Was Christmas Island settled from Western Australia?

Answer 1

No, it was not. The island was first named by Captain William Mynors of the East India Ship Company vessel, the Royal Mary, when he arrived on Christmas Day, 25 December 1643. It was explored by the British and it was settled by the UK with indentured workers from Singapore, China, and Malaysia following the discovery of nearly pure phosphate of lime. The UK transferred sovereignty to Australia in 1957. The first Australian Official Representative arrived in 1958 and was replaced by an Administrator in 1968.

Answer 2

The Territory of Christmas Island is a small, non self-governing Territory of Australia located in the Indian ocean, 2,360 km northwest of Perth in Western Australia and 500 km south of Jakarta, Indonesia. It was named by Captain William Mynors of the East India Ship Company vessel, the Royal Mary, when he arrived on Christmas Day, 25 December 1643. Over the years it was visited by explorers until the discovery of nearly pure phosphate of lime led to annexation of the island by the British Crown on 6 June 1888.

Soon afterwards, a small settlement was established in Flying Fish Cove by G Clunies Ross, the owner of the Keeling Islands, and phosphate mining began in the 1890s.