Horsburgh Island
_Islands-CIA_WFB_Map.png) Map of Cocos (Keeling) Islands | |
 | |
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Location | Indian Ocean |
| Coordinates | 12°04′36″S 96°50′23″E / 12.0766°S 96.8397°E |
| Archipelago | South Keeling Islands |
| Administration | |
| Cocos (Keeling) Islands | |
Horsburgh Island (Malay: Pulo Luar or Pulu Luar) is an uninhabited islet in the South Keeling Islands atoll of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Australia. The island spans 1.061 km2 (0.410 sq mi), and is part of a marine protected area. It features a lagoon, coral reefs, and supports various seabird populations. The islands played a role in the Second World War.
History
[edit]Named "Pulau Luar" in Malay language, Horsburgh Island was named after British hydrographer James Horsburgh, who charted it in the early 1800s.[1] The Clunies-Ross Family settled the islands and managed it.[2][3][4] During the Second World War, the Ceylon Garrison Artillery installed two six-inch guns at its southern point for coastal defence.[1] In May 1942, the Ceylon artillery garrison began the Cocos Islands Mutiny, intending to hand the islands over to the Japanese troops.[5][6] The condemned mutineers were shipped back to Ceylon, and imprisoned.[7] The six-inch guns have survived and are a historic relic, listed on the Australian Commonwealth Heritage List.[8]
Geography
[edit]Horsburgh is an uninhabited islet in the South Keeling Islands atoll of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Australia.[9][10] The island spans 1.061 km2 (0.410 sq mi), and has a 4.2 km (2.6 mi) long coastline.[11] It is located in the Australian plate in the South Indian Ocean, and is known to have occasional seismic activity. It experiences a tropical rainforest climate characterized by heavy rainfall throughout the year, high humidity, and high temperatures.[11]
The topography is fairly flat, with most of the island located below sea level and the highest elevation on the island reaching approximately 2 m (6 ft 7 in). The island is characterized coastal lowlands with rocky gravel terrain and central flat plains.[11]
Flora and fauna
[edit]The island has a tree cover of 28%, and mostly consist of coconut trees planted during the copra extraction during the early 20th century.[11] The island is surrounded by coral reefs, supporting aquatic life such as butterfly fish, maori wrasse, sea urchin, and sea cucumber.[12] The surrounding lagoon and reefs form part of the Cocos Marine Conservation Area, part of the national marine park declared in 1995.[13][14] Bird species recorded from the island include Pacific black duck, northern pintail, buff-banded rail, common sandpiper, brown noddy, white-tailed tropicbird, lesser frigatebird, brown booby, nankeen night heron, Asian house martin and Christmas white-eye.[15]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b "History, Culture, Language of Cocos Keeling Islands". Cocos Keeling Islands. Retrieved 17 June 2025.
- ^ "The Cocos Islands". The Chambers's Journal. 76. Edinburgh: 187–190. 1899. Retrieved 12 April 2016.
- ^ Long, Edward E. (3 October 1903). "King of the Cocos Island". Timaru Herald, Volume LXXIX, Page 2. No. 12187. Via Government of New Zealand. Retrieved 15 February 2015.
- ^ "Dynasties series: Clunies-Ross Timeline, episode 2". ABC Australia. 16 November 2004. Archived from the original on 31 August 2014. Retrieved 12 April 2016.
- ^ Stanley, Peter (June 2001). "Review: Noel Crusz, The Cocos Islands mutiny". Journal of the Australian War Memorial (34). Archived from the original on 11 September 2001.
- ^ Perera, T. (20 April 2008). "A burst of gunfire and all hell broke loose". The Sunday Times Sri Lanka. 42 (47). Wijeya Newspapers. ISSN 1391-0531. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
- ^ L, Klemen (1999–2000). "The Mystery of Christmas Island, March 1942". Forgotten Campaign: The Dutch East Indies Campaign 1941-1942. Archived from the original on 21 January 2016. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
- ^ "Six Inch Guns (Place ID 105222)". Australian Heritage Database. Australian Government. Retrieved 15 May 2019.
- ^ "Cocos Islands". Britannica. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
- ^ "Cocos Keeling Islands". Cocos Keeling Islands. Retrieved 17 June 2025.
- ^ a b c d "Horsburgh Island". World Islands. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
- ^ Status of the Coral Reefs at the Cocos (Keeling) Islands (PDF). DCCE (Report). 2005. Retrieved 17 June 2025.
- ^ Recreational Fishing FAQs (PDF). Department of Infrastructure (Report). Retrieved 17 June 2025.
- ^ Cocos Marine Park Management Plan (PDF). Australian Marine Parks (Report). Retrieved 17 June 2025.
- ^ "Birds of Horsburgh Island". ebird. Retrieved 1 June 2025.