Home Island, also known locally as Pulu Selma, is one of only two permanently-inhabited islands of the 26 islands of the South Keeling Islands of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, an Australian external territory in the central-eastern Indian Ocean.
Pulu Selma (Cocos Islands Malay) | |
|---|---|
_76.jpg) Map of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands | |
_Islands_location_map.svg)  Home Island | |
| Geography | |
| Coordinates | 12°07′04″S 96°53′51″E / 12.1178°S 96.8975°E |
| Archipelago | South Keeling Islands |
| Area | 95 ha (230 acres) |
| Administration | |
Australia | |
| Territory | Cocos (Keeling) Islands |
| Largest settlement | Bantam |
| Additional information | |
| Time zone | |
Islands_HomeIsland02.jpg)
Description
editIt is 95 hectares (230 acres) in area and contains the largest settlement of the territory, Bantam, with a population of about 500 Cocos Malay people. Local attractions include a museum covering local culture and traditions, flora and fauna, Australian naval history, and the early owners of the Cocos-Keeling Islands.[1]
The Home Island Mosque is one of the busiest places on the island, and the minaret is painted in territorial flag colours of green and gold.[2][3]
There is also a trail leading to Oceania House, which was the ancestral home of the Clunies-Ross family, the former rulers of the Cocos-Keeling Islands and is over a century old.[4]
Education
editCocos Islands District High School operates a primary education centre on Home Island; most of the staff live on West Island and travel to their jobs on a daily basis. Secondary level students go to the West Island campus.[5]
Heritage listings
editHome Island contains a number of heritage-listed sites, including:
- Captain Ballard's Grave[6]
- Jalan Kipas: Early Settlers' Graves[7]
- Home Island Cemetery[8]
- Jalan Panti: Home Island Foreshore[9]
- Jalan Bunga Mawar: Home Island Industrial Precinct[10]
- Jalan Bunga Kangkong: Oceania House[11]
- Jalan Bunga Mawar: Old Co-Op Shop[12]
References
edit- ^ "Home Island", Cocos Keeling Islands. Retrieved on 13 February 2018.
- ^ "Home Island Mosque". Flickr. 10 June 2015. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
- ^ "Cocos Keeling Islands Travel Guide". taste2travel. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
- ^ "Oceania House" Archived 3 November 2019 at the Wayback Machine, Cocos Keeling Islands. Retrieved on 13 February 2018.
- ^ Home Archived 25 November 2019 at the Wayback Machine. Cocos Islands District High School. Retrieved on 8 April 2019.
- ^ "Captain Ballards Grave (Place ID 105361)". Australian Heritage Database. Australian Government. Retrieved 15 May 2019.
- ^ "Early Settlers Graves (Place ID 105362)". Australian Heritage Database. Australian Government. Retrieved 15 May 2019.
- ^ "Home Island Cemetery (Place ID 105355)". Australian Heritage Database. Australian Government. Retrieved 15 May 2019.
- ^ "Home Island Foreshore (Place ID 105363)". Australian Heritage Database. Australian Government. Retrieved 15 May 2019.
- ^ "Home Island Industrial Precinct (Place ID 105220)". Australian Heritage Database. Australian Government. Retrieved 15 May 2019.
- ^ "Oceania House and Surrounds (Place ID 105236)". Australian Heritage Database. Australian Government. Retrieved 15 May 2019.
- ^ "Old Co-op Shop (Canteen) (Place ID 105409)". Australian Heritage Database. Australian Government. Retrieved 15 May 2019.