The island's phosphate mining heritage brought workers here from all over the region. Today Christmas Island has around 2000 residents.
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The Christmas Island detention centre holds around 30 men seeking asylum mixed in with about 200 men exiting prisons from across Australia after serving sentences of varying length for crimes of varying severity.
Working at Christmas Island is a challenging but immensely rewarding experience for anyone who wants to make a difference in a unique and highly fragile wilderness environment. Our current job vacancies are advertised on the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water website.
Walking is the best way to explore Christmas Island's extraordinary forests, wetlands and beaches. There are walking trails for all preferences and abilities, ranging from relaxing rainforest boardwalks to rugged hikes into deserted beaches. Many walks have lookouts offering spectacular views of the coastline.
Since the detention centre was built on the island in 2006, the island population of about 1,500 locals has jumped dramatically. Mr McDonald says the cost of living is now estimated at about 180 per cent above that on the mainland. An iceberg lettuce at the local store can cost as much as $12.
The importation of dogs and cats into Christmas Island is prohibited by the Importation of Dogs and Cats Ordinance 1973, due to concerns about environmental, social, cultural, animal health and welfare issues.
That means you can score a great deal on popular duty-free items such as fragrances, leather goods, electronics, jewellery, watches and sunglasses. It also means Christmas Island has some of the cheapest alcohol in Australia – perfect for treating yourself to a beer or a gin and tonic as the sun goes down.
HEALTH, STDs & CRABSTap water is available for drinking but we recommend bottled water only. The island does have a hospital. We recommend you have Travel Health Insurance.
Island life: While Christmas Island is a pleasant place to live most of the time, residents say it has its challenges. For example, flights to the island from mainland Australia are expensive.
Christmas Island International AirportCheck-in counters are open two and a half hours before departure. Baggage carousels are located in the Arrivals Hall.
Bugs (like mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas) can spread a number of diseases in Christmas Island. Many of these diseases cannot be prevented with a vaccine or medicine. You can reduce your risk by taking steps to prevent bug bites.