Christmas Island
 

14 Jan 1889 - 11 Jun 1900, 18 Oct 1945 - 1948, 1 Jan 1958 - 30 Sep 1958 11 Jun 1900 - 1925 1925 - 10 Mar 1942 31 Mar 1942 - 24 Aug 1945 13 Sep 1948 - 31 Dec 1957 Adopted 1 Oct 1958 Adopted 26 Jan 2002 (unofficial from 14 Apr 1986) Map of Christmas Island  Hear National Anthem   "Advance Australia Fair"  Local Anthem (None)  Christmas Island Act (1 Oct 1958) Capital: Flying Fish Cove (The Settlement)  (Singapore 1889-1942, 1945-1957) Currency: Australian Dollar (AUD)  National Holiday: 26 Jan (1788) Australia Day ------------------------------------ Local Holiday: 1st Monday in Oct (1958) Territory Day Population: 1,692 (2021) GDP: $65 million (2024) Exports: $12 million (2024) Imports: $45.2 million (2024) Ethnic groups: Chinese 22.2%, Australian 17%, Malay 16.1%, English 12.5%, Indonesian 3.8%, other/not stated 28.4% (2021) note: respondents had the option of reporting up to two ancestries on their Census form. Total Police Force: 68 (2017) Defense is the Responsibility of Australia  Merchant marine: None (2025)  Religions: Muslim 22.1%, Buddhist 15.2%, Roman Catholic 7.3%, no religion 19.7%, not stated 26.7% (2021) International Organizations/Treaties: None Christmas Island Chronology  3 Feb 1615                The island is first sighted by merchant John                              Milward and master Richard Rowe who sailed past                              aboard the East India Co. ship Thomas. 25 Dec 1643                Capt. William Mynors (b. 1593 – d. 1667) of the                              British East India Company ship Royal Mary                              arrives on Christmas Day at the island, which he                              names Christmas Island. 13-14 Jan 1646             Capt. Mynors (s.a.) sailed past again in the same                              ship on an event noted by his V.I.P. passenger,                              Ralph Cartwright, the recently retired President                              of Bantam, who recalled it as Nativity Island. 1666                       The island appears on a Dutch map by Pieter Goos                              (b. c.1616 - d. 1675), in which it is called Moni                              (Monji, Muni). Mar 1688                   English Capt. Charles Swan (d. 1690) and his second                              mate William Dampier (b. 1651 - d. 1715) on the                              Cygnet make the earliest recorded landing on the                              island finding it uninhabited. 1714                       Capt. Daniel Beekman visits in the East India Co.                              ship Eagle. He provided an account of the island                              remarking that "the island looks exceeding                              pleasant, being covered with lofty trees..." in                              his 1718 book "A voyage to and from the island of                              Borneo in the East-Indies", his account was                              much exaggerated. 1771                       The crew of the East India Co. ship Pigot, claimed                              to have tried to anchor (without success). 1857                       The first attempt at an exploration of the island                              is made by the frigate Amethyst, under U.K. Capt.                              Sidney Grenfell (b. 1806 - d. 1884), the boat's                              is landed with the object of attempting to reach                              the summit, but the ascent is abandoned. 1872 - 1876                During the Challenger expedition to the East                              Indies, British naturalist Dr. John Murray (b.                              1841 - d. 1914) carries out extensive surveys, he                              predicts phosphate will be found on the island. Dec 1886                   U.K. hydrographic survey vessel Flying Fish under                              Capt. John Maclear (b. 1838 - d. 1907) is ordered                              to make an examination of the island. Their                              anchorage is named Flying Fish Cove. A number of                              men are landed, but, since the island seems of                              little value, no serious attempt at exploration                              is made. Sep - Oct 1887             U.K. frigate HMS Egeria under Capt. Pelham Aldrich                              (b. 1844 - d. 1930) visits enabling the ship's                              naturalist Joseph Jackson Lister (b. 1857 - d.                              1927) to study the mineralogy, flora, and fauna.                              No indication is found that the island has ever                              been inhabited. Towards the end of the year the                              collected rocks are submitted to Dr. Murray                              (s.a.) for examination, who finds that some are                              nearly pure phosphate of lime.  6 Jun 1888                Annexed for the U.K., by Capt. William Henry May                              (b. 1849 - d. 1930) on the HMS Impérieuse, under                              the immediate jurisdiction of the government of                              the Straits Settlements. Nov 1888                   The first settlement is established at Flying Fish                              Cove (and comes to be known by that same name, or                              alternatively just as The Settlement) by George                              Clunies Ross of the Cocos Islands. His brother                              Andrew Clunies Ross (b. 1859 - d. 1918), with his                              family and a few Cocos Malays, subsequently                              reside there.  