Christmas Island Environment and Heritage
Christmas Island is located in the Indian Ocean at latitude 10°30' south and longitude 105°40' east. It is approximately 2,650 km from Perth, 380 km south of Java Head at the southern entrance to the Sunda Strait and approximately 1,350 km from Singapore. The nearest point of the Australian mainland is Northwest Cape which lies approximately 1,565 km to the south-east. The Island has an area of 135 sq. km.
Geography and Climate
The Island is the summit of a submarine mountain. It rises steeply to a central plateau dominated by stands of rainforest. The plateau reaches heights of up to 361 metres and consists mainly of limestone with layers of volcanic rock.
The Island's 80 km coastline is an almost continuous sea cliff ranging in height up to 20 metres. There are thirteen places where breaks in the cliff give way to shallow bays and small sand and coral beaches. The largest of these bays forms the Island's port at Flying Fish Cove.
The Island is surrounded by a coral reef. There is virtually no coastal shelf and the sea plummets to a depth of about 5,000 metres within 200 metres of the shore.
The climate is tropical and temperatures range from 21°C to 32°C. Humidity is around 80-90% and south-east trade winds provide pleasant weather for most of the year. However, during the wet season between November and April, it is common for some storm activity to occur producing a swell in seas around the Island. The average rainfall is 2,000 mm per annum.
Population
The Census of 2006 recorded a total population of 1351 people on Christmas Island. The population of the Island has an ethnic composition of approximately 40% Chinese, 35 % Malay and 20% European.
History
Christmas Island was named on Christmas Day 1643 by Captain William Mynors, the Master of a passing ship. The first landing was recorded by William Dampier in 1688. For the next two centuries little interest was shown in the Island due to its rugged coastline.
Following the discovery of phosphate deposits the Island was annexed by Britain in 1888.
Christmas Island was occupied by Japanese forces from March 1942 until the end of the Second World War and in 1946 became a dependency of Singapore.
By agreement with the United Kingdom sovereignty was transferred to the Commonwealth of Australia on 1 October 1958 under the Christmas Island Act 1958
Flora and Fauna
Approximately 63% of the Island's 135 square kilometres is national park. The Island's close proximity to South East Asia and the equator has resulted in a diverse range of flora and fauna.
The Christmas Island National Park is managed by the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts.
There are about 200 species of native flowering plants on Christmas Island. The distribution of plants on the Island is related to soil depth moisture retention and exposure to and distance from the sea. A dense rainforest has evolved in the deep soils of the plateau and on some terraces. The forests are dominated by 25 tree species. Ferns, orchids and vines flourish on the branches in the humid atmosphere beneath the canopy. The 135 species of flora include 16 of which can only be found on Christmas Island.
Red crabs are dotted around the forest floor all over Christmas Island. The annual red crab mass migration to the sea to spawn has been described by ecologists as one of the wonders of the natural world. This migration takes place each year after the start of the wet season synchronised with the cycle of the moon.
The land crabs and sea birds are the most noticeable animals on the Island. To date, 20 terrestrial and intertidal crabs have been described. The diversity and abundance of land crabs is not matched by any other island. Huge robber crabs, known elsewhere as coconut crabs, are also found on Christmas Island and are capable of opening and devouring coconuts with their strong claws.
The Island is also a focal point for sea birds of various species. Eight species or subspecies of sea birds nest on the Island. The most numerous is the Red-footed Booby that nests in colonies in trees on many parts of the shore terrace. The widespread Brown Booby nests on the ground near the edge of the sea cliff and inland cliffs. Abbott's Booby (listed as endangered) nests on tall emergent trees of the western northern and southern plateau rainforest. The Christmas Island forest is the only known nesting habitat of the Abbott's Booby left in the world. The endemic Christmas Island Frigatebird (listed as endangered) has three well-defined nesting areas. Greater Frigatebirds nest in semi-deciduous trees on the shore terrace with the greater concentrations being in the North West and South Point areas. The Common Noddy and two species of bosuns or tropic birds with their distinctive streamer tail feathers also nest on the Island. Of the ten native land birds and shorebirds seven are endemic species or subspecies. Some 76 vagrant or migrant bird species have been recorded on the Island from time to time.
Heritage
In recognition of the long and unique history of Christmas Island, a number of sites are listed on the Register of the National Estate. These include Tai Jin House, the Poon Saan area, the Malay Kampong area, Settlement and some areas of industrial heritage associated with the phosphate mine.
The unique heritage is reflected in the places for worship on Christmas Island. A Mosque is located in the Kampong, a Christian church in Settlement and temples at a number of locations around the Island.
Further information on the heritage of Christmas Island can be found on the Australian Heritage Council (AHC) website.