Cockatoo Island (Western Australia)
Geography | |
---|---|
Coordinates | 16°05′38″S 123°36′33″E / 16.0939142°S 123.6091835°E |
Archipelago | Buccaneer |
Adjacent to | Indian Ocean |
Area | 12 sq mi (31 km2) |
Cockatoo Island is an island in the
History
The ironstone of Cockatoo Island was known to pearl luggers in the 1880s, who used it as ballast on their voyages.
By October 1945 over 100 men were employed on Cockatoo Island and work was underway laying a foundation for the processing plant, building a jetty and layout the township.[6] Iron ore mining began in 1951.[7] The first shipment of iron ore from the island was made in the vessel Iron Yampi, which was purpose-built at the Whyalla shipyard.[3] It was one of a fleet of four bulk-carriers built to transport the ore for smelting at Australian steelworks. The Iron Kimberley was another of them.[8]
In 1952, the island's population numbered 150.[4] By 1954, the mine was capable of shipping up to 2 million tonnes of iron ore annually.[9] The townsite established by BHP contained a school, movie theatre, and even a lockup prison. BHP continued to operate the mine and manage the township until 1984 when the ore body had been mined down to sea level.
During the 1980s businessman
In the 21st century, Perth-based company Pluton Resources mined there, until the company entered administration in September 2015.[2]
In 2020, Cockatoo Island Mining Pty Ltd whose directors reside in Australia,
References
- Watpac. 2014. Archived from the originalon 12 February 2016. Retrieved 14 February 2016.
- ^ a b "Summary of Pluton Resources Ltd (Receiver and Manager Appointed) | The Supreme Court of Victoria". www.supremecourt.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
- ^ a b "YAMPI SOUND TO CHALLENGE WHYALLA Special Freighters Being Built To Carry Iron Ore". Toodyay Herald. 20 June 1947. p. 9. Retrieved 18 December 2015.
- ^ a b "(ADVERTISEMENT) PEARLERS ONCE USED YAMPI'S IRON ORE FOR BALLAST". The West Australian. 4 November 1952. p. 28. Retrieved 18 December 2015.
- ^ "Busy Community Established On Cockatoo Island". The West Australian. 11 March 1952. p. 3. Retrieved 18 December 2015.
- ^ "BHP To Spend A Million On Yampi". The Daily News. 13 October 1945. p. 1. Retrieved 18 December 2015.
- ^ "Iron ore in Western Australia" (PDF). PDF. Department of Industry and Resources. 1995. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 September 2007. Retrieved 14 February 2008.
- ^ "ORE SHIP'S LAUNCHING". The West Australian. 6 April 1949. p. 19. Retrieved 18 December 2015.
- ^ ""Staggering" Expansion Of Australia's Steel Industry". The West Australian. 26 November 1954. p. 2. Retrieved 18 December 2015.
- ^ "Alan Bond's tourist resort on Cockatoo Island closed down". Sunday Times (Perth, W.A.). 4 March 1990. p. 10.
- ^ Trott, Peter (26 November 1984). "Cockatoo Island closes down as iron ore producer but could become major tourist attraction". The West Australian. p. 13a-e.
- ABC News Online, 2021-03-12