Cocos Islands, Going Coco – Reader Story

Australian Traveller Australian Traveller
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AT reader Blake Roet unwinds on the Indian Ocean island paradise that still calls Australia home.

It was time to escape the pressures of city life, recharge my batteries and fill my lungs with sea and scuba air. After hearing exciting stories from fellow travellers about the Cocos (Keeling) Islands I decided it was time for me to experience them first hand.

 

Referred to by the locals as Cocos, the islands are located in the Indian Ocean, 2950km north-west of Perth and 3700km west of Darwin. The 27 islands in the group include the southern atoll islands, which surround a beautiful blue lagoon, and the uninhabited North Keeling Island, which is protected within the Pulu Keeling National Park.

 

The islands were owned by the Clunies-Ross family until 1978, when they were acquired by the Australian Government, which had administered them as an Australian Territory since 1955. The small population of around 600 people resides on two of the southern atoll islands. The largely Muslim Cocos Malay population, which were originally brought to the islands from Malaysia to work on coconut plantations, reside on Home Island where they live a traditional Malay life in kampungs. The Government administration, airport, commercial activity and tourist facilities are located on West Island.

 

Other atolls surrounding the lagoon include stunning Direction Island, which is a favourite destination for daytrippers and campers from West Island, and a number of smaller islands where the Cocos Malays maintain weekend shacks for fishing and relaxing.

 

North Keeling Island has great diving, is a popular spot for birdwatchers and is the location of the wreck of German naval raider SMS Emden which was destroyed and then beached in 1914 after attempting to attack the communications facility then operating on Direction Island.

 

The beaches on West Island are amazing. These include Trannies beach (for readers who are family-conscious please note this beach was named after a nearby communication transmission facility) at the northern end and Scout Park beach and the nearby Yacht Club beach at the southern end.

 

Across the lagoon by boat you’ll find a beautiful beach on Direction Island (not camping here for a night is my only regret). The lagoon offers terrific snorkeling including the waters between Scout Park and the small island of Pulu Maraya, where juvenile but harmless black-tip reef sharks cruise the channel in knee-deep water.

 

The diving around Cocos is world class with healthy reefs inside and outside the lagoon and an abundance of reef fish, large pelagic fish, turtles, reef sharks and the occasional tiger shark. However, the attraction that sets Cocos apart from other dive destinations is its resident lone dugong named Kat.

 

I dived with Cocos Dive, which is operated by Dieter Gerhard and his partner, underwater photographer Karen Willshaw, who have developed a special relationship with Kat. Upon the boat’s arrival at the dive site Kat comes out of the blue to the boat and rubs herself along the anchor line to invite divers into the water.

 

The islands also attract kite surfers and windsurfers from around the world, especially to Yacht Club Beach. There are good surf breaks on the ocean side of West island, too, with basic surf camps located along the shore

 

There are, of course, sacrifices to be made when travelling to such a small, exotic and isolated location. Inevitably, food, entertainment and accommodation options are limited, but in my experience you can not have all these and still expect a unique experience such as I had on these islands.

 

Cocos is not a party location. There’s only one bar on West Island: the Cocos Club. On certain Friday nights men also gather at an isolated beach location on West Island, where they discuss secret men’s business, enjoy a few cold beverages then relieve themselves in a unique bush toilet (see opposite).

 

Travelling to Cocos is demanding and expensive. I flew from Melbourne to Perth, then flew to Cocos the next morning, but this is definitely worth the effort.

 

Find out more about this intriguing destination in the Australian Indian Ocean Territories:

Need tips, more detail or itinerary ideas tailored to you? Ask AT.

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5 of the best day trips from Hobart

(Credit: Samuel Shelley)

    Rachel Lay Rachel Lay
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    Hobart has quietly become our coolest capital, but the real wonder lies just beyond the city limits.

    In the cool shade of Kunyani/ Mt Wellington, Hobart has earned a reputation. Home to culture-defining Dark MOFO, the city blends rugged, raw wilderness and rule-breaking galleries. But, step beyond the thrumming capital’s border and you’ll find a new perspective: historic towns, Jurassic-era cliffs and a UNESCO City of Gastronomy. Fill your days with epicurean odysseys and wild scenery on the best day trips from Hobart.

    Where to stay

    Hobart stay with sleek style at Mövenpick hotel
    Elevate your Hobart stay with sleek style at Mövenpick.

    Behind every good road trip is the perfect home base. Somewhere central to review your camera roll, make the most of Hobart’s dining scene and relax before setting off again.

    For modern, Tasmanian-inspired design, book a stay at the Movenpick Hotel Hobart. Standing at the Salamanca Markets, look to the Hobart skyline, and the award-winning hotel will catch your eye. As the third-tallest building in the CBD, the views across the harbour toward Antarctica are totally unique from your room. Here, end each day at the daily free chocolate hour (plus a free Movenpick ice cream for the little ones).

