Map of Christmas Island showing the location of Flying Fish Cove
Flying Fish Cove (Chinese:飞鱼湾,Malay:Pantai Ikan Terbang) is the capital city and main settlement ofChristmas Island. Although it was originally named after the British survey-shipFlying-Fish, many maps simply label it "The Settlement".[3] It was the first British settlement on the island, established in 1888.
Flying Fish Cove
About a third of the territory's total population of 1,600 lives in Flying Fish Cove, which lies near the north-eastern tip of the island. There is a smallharbour which serves tourists withyachts. It is possible to carry outrecreational diving at the settlement's beach.[4]
The settlement contains 3 villages apart from itself -Drumsite,Silver City andPoon Saan which are commonly listed as separate locations.
Thesurvey vesselHMS Amethyst attempted to explore the island in 1857, but were unable to find a route on the island and abandoned their attempt. Another attempt was made byHMS Flying Fish in January 1887, but failed after facing similar problems.[5] The island was named after theFlying Fish and a group of settlers fromCocos (Keeling) Islands founded the first settlement on the island in 1888.[6]Phosphate mining was conducted on the island.[7]
The buildings that make up the residential precinct are of architectural significance, relatively intact and display considerable unity in a style derived from theBritish experience in Singapore/Malaya. This unity combines with consistent garden planting and ornamentation and the linear nexus of Gaze Road to create a strong streetscape. The presence of semi-detached servants' quarters are also of historic importance and are indicative of the social and economic stratification which prevailed on the island during the colonial period. The residential area is also historically significant as a reminder of the phase of Christmas Island history when the island came under the control of the British Phosphate Commission and the mining industry and the supporting community, underwent substantial expansion. The Services precinct is of social and historic significance. It includes a number of early Chinese terraced houses as well as a range of structures representing each of the various phases of phosphate mining, including one of the oldest structures on the Island. It was also the Island's main meeting place where Asian workers and European staff came together through a common reliance on retail, health, recreational and other services. The precinct contains a number of buildings of special significance to the community and, along with the three cemeteries, strongly reflects the mixed racial origins of the Island.[8]
^Christmas Island settlement [electronic resource] / produced by the Royal Australian Survey Corps under the direction of the Chief of the General Staff. Ed. 2-AAS. Canberra : Royal Australian Survey Corps, 1983. Scale 1:10 000 transverse Mercator proj. "Series R911"
Golder Associates.(1995)Landslide risk assessment, Flying Fish Cove, Christmas Island, Indian Ocean : submitted to Australian Construction Services. Leederville, W.A. : Golder Associates. "October 1995"
