The Crocodile Islands are a group of islands belonging to the
Yan-nhaŋu people of the
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory (commonly abbreviated as NT; formally the Northern Territory of Australia) is an Australian territory in the central and central northern regions of Australia. The Northern Territory shares its borders with Western Aust ...
of
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands. With an area of , Australia is the largest country by ...
. They are located off the coast of
Arnhem Land
Arnhem Land is a historical region of the Northern Territory of Australia, with the term still in use. It is located in the north-eastern corner of the territory and is around from the territory capital, Darwin. In 1623, Dutch East India Compa ...
in the
Arafura Sea
The Arafura Sea (or Arafuru Sea) lies west of the Pacific Ocean, overlying the continental shelf between Australia and Western New Guinea (also called Papua), which is the Indonesian part of the Island of New Guinea.
Geography
The Arafura S ...
.
List of islands
Larger islands
*
Milingimbi Island, in the local language ''Yurruwi,'' is the largest of the inner islands in the group
* ''Murrungga'' (Mooroongga), the largest of the outer Crocodile islands, and the birthplace of
Laurie Baymarrwangga, the last fluent speaker of Yan-nhangu.
* ''Rapuma'' (Yabooma)
* ''Gananggananggarr'' (Gananggaringur)
* ''Nilpaywa'' (Crocodile Island).
Smaller islands
* ''Darbada.''
* Boojiragi (''Budjirriki'')
* ''Mardanaingura.''
* Northwest Crocodile (''Gurriba'')
* North-east Crocodile Islands (''Brul-brul'')
* North-west Crocodile Reef (''Gununba No 1'').
History
The islands were formed by stabilising sea levels 5000 years before present. They were discovered by the Dutch in the seventeenth century and named the ''Crocodils Eÿlandt''. Several of the Crocodile Islands, with their associated
mudflat
Mudflats or mud flats, also known as tidal flats or, in Ireland, slob or slobs, are coastal wetlands that form in intertidal areas where sediments have been deposited by tides or rivers. A global analysis published in 2019 suggested that tidal f ...
s, have been identified by
BirdLife International
BirdLife International is a global partnership of non-governmental organizations that strives to conserve birds and their habitats. BirdLife International's priorities include preventing extinction of bird species, identifying and safeguarding ...
as forming the
Milingimbi Islands Important Bird Area (IBA) because they support large numbers of
wader
245px, A flock of Dunlins and Red knots">Red_knot.html" ;"title="Dunlins and Red knot">Dunlins and Red knots
Waders or shorebirds are birds of the order Charadriiformes commonly found wikt:wade#Etymology 1, wading along shorelines and mudflat ...
s, or shorebirds. Murrungga Island has one of the most significant migratory bird nesting and breeding sites in the North of Australia. The enormous fresh water lakes of Garratha, Riyanhuna and Ganbuwa are home to hundreds of species of birds, as well as a large population of
Saltwater Crocodile
The saltwater crocodile (''Crocodylus porosus'') is a crocodilian native to saltwater habitats and brackish wetlands from India's east coast across Southeast Asia and the Sundaic region to northern Australia and Micronesia. It has been l ...
s, after which the islands are named.
Access
Access to the islands is restricted; before visiting, permission must be sought from the appropriate land council.
See also
*
List of islands of Australia
This is a list of selected Australian islands grouped by State or Territory. Australia has 8,222 islands within its maritime borders.
Largest islands
The islands larger than are:
* Tasmania (Tas) ;
* Melville Island, Northern Territory (NT ...
Notes
Citations
Sources
*
*
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*
{{DutchplacenamesAus
Arnhem Land
Important Bird Areas of the Northern Territory
Islands of the Northern Territory