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History

Story: History
Episode: 12
Presenter: Trevor Cochrane
Air Date: 31st January 2021


Trevor visits Tai Jin House to learn more about the rich history and culture of Christmas Island.

  • The discovery and subsequent mining of phosphate led to the social and economic development of Christmas Island.
  • Initially, the majority of the workers on the mines came from India and South China. After 1949, many of them came from Singapore and Malaysia.
  • Christmas Island was the only Australian territory occupied by the Japanese in WWII, during which time most of the workers were sent to Indonesia.
  • The Government decided to shut the mine in 1987, but the community raised enough money to buy it from them. They fought the government for 3 years to reopen it.
  • Lai Ah Hong is the Managing Director of CI Resources Ltd and believes that the island’s future is in the tourism industry, sharing its beauty with the outside world.

For more information, head to
christmas.net.au

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