Search
» »Christmas Island: Australia’s Hidden Gem

Christmas Island: Australia’s Hidden Gem

Christmas Island is a tiny Australian territory in the Indian Ocean that is 135 square miles in size. The island, which goes by the nickname "Galapagos of the Indian Ocean," is well-known for its red crabs, Read on

Christmas Island is a tiny Australian territory in the Indian Ocean that is 135 square miles in size. The island, which has two-thirds of its land mass designated as a national park, has sparked a great deal of interest among scientists & naturalists despite being relatively small. The island, which goes by the nickname "Galapagos of the Indian Ocean," is well-known for its red crabs, seabirds, whale sharks, and magnificent coral reefs. It is surrounded by some of the most breathtaking natural beauties in the world and is closer to Asia than Australia's main continent.

Location

In the Indian Ocean, Christmas Island is located about 2600 kilometers (km) northwest of Perth, Western Australia. Java, Indonesia is around 360 km away from this Australian territory's closest neighbor.

Important Information

Important Information

On the island's northeastern side, Flying Fish Cove is where the main town and port are located. Numerous people of Chinese ethnicity, a small number of people of European heritage, and workers of Malay descent who were mostly recruited from Malaysia & Singapore make up the population. In the past, the majority of the inhabitants of the island have worked for the phosphate mining firm. The early 1990s saw a shift in the economy of the territory, which had previously relied nearly solely on the mining and export of phosphate to Australia & New Zealand. As phosphate deposits that could still be recovered were almost depleted, attention was directed to promoting tourism.

The now-famous annual crab migration, in which millions of red crabs start their 9-km journey from the island's center to the Indian Ocean to breed & spawn, is one of the island's many bizarre and amazing natural displays. The start of the rainy season signals the start of migration. The start of the wet season is never completely predictable, but it usually lasts from October through December. Most Island roads are closed for several weeks during the migration. The crabs are valued by locals and are legally protected. It is frequently referred to as one of the natural world's marvels since it is a stunning event that occurs nowhere else on Earth.

Christmas Island is renowned for its magnificent birdlife as well; it is estimated that 80,000 seabirds nest here each year. Along with indigenous birds like the majestic white-tailed tropicbird and the Christmas Island frigatebird, red-footed can be seen breeding all over the place, from seashore cliffs to homeowners' front yards.

History:

History:

Christmas Island's remoteness and rocky coasts served as natural impediments to habitation for many years. From the early seventeenth century, British and Dutch navigators first noted the island on their maps. On Christmas Day in 1643, Captain William Mynors of the British East India Company ship, the Royal Mary, gave the island its name.

The Cygnet, a British ship led by William Dampier, was the first ship to make a port call on the island in 1688. However, it took generations before British naturalist Dr. John Murray 1872 thoroughly studied the island. Murray thoroughly surveyed the area and found large quantities of phosphate. He co-founded the Christmas Island Phosphate Company with George Clunies-Ross, and in 1895 he started exporting this priceless phosphate.

There is also the historical fact that the Japanese colonized the island from 1942 to 1945, which is World War II. Before the Japanese invasion on March 31, 1942, a large number of native islanders either left or were evacuated; those that remained were seized and held as Prisoners.

The Island was taken over by Britain in the name of Queen Victoria, but then in 1946, it was given over to the Crown Colony of Singapore. The Island became an Australian Territory in 1958 after Britain ceded control to Australia.

As of 2022, 1,843 people called Christmas island home. The majority of the island's residents are Chinese, Australians, and Malays who are all citizens of Australia. Christmas Island has 80 kilometres of shoreline, although the majority of it is inaccessible. As a result, about 63% of the island is protected as a national park.

Also read about the only island state of Australia: TasmaniaAlso read about the only island state of Australia: Tasmania

Top things to do on Christmas Island

Top things to do on Christmas Island

  • Watch a million crabs migrating
  • Discover a submerged wonderland.
  • Discover the wildness
  • Unwind in a free rock spa
  • View some of the rarest birds in the world.
  • Go fishing, etc.
  • How to reach

    The lonely tropical island of Christmas Island is situated just south of Jakarta, Indonesia. There are flights departing from Perth, Australia, that take around three hours to get to the airport on Christmas Island. Likewise, Flying Fish Cove is frequently used as a drop-off location by yachts and cruise ships.

    When to visit

    April to November

Get Instant News Updates
Enable
x
Notification Settings X
Time Settings
Done
Clear Notification X
Do you want to clear all the notifications from your inbox?
Settings X