8 Jan 1889                Governor of Singapore is appointed as Governor of                              Christmas Island and vested with powers and                              authorized to transfer/annex the island to the                              Straits Settlements. Feb 1891                   A 99-year lease is granted to George Clunies Ross                              and Sir John Murray to mine phosphate and cut                              timber.  4 Feb 1897                Lease transferred to Christmas Island Phosphate                              Company, Ltd. (CIPCO), which is largely owned by                              the former lessees. 23 May 1900                Incorporated into the settlement of Singapore,                              within the Straits Settlement, by proclamation.                              Singapore maintains a district officer on the                              island with a few police attached to his staff. 21 Jan 1942                Japanese Navy submarine I-159 sinks MV Eidsvold, a                              Norwegian cargo ship in Flying Fish Cove. 19 Feb & 1 Mar 1942        Japanese Navy planes bomb Christmas Island. Feb 1942 - 11 Mar 1942     British military administration. 11 Mar - 31 Mar 1942       Indian soldiers mutiny and take control of the                              island led by Mir Ali and Ghulam Qadir.        31 Mar 1942 - 24 Aug 1945  Japanese occupation (renamed Kurisumasu jima). 17 Nov 1942                Japanese cargo vessel Nissei Maru sunk while                              unloading at Flying Fish Cove by the U.S.                              submarine USS Searaven. Japan abandons attempts                              to export phosphate from the island. 20 Nov 1942                Japanese deport all British and 214 Chinese                              employees of the CIPCO to Java. Dec 1943                   Japanese deport most of the islanders to Indonesia. 10 Jan 1944                A U.S. Australia based plane bombs the island. 22 Aug 1944                British submarine, HMS Spiteful, shells the oil                              storage tanks in Flying Fish Cove. 24 Aug 1945                Evacuation of Japanese forces. 18 Oct 1945                Following the end of the war, HMS Rother lands an                              armed party to retake control. CIPCO thereafter                              resumes operations. 18 Oct 1945 - 31 Mar 1946  Under British Singapore Division, British                              Military Administration - Malaya.  1 Apr 1946                The Straits Settlements are dissolved, Singapore                              (including Christmas Island) becoming a separate                              colony.  1 Apr 1946 - 31 Dec 1957  Part of the separate colony of Singapore.  1 Jan 1949                All the estate, right, title and interest of the                              CIPCO acquired for £2.75 million jointly by                              Australia and New Zealand and the British                              Phosphate Commissioners (BPC). 26 Nov 1949                An agreement between Australia and New Zealand is                              concluded establishing the Christmas Island                              Phosphate Commission (CIPC) to carry out mining                              and shipping operations on behalf of both                              governments. One commissioner to be appointed by                              the Australian government, one by the New Zealand                              government, and one by the two governments                              jointly. The British Phosphate Commissioners are                              to be appointed as managing agents of the                              Christmas Island undertaking.  1 Jan 1958                Colony of Christmas Island (separated from                              Singapore) and administered as a separate British                              crown colony, pending its transfer to Australia                              (with a £2.33 million payment from U.K. to                              Singapore, which is to be reimbursed by                              Australia and New Zealand, as compensation for                              the loss of earnings from the phosphate revenue)                              (royal assent given to the U.K. Christmas Island                              Bill on 14 May 1958 to enable transfer).  1 Oct 1958                Christmas accepted under the authority of Australia                              as Territory of Christmas Island (by Christmas                              Island Act 21 Sep 1958). 12 Jul 1980                An Advisory Council is established for the                              administrator to consult. 