Food

There are four stores on island which sell a range of foods and other items. Boong Trading is located in Drumsite on Tong Yan Loh Rd near Tracks Tavern. Meng Chong Trading is located in Poon Saan on Poon Saan Rd. Metro Supermarket is located in Kampong near the Mosque. The largest of the stores is CI Supermarket located on Gaze Rd in Settlement. Shipped goods such as fruit and vegetables, dairy products, cold meats and meat can be purchased from the above three shops shortly after the ship arrives (usually not to schedule).

Dry store goods are also available from these shops though availability can fluctuate depending on shipping. Christmas Island is GST Free and this can lead to a considerable saving when buying items such as cigarettes and alcohol.

Dry Goods

Many Island residents organize to ship their own dry store goods in bulk to the island. All CIDHS staff recieve a yearly freight allowance, which they can use for shipping costs, excess on plane flights or for Freightshop consignments. If you wish to use this allowance on plane excess or Freightshop please advise the registrar prior to organizing anything. You can organize shipping of bulk dry store goods before you leave Perth or from the island. There are several ways this can be done.

• You can purchase the goods yourself at the store of your choice, box them up and transport them to Zentner Shipping – 149 Barrington St, BIBRA LAKE (9337 5911). Ring before you drive out there to check on opening times and when the close off is for items for the next ship. The close off dates for dry goods and cold storage are different. For more information on cold storage – see the section on Meat. All boxes will need to be clearly marked with your name and the destination (remember that the initials CI can also be interpreted as Cocos Islands – who Zentner also deliver to).You will also need to fill out and sign a form which lists the number of boxes and items in the boxes. This is a good way to get your initial household goods, yearly household purchases and kids‟ Christmas presents to island.
• You can purchase the goods through Coles in Fremantle (Wool Store Building). 94304855. You will have to drag a couple of trolleys through Coles and fill them up, then take them through the designated checkout. At the checkout, you pay for the goods and they are boxed up and labeled with your name and destination. Coles then deliver the boxes to Zentners at a charge of $15 per box. The boxes are not that big and you should ensure that items such as laundry detergent and cleaning products are not packed in with food items.
• You can order items online, through companies such as IGA‟s ezyshop.com.au. You can view the products online, place an order and then the company packs it up and delivers it to Zentner Shipping. Although items are slightly more expensive than what you might pay at a large supermarket, their delivery fee is only $15. You can contact Ezyshop Deliveries on 08) 9456 3461 or (08) 9456 3461. Office Hours: Monday to Friday 8am-5pm excluding public holidays. Delivery Times: Monday to Friday 10am-6:30pm
• You can also order through Dewsons - Queens Park WA www.hambleys.com.au They charge 6% packing/shopping fee and $6.93 delivery. The bloke to speak to is Michael 93561540. Remember when ordering this way to only order dry store goods – anything else will not be refrigerated and will be slime by the time it arrives!!

Fresh Food

Due to the island‟s isolated location all food (especially fresh fruit & vegetables and meat) is expensive to buy and sometimes difficult to get. Fresh fruit, vegetables, some dairy, meat and other products arrive once a week on a Saturday flight from Singapore. The day may change before the start of next year so ask when you arrive. Some of this produce is from Perth, some is from Malaysia. Boong Trading in Drumsite is one place to buy this fresh produce. Depending on flight times and customs clearance, produce is usually available starting from 3.30 or 4pm. Boong‟s will be busy at this time, so be prepared for a true island experience! Most produce is sold on the Monday afternoon, so only a limited range of fresh produce is available the rest of the week. Some fresh produce is also available Saturday from 3.30 or 4pm at Meng Chong Trading in Poon Saan or at the CI Supermarket in Settlement on Mondays.

Bread

There are two bakeries on island. One of these is located at 9 Gaze Rd Settlement and provides fresh bread daily to the CI Supermarket but does not sell directly to the public. A loaf of white bread from here costs around $4.00 The other, Long‟s Bakery is located at 25 Lam Lok Loh Drumsite and provides fresh bread daily to the other three stores. A loaf of white bread from Long‟s costs around $3.70. Bread can also be purchased directly from Long‟s and larger orders can be placed. Frozen bread and breadmix for the breadmaker can be purchased from CI Supermarket and some of the other stores. Roses Restaurant in Kampong also bakes fresh bread though its opening hours are unpredictable. On the weekend, croissants, danishes and fresh bread rolls are sometimes available for purchase.

Meat & Fish

Meat is usually available through CI Supermarket, Boong Trading, Metro Supermarket and Meng Chong Trading, though quality can vary. Many islanders order their own meat and keep large orders in freezers at home. It is useful to bring a freezer with you for this reason, and for the fact that many other things can be purchased and frozen for later use such as bacon and butter.

Meat can be ordered in several ways.

• The easiest is probably through Metcash / IGA Fresh Meat. This business is located in Osborne Park. You can place an order or get an order form by ringing (08)94439433. You can also organize payment at this number. They will let you know when the meat is likely to arrive and the number of the agent on island, from whom you collect your meat.
• You can order meat through your butcher of choice, but this can be fiddly to organize. You need to contact Meng Chong Trading on 9164 8270 to see if they have a freezer container on the next ship and to confirm that there is available freezer space that they are willing to let you use. You need to contact Zentner shipping to confirm close off dates for freezer storage for the next ship, and to let them know that you will have meat in Meng Chong‟s freezer. You then need to contact your butcher and place the order, giving them at least 2 weeks notice. You will also need to check they are willing to deliver to Zentners and give them the relevant contact details and delivery date. It is worthwhile having your meat vacuum sealed if your butcher has the capacity to do this.

Many islanders go fishing regularly and the usual catch is wahoo (a firm fleshed white fish), tuna and trevally. Don‟t expect to catch much from shore though, these are deep sea fish and you need a boat to catch them, though we have had one teacher catch fish from his ocean kayak! Don‟t fret if you are not a fisherman/woman. When the fish is running it is usually available to buy from Shorefire. A notice on the roundabout or outside the shop will let you know when you can get it. Also, those who fish are usually very generous with their catch and will drop bags of fish around to others.

Hair & Beauty

There are 3 hair salons on island. Adoris Hair Salon is located in Poon Saan in the Poon Saan Shops complex – 9164 7204. Latitudes Eleven is located in the Barracks Shops on Gaze Rd in Settlement – 9164 7061. Euphoria Hair Salon is located in Kampong at 16/17 Kampong Plaza – 9164 7707 or M 0409 892 533. If you are into home colouring, it is a good idea to bring several colours with you as the on-island selection is limited.

There are two beauticians on island. One is located at CI Beauty Emporium in the Barracks Shops Gaze Rd Settlement. Here you can get manicures, pedicures, facials, tints, waxing and more done. It is also a lovely gift shop. You can call for an appointment on 9164 8488. The other beautician is located at Euphoria (16/17 Kampong Plaza) and also offers facials, tints, waxing and relaxation massage. You can make an appointment on 9164 7707.

Other

There are many small shops on island. Opening hours vary and not all shops are open every day. Businesses here can change quickly. One minute they are open, the next they are closed, only to open some time later under new management. There are several lovely gift shops on island, so you won‟t be completely deprived of retail therapy! See The Essential Christmas Island Travel Guide for a list of shops and what they sell.