the year producing pleasant weather conditions.
Fauna and Flora
The low lying islands of the southern atoll are mostly covered with coconut palms, remnants from the plantations. There are areas of scrub and stands of trees.
The main flora are seabirds such as Red-footed Booby Birds, Common Noddies, White Terns, Frigate Birds and the Rufus Night Heron. The Cocos Buff-banded rail is the only endemic bird and is found at North Keeling Island. Land crabs, including hermit crabs and ghost crabs are common on all islands.
The marine environment supports a wide range of corals, fish, molluscs, crustaceans and other species. Turtles, manta rays, reef sharks and common dolphins are regularly sighted.
The northern atoll consists of North Keeling Island. The island and the marine area extending 1.5km around the Island form the Pulu Keeling National Park. The Park was proclaimed in 1995 and is the smallest and most remote Commonwealth National Park.
It is an important example of an atoll in its natural state and supports an internationally significant seabird rookery, is home to land crabs, turtles, a range of flora and features an intact coral atoll.
Heritage
Many of the current inhabitants of Cocos (Keeling) Islands are descended from the original families who worked the plantations. The islands were isolated during much of their habitation and a unique culture and language has developed based on original Malay traditions and the Islamic religion. Many of the traditions are still practised today, and residents and visitors to the Islands are asked to respect and appreciate the Cocos Malay lifestyle, beliefs and religious values.
The heritage of Cocos is also preserved in the buildings, memorials and natural environment. Many of these places are included on the Commonwealth Heritage Lists which recognises their value to Australia.
Population
The resident population of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands was 621 people in 2001. About 80% of the population resides on Home Island. Both communities mix freely, but follow different traditions.
Home Island
The population of Home Island comprises mainly the Cocos Malay community. The Cocos Malays are descended from people brought to the Islands in the 19th century from Malaya, East Africa, China, Java, India and Ceylon. They are predominantly Malay, speak a local variant of Malay known as Cocos Malay and follow the Islamic faith. They have been an isolated community for most of the 160 years they have lived on the Islands. It is only since the Australian Government's purchase of the majority of Mr Clunies Ross' remaining interests in the Islands in 1978 that the Cocos Malays have had extensive contact with the West Island community and mainland Australia.
At the time of the Act of Self Determination in 1984 the Australian Government gave a commitment to the Cocos Malay people to respect their religious beliefs traditions and culture.
West Island
The population of West Island is about 130 and mainly comprises employees of various government departments, contractors and their families. They are usually on short term postings of between one and three years. However, there is a growing number of people basing themselves permanently on West Island and operating a range of small businesses.
History
Although the Cocos (Keeling) Islands were discovered in 1609 they were not inhabited until 1826 when Englishman Alexander Hare established a settlement on the main atoll. The next year Captain John Clunies Ross a Scottish seaman and former employee of Hare settled on another of the islands of the atoll.
In 1857 Captain Fremantle of HMS Juno formally declared the Islands part of the British Dominions. In 1886 Queen Victoria granted all the Islands to John Clunies Ross' grandson George and his heirs reserving powers to the Crown to resume land for public purposes and to conduct cable communications.
The Clunies Ross family established copra (coconut) plantations and imported labourers from Asia to work the plantations. Home Island was the location for the Clunies Ross family, the Cocos Malay workforce and the site of the buildings and machines required in the production and export of copra and coconut oil.
In 1901 a Cable Station was established on Direction Island to provide a telegraph link to and from Perth. The equipment was destroyed in November 1914 when the German Raider the SMS Emden mounted a successful attack. However, before the equipment was destroyed a cable was sent and the HMAS Sydney engaged the Emden in a sea battle. The Emden ran aground on North Keeling Island, and the remains are now protected.
The Islands were occupied during the Second World War by allied troops including a company of Ceylon Light Infantry on Direction Island.
In 1955 the Islands, which had been governed through the British colonies of Ceylon, the Straits Settlements and Singapore, were accepted as a Territory of Australia. In 1978 the Australian Government purchased Mr Clunies-Ross' property interests in the Islands other than his family home (Oceania House) and surrounding grounds on Home Island (approximately 5 hectares in total). The following year ownership of the village area of Home Island was transferred to the Cocos (Keeling) Islands Council, the local governing body elected by the Home Island community to be held in trust for the residents. In 1984 the remainder of the land within the Islands, apart from land owned by the Commonwealth and Mr Clunies-Ross, was transferred by trust to the Council on behalf of the Island community. In 1993 the Commonwealth purchased the remaining property of Mr Clunies-Ross known as Lot 14 on Home Island.
On 6 April 1984 the Cocos community, in a United Nations supervised Act of Self Determination, voted overwhelmingly to integrate with Australia. The Government made a commitment at that time to raise services and standards of living to a level comparable with those on mainland Australian as soon as possible and in no more than ten years at most. The Commonwealth Grants Commission was selected as the independent arbiter to monitor progress in achieving this goal.
The Government also gave a commitment to respect the religious beliefs, traditions and culture of the people of Cocos (Keeling) Islands.
Following consideration of the Grants Commission report of 1986 and extensive consultations with the Cocos community and its legal representatives the Government agreed on a package of changes to bring standards and conditions on Cocos into line with mainland standards. On 7 March 1991 the Prime Minister and leaders of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands community signed a Memorandum of Understanding which set out the range of measures required to achieve equivalent standards of living in the Territory.