21 Feb 1980                Christmas Island National Park, covering over 63%                              of the island, established. 23 Jan 1981                All residents of the island become eligible to                              acquire Australian citizenship. Sep 1981 - Dec 1987        Australian Phosphate Corporation (APC) replaces the                              previous phosphate operators (BPC and CIPC). 18 Oct 1984                Made a separate electoral district of the Division                              of the Northern Territory (from 21 Dec 2000, part                              Northern Territory federal electoral division of                              Lingiari). 28 Sep 1985                First Christmas Island assembly elected.  3 Nov 1987 -  9 Dec 1990  The Assembly is dissolved, and the administrator                              empowered to perform its functions.  1 Jul 1992                Christmas Island Shire Council, created as a                              result of the law reform process whereby                              Australia decided to apply the laws of Western                              Australia as territory laws, begins operating.                              The Christmas Island Shire Council replaces the                              Christmas Island Assembly and Christmas Island                              Services Corporation. By 1998 the term "Shire of                              Christmas Island" replaces "Christmas Island                              Shire Council."  7 May 1994                In an unofficial referendum on secession, 85% of                              Christmas Island voters favor a greater degree of                              autonomy, while rejecting total secession from                              Australia.  1 Oct 1997                Australian Indian Ocean Territories (both Christmas                              Island and Cocos Islands) from here on are                              under a common administrator, based at Christmas                              Island.  6 Nov 1999                A referendum returns a 62% vote favoring self-                              government.  8 Sep 2001                Christmas Island is excised from Australia's                              migration zone, precluding unauthorized arrivals                              from pursuing residency in the country. Nov 2001 - Oct 2023        Christmas Island used as a detention center for                              illegal migrants seeking to enter Australia. 11 Dec 2010                Western Australia law made applicable to Christmas                              Island, but in reference to responsible                              Australian Minister, not Western Australia                              Minister/Government (by the Territories Law                              Reform Act 2010). 20 Mar 2022                Christmas Island Marine Park established, covering                              an area of 277,016 square kilometers and extends                              from the island's shoreline to the limit of                              Australia's Exclusive Economic Zone (AEEZ),                              approximately 200 nautical miles from shore                              (except to the north of Christmas Island).

Leaseholders
 1 Jan 1891 -  4 Feb 1897  George Clunies-Ross                (b. 1842 - d. 1910)
                           + Sir John Murray                  (b. 1841 - d. 1914)
Governors
14 Jan 1889 - 10 Jun 1900  the governors of Singapore
10 Jun 1900 - 15 Feb 1942  the governors the Straits 
                           Settlements 
31 Mar 1942 - 18 Oct 1945  Japanese occupation
18 Oct 1945 -  1 Apr 1946  the governors the Straits
                           Settlements 
 1 Apr 1946 - 31 Dec 1957  the governors of Singapore
District Officers   
 4 Jun 1901 - 1904         Lewis Hare Clayton                 (b. 1872 - d. 1921)
Dec 1902 - 1903            Walter Peacock (acting)            (b. 1875 - d. 1950)
 1 Jul 1903 - 1904         David Beatty (acting)              (b. 1876 - d. 1952)
1904                       William Summer Gibson (acting)     (b. 1876 - d. 1946)
 1 Jun 1904 - 1907         Arthur Walter Bailey               (b. 1873 - d. 1914)
1904 - 1905                William Thomas Chapman (acting)    (b. 1876 - d. 1949)
1906                       Frank Morrish Baddeley (acting)    (b. 1874 - d. 1966)
1906 - 1908                Percy Tothill Allen (1st time)     (b. 1878 - d. 1968) 
1907 - 1909                Paul August Felix David            (b. 1874 - d. 1939)
                             (acting to 1908)
1909 - 1910                Percy Tothill Allen (2nd time)     (s.a.)
1910                       Stewart Codrington                 (b. 1874 - d. 1948)
1910 - 1911                Lachlan McLean                     (b. 1877 - d. 1937)
1911 - 1912                James Startin Wills Arthur         (b. 1881 - d. 1955)
                             (acting)
1912 - 1913                George Hawthorn Minot Robertson    (b. 1886 - d. 1919)
1913                       Henry Augustus Forrer (1st time)   (b. 1886 - d. 1969)
Aug 1913 - Jul 1915        John Lynd McFall                   (b. 1888 - d. 1957)
1915 - 1917                Henry Augustus Forrer (2nd time)   (s.a.)
