Vlaming sailed past it. Dampier never noticed it. Matthew Flinders
didn't see it. 19th Century pearl fishermen knew about it. Ships stop
there to load ore. Cockatoo Island, set among over 700 islands of the
Buccaneer Archipelago, was for many years one of the most profitable
iron ore mines operated by BHP.
Cockatoo Island is one of thousands of islands that makes up the
rich coastline of the West Kimberley. Not to be confused with the
similarly named island beyond the Sydney Harbour Bridge in the
Parramatta River, Western Australia's Cockatoo Island is located 130
kms from Derby, 198 kms from Broome, the island may be accessed by air
from Derby (40 minutes) or Broome (70 minutes).
Cockatoo Island, off the north-west coast of the Kimberley, has been
mined for its high quality iron ore since 1948, when BHP first held the
lease. In those days there were no environmental and rehabilitation
requirements. The ore lies on the south face of the island, which has
been mined into a sheer cliff.