The Sydney Morning Herald states that another boat of asylum seekers, believed to be carrying Sri Lankan's has arrived at Cocos Islands, around mid-morning today.

The boat - understood to be carrying 28 Sri Lankan males - is the fifth to arrive since May at the Australian territory in the Indian ocean.

A formerly abandoned quarantine station on the main island has been refurbished with fridges, washing machines and linen to accommodate new arrivals after the government conceded Cocos Islands were being increasingly targeted as an asylum destination.

The territory lies on the Australian side of halfway from Sri Lanka and is roughly 3000 km from Ashmore Reef - another Australian territory below West Timor.