1917 - 1918                John Vivian Gottlieb Mills         (b. 1887 - d. 1987)
1918 - 1919                John Davis Murray                  (b. 1864 - d. 1929)
 9 Mar 1919 - 1920         George McMicken                    (b. 1879? - d. 1934)
1920                       Ernest Cheers                      (b. 1890 - d. 1930)
 1 Oct 1920 - 1921         Francis Edward Harmer (acting)     (b. 1884 - d. 19..)
20 May 1921 - 1922         Norman Lidstone Lindon             (b. 1892 - d. 1965)
1922                       Arthur Harold Dickinson (acting)   (b. 1892 - d. 1978)
1922 - 1923                George Christopher Dodd            (b. 1890 - d. 1932)
1923 - 1924                William Edward Rigby               (b. 1897 - d. 1972)
1924                       Stanley Musgrave Middlebrook       (b. 1898 - d. 1944)
                             (acting)
1924 - 1925                William Herbert Gatfield           (b. 1895 - d. 1966)
1925 - 1926                Sydney Noel King                   (b. 1897 - d. 1981)
1926                       Victor William Williams Saunders   (b. 1896 - d. 1965)
                             Purcell
1926 - 1927                William Donald Horne               (b. 1894 - d. 1981)
1927                       Alistair William Hay               (b. 1899 - d. 1944)
1927 - 1928                Christopher Patrick Smith          (b. 1894 - d. 19..)
 1 Mar 1928 - 29 Oct 1928  Thomas Percy Ferguson McNiece      (b. 1901 - d. 1998)
1928 - 1929                Frank Leslie Williams              (b. 1899 - d. 1943)
1929 - 1930                Trevor Davis Hughes                (b. 1901 - d. 1945)
1930                       John Francis Fitzgerald Gregg      (b. 1903 - d. 1943)
1930 - 1931                Robert Porter Bingham              (b. 1903 - d. 1982)
1931                       Bernard Stratton Davis             (b. 1904 - d. 1983)
1931 - Jun 1932            John Percival Biddulph             (b. 1904 - d. 1997)
 3 Jul 1932 - 1933         Hugh Graham Moles (acting)         (b. 1905 - d. ....)
1934 - 1935                Edward Cecil Stapleton Adkins      (b. 1903 - d. 1963)
13 Nov 1935 - Apr 1936     Robert William Ingram Band         (b. 1907 - d. 1996)
                             (1st time) (acting)
Apr 1936 - 1937            Noel Lancaster Alexander           (b. 1908 - d. 1983)
1937                       George William Webb                (b. 1904 - d. ....)
1937 - Nov 1938            Richard Neville Broome             (b. 1909 - d. 1986)
1939 - 1940                Geoffrey Williams Davis            (b. 1906 - d. 1971)
1940 - 1941                Robert William Ingram Band         (s.a.)
                             (2nd time)
May 1941 - 31 Mar 1942     Tom Pearson Cromwell               (b. 1909 - d. 1976)
                             (prisoner of mutineers from 11 Mar 1942,
                             then Japanese prisoner to Sep 1945)
British Military Commander
(commanding officer Hong Kong & Singapore Royal Artillery Detachment)
Feb 1942 - 11 Mar 1942     Leonard Walter Thomas Williams     (b. 1905 - d. 1942)
Japanese Military Commanders
31 Mar 1942 -  3 Apr 1942  Kenzaburō Hara                     (b. 1887 - d. 1971)    
                             (commander 2nd Southern Expeditionary Fleet Occupation Force)
 3 Apr 1942 - May? 1942    Noboru Ando                        (d. 1945)
                             (commander 21st Special Base Force Detachment)
May? 1942 - 24 Aug 1945    ....
