About 100 metres from the end of a runway earmarked to take spy planes for the Australian Defence Force and its allies, hundreds of vulnerable turtles are starving and dying.

The Australian government has reneged on its 1984 commitment to the UN “that it had no intention of making the Cocos (Keeling) Islands into a strategic military base or of using the Territory for that purpose” - part of the agreement to the Act of Self Determination for Cocos to be integrated into Australia.

Darwin resident Sue lives on the fringe of a PFAS contamination zone and is one of the 30,000 Australians involved in a class action against the Defence Department.

"Residents have been trapped on contaminated land for years," Shine Lawyers' head of class actions Craig Allsopp said.

"They are unable to sell their properties or enjoy simple freedoms like running the tap for a glass of water or to bathe their children.

"Toxicology reports point to PFAS levels in the eight areas of investigation being dangerously high. It's time the government showed some accountability."

"It shouldn't be denial. It should be taking ownership of it, dealing with it and rectifying, and paying people out that need the money for medical bills and their properties."

A Larrakia man says Aboriginal people have been fishing in Darwin's Rapid Creek unaware there were concerns about contamination.

The Northern Territory Health Department yesterday issued a warning advising people not to eat fish or crabs caught in Rapid or Ludmilla Creeks.

It came weeks after tests by the NT Environment Protection Authority confirmed the presence of the perflourinate chemicals historically used in fire-fighting foam at Defence bases around the country.

"It's a bit of a problem when you hear that there's poison, potential poison coming down from the airport," said local resident and Larrakia man Keith Risk.

A Senate inquiry recommended blood tests for workers on Defence bases and residents potentially affected by contamination.