    For a more budget-conscious option, head to the picture book, sandstone buildings of Macquarie Street. Nestled along the buzzing, historic streetscape, you’ll find Tasmania’s biggest hotel: the Ibis Styles. Return home each day to defrost in one of the hotel’s two saunas. Make use of the proximity to MONA, or take an easy stroll to the candy-coloured cottages of Battery Point between your adventures.

    1. Bruny Island

    Bruny Island Neck is an isthmus of land connecting north and south Bruny Island.
    Begin your adventure with a climb and a view. (Credit: Elise Weaver)

    Craggy cliffs and tropical-hued, white sand beaches signal your arrival to Bruny Island/ Lunawanna-Alonnah.

    Start your day trip at the island’s most iconic spot, the Neck Game Reserve. Scale the Trunganini steps to gaze out over the teensy stretch of land that juts through the sea connecting the two ends of the island.

    Catch a rare glimpse of the white-furred wallabies that call Bruny Island home at Adventure Bay. Then, for ocean-fresh oysters, pull into the drive-thru window at Get Shucked. Sample Bruny Island cheese at the cellar door before catching the ferry home with an esky full of local produce.

    2. Mount Wellington

    Mount Wellington Summit tasmania
    Climb through alpine forest to the summit. (Credit: Samuel Shelley)

    At 1271 metres, Mount Wellington watches protectively over Hobart. Follow the winding road to climb through alpine forest and tufts of snow to reach the summit. Gaze down over Hobart and out to sea, or over your shoulder to the southwestern wilderness.

    Reset your adrenaline with a mountain bike ride back down. Or, make like the locals and head into the mountain on foot. Try the hike to the Jurassic-period Organ Pipes, which slips under the mountain’s magnificent dolerite cliffs (perfect for families thanks to the trail’s minimal incline).

    For a view of Mount Wellington itself, hike nearby Cathedral Rock.

    2. Port Arthur

    Port Arthur tasmania
    Wander through convict-built grounds and gardens. (Credit: Alastair Bett)

    Constructed entirely by convicts, the manicured gardens and penal buildings of Port Arthur offer a day trip that practically hums with history.

    The rugged, seagirt location was chosen for its difficult escape conditions. Now, you can cruise the coast below the towering, jagged cliffs of the Tasman National Park or wander the sloping fields of fragrant lavender.

    Tickets to Port Arthur include a walking tour and harbour cruise. See the Isle of the Dead where 1000 men are buried in marked and unmarked graves. And Point Puer, Britain’s first prison for children.

    3. Launceston

    Duck Reach Power Station Bridge Cataract Gorge launceston
    Walk the sunlit paths of Cataract Gorge. (Credit: Nick H Visuals)

    You’ll find Launceston at the confluence of three rivers after an easy 2.5-hour drive from Hobart. Launceston is a patchwork of old and new. Here, heritage streetscapes meet modern architecture.

    Visit Cataract Gorge, the green, sun-dappled heart of the town and sacred meeting point for Tasmania’s indigenous communities. Pull up at roadside produce stalls that dot the Tamar Valley, or dine out. Launceston is, after all, a UNESCO City of Gastronomy.

    Should the local wine scene persuade you, simply extend your time in Launceston at Peppers Silo (but definitely at least stop by the onsite restaurant, Grain of the Silo, for a farm fresh menu) or Mercure Launceston before heading back to Hobart.

    4. Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary

    woman with wombat at Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary
    Snap a cuddle-worthy encounter. (Credit: Tourism Australia)

    Take a 35-minute drive from your hotel and you’ll find Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary. This social enterprise is run by a team of extremely passionate Tasmanians with a mission to look after critically endangered species who have found sanctuary here after facing extinction on the mainland.

    Choose to wander the sanctuary at your own pace or join a guided tour (free with your ticket) to come face to face with Tassie’s most iconic species. Tasmanian Devils, wombats and echidnas are part of the free tour. You can book up close encounters with your favourite animals, too.

    5. Richmond Village & Coal River Valley

    Richmond is a picture-perfect town in the Coal River Valley wine region, offering a glimpse into early colonial life, one of the best day trips from Hobart.
    Trace the river through history and wine country. (Credit: Alastair Bett)

    Richmond is a town that belongs in a snow globe. Fifty colonial-era, Georgian buildings have been painstakingly restored and turned into cafes, cosy restaurants and galleries. Visit Richmond Gaol, said to be the home of a prisoner so vile he inspired Charles Dickens to pen Oliver Twist’s Fagin.

    Then, follow the Coal River as it flows past grassy, duckling-dotted knolls and under the iconic Richmond Bridge, the oldest bridge in Australia. From the crest of the bridge, see the oldest Catholic Church in Australia. The river crawls past many cellar doors, perfect for a day of wine tasting.