Christmas Island Immigration Detention Centre — formally known as North West Point Immigration Detention Centre — is located at Murray Road, North West Point, Christmas Island WA 6798.
Contact Details
Phone: 08 9164 2233
Fax: 08 9164 8117
About the Facility
The North West Point Immigration Detention Centre is an Australian immigration detention facility operated under contract to the Australian Border Force by Management & Training Corporation Pty Ltd. The facility has a stated capacity of around 500 people and has held adult men, adult women, families, and accompanied minors at various points in its history. It has been closed and reopened multiple times since first opening in 2008 — most recently emptied in October 