                             (commanders Japanese garrison)
District Officers
24 Aug 1945 - 1946         Foo Thye Jin (acting)
                            (chairman of Christmas Island Vigilance Committee;
                             and from 20 Oct 1945, caretaker officer)
18 Oct 1945 - 20 Oct 1945  Bryan Humfrey Craig Rodgers        (b. 1901 - d. 1947)
                            (U.K. commander HMS Rother)
18 Oct 1945 - 20 Oct 1945  T. van der Gaast                   (b. 1910  - d. ...)
                            (civil administrator; representative of Singapore Division,
                             British Military Administration - Malaya)
1945 - 1946                J.A. Shaw
                            (U.K. military district officer)
1946 - 1948                Alfred William Douglas James       (b. 1916 - d. 2007)
1948                       James Balshaw
1948 - 1949                I.R.M. Willis
1949 - 1950                Eric Statham de Banzie             (b. 1922 - d. 2000)
1949 - 1950                John Miles Devereux-Colebourne     (b. 1904 - d. 1995)
                            (= Frederick Devereux Colebourn)
1951 - 1952                Albert Eric Goodwin                (b. 1914 - d. 1986)
1952 - 1953                James Gowing Godwin                (b. 1923 - d. 1995)
1953 - 1955                Claude McLaren Reid (1st time)     (b. 1902 - d. 1958)
1955                       Robert William Home Davies         (b. 1896 - d. 1972)
1955 - 1958                Claude McLaren Reid (2nd time)     (s.a.)
1958 - 30 Sep 1958         Frank Anthony Harding              (b. 1930)
Official Representatives
 1 Oct 1958 - 30 Sep 1960  Donald Evan Nickels                (b. 1904 - d. 2002)
 1 Oct 1960 - 12 Jun 1966  John William Stokes                (b. 1910 - d. 1995)
13 Jun 1966 - 30 Apr 1968  Charles Ivens Buffett              (b. 1914 - d. 1995)
Administrators
(from 1 Oct 1997, also the administrators of the Cocos_Islands)
 1 May 1968 - 30 Apr 1970  Leslie Dudley King                 (b. 1909 - d. 2005)
 1 May 1970 - 14 Mar 1973  John Sampson White                 (b. 1916 - d. 1999)
15 Mar 1973 - 14 Mar 1974  Francis "Frank" Scott Evatt        (b. 1918 - d. 2003)
15 Mar 1974 -  8 Oct 1975  Charles Harry Webb                 (b. 1908 - d. 2000)
 8 Oct 1975 - 31 Oct 1975  .... (acting)
 1 Nov 1975 - 31 Oct 1977  William Worth                      (b. 1912 - d. 2001)
 1 Nov 1977 -  4 May 1980  Francis "Frank" Charles Boyle      (b. 1924 - d. 2021)
 5 May 1980 - 18 May 1980  .... (acting)
19 May 1980 - 25 May 1982  Rendle McNeilage "Mac" Holten      (b. 1922 - d. 1996)
26 May 1982 -  9 Aug 1983  William Yates                      (b. 1921 - d. 2010)
10 Aug 1983 - 15 Apr 1986  Thomas "Tom" Ferguson Paterson     (b. 1923 - d. 1986)
22 Jan 1986 - 26 Feb 1986  C. Cole (acting for Paterson)
26 Feb 1986 -  4 Aug 1986  C. Stephens
                             (acting [for Paterson to 15 Apr 1986])
 4 Aug 1986 - 24 Feb 1990  Alexander Donald Taylor            (b. 1928 - d. 2023)
25 Feb 1990 -  2 May 1991  William Albany McKenzie            (b. 1928 - d. 1991)       
 2 May 1990 -  4 Jul 1991  A. Mitchell (acting)
 5 Jul 1991 -  9 Mar 1992  P. Gifford (acting)
10 Mar 1992 -  9 Mar 1994  Michael John Grimes                (b. 1941 - d. 2019)
10 Mar 1994 - 30 Jun 1994  Peter Woods (acting)
 1 Jul 1994 - 30 Jun 1996  Dan "Danny" Ambrose Gillespie
 1 Jul 1996 - 24 Apr 1997  Merrilyn Ann Chilvers (f)(acting) 
25 Apr 1997 - 30 Sep 1997  Graham Nicholls (1st time)(acting)
 1 Oct 1997 - 31 Oct 1998  Ronald "Ron" George Harvey         (b. 1934)
 1 Nov 1998 -  3 Feb 1999  Graham Nicholls (2nd time)(acting)
 4 Feb 1999 - 30 Jul 2003  William "Bill" Leonard Taylor      (b. 1938)
30 Jul 2003 - 31 Oct 2003  Ray Stone (acting)
 1 Nov 2003 - 31 Oct 2005  Evan John Williams                 (b. 1949)
 1 Nov 2005 - 30 Jan 2006  .... (acting)
30 Jan 2006 - 22 Feb 2008  Neil Bedford Lucas                 (b. 1945)
22 Feb 2008 - 28 Feb 2008  Julian Anthony Yates (acting)
28 Feb 2008 - 2009         Sheryl Klaffer (f) (acting)
2009 -  5 Oct 2009         Stephen Clay (acting)
 5 Oct 2009 -  4 Oct 2012  Brian James Lacy                   (b. 1943)
 5 Oct 2012 -  6 Oct 2014  Jonathan "Jon" Donald Stanhope     (b. 1951)
 6 Oct 2014 -  5 Oct 2017  Barry Wayne Haase                  (b. 1945)
 5 Oct 2017 -  4 Oct 2022  Natasha Louise Griggs (f)          (b. 1969)
 4 Oct 2022 - 19 Jun 2023  Sarah Vandenbroek (f) (acting)
19 Jun 2023 -              Farzian Zainal (f)

Chairmen of the Christmas Island Assembly         
 6 Oct 1985 -  3 Nov 1987  Gordon Michael Bennett (1st time)  (b. 1944 - d. 1991)
 3 Nov 1987 -  9 Dec 1990  the administrator
10 Dec 1990 - 30 Jul 1991  Gordon Michael Bennett (1st time)  (s.a.)
31 Jul 1991 - 30 Jun 1992  Peter Goh
Presidents of the Christmas Island Shire Council
(from 2004, Presidents of Shire of Christmas Island)
 1 Jul 1992 - May 1993     Peter Goh
May 1993 - May 1995        Lillian Oh (f)
May 1995 - May 1997        Jeffery Tan
May 1997 - May 1999        Andrew Godefridus Smolders         (b. 1968)
                             (1st time)
May 1999 - May 2001        David "Dave" Charles McLane
May 2001 - May 2003        Andrew Godefridus Smolders         (s.a.)
                             (2nd time)
May 2003 - 14 Oct 2011     Gordon Sinclair Thomson (1st time)
18 Oct 2011 - 18 Oct 2013  Foo Kee Heng
21 Oct 2013 - 20 Oct 2025  Gordon Sinclair Thomson (2nd time)
20 Oct 2025 -              Steven Pereira

Christmas Island Phosphate Commissioners
- Australia -
1952 - 1962                James Reginald Halligan            (b. 1894 - d. 1968)
1962 - 1970                Sir William Ernest Dunk            (b. 1897 - d. 1984)
 1 Jul 1970 - 30 Jun 1976  Sir Allen Stanley Brown            (b. 1911 - d. 1990)
 1 Jul 1976 - 1981         Maurice Carmel Timbs               (b. 1917 - d. 1994)
- New Zealand -
1951 - 1958                Cleave Mackellar Richwhite         (b. 1890 - d. 1981)
1958 - 1971                Robert Browne Tennent              (b. 1893 - d. 1982)
1971 - 1973                Richard Hughes Bevin               (b. 1901 - d. 1980)
 1 Feb 1973 -  1 Jun 1975  Stanley Charles Gainey             (b. 1912 - d. 1975)
1975                       Alan Tutton Johns (acting)         (b. 1917 - d. 1997)
1975 - 1981                William Milton Douglas Bremner     (b. 1918 - d. 1991)
- United Kingdom -
1952 - 1954                Alfred Harold Gaze                 (b. 1885 - d. 1954)
1954 - 1975                James Alexander Bissett            (b. 1904 - d. 1985)
1975 - 1981                William Bernard Marston            (b. 1913 - d. 2006)
- CIPCO (from 1949, CIPC) Managers on Christmas Island -
28 Dec 1945 - Jul 1949     John Rupert Paris                  (b. 1892 - d. 1971)
1949 - 1951                L.E. Cameron                       (b. 1903 - d. 19..)
1951 - 1960                N.L. Neville
1960 - 1966                N.H. Cooke
1966 - 1969                Kevin Lourey
1969 - 1971                Ronald Frank Cox                   (b. 1926)
1971 - 1974                Anthony P. Kershaw
1974 - 1977                N.D. Duke
1977 - 1979                D.A. Rob
1979 - 1981                R. Elliott

No Political Parties Exist

Territorial Disputes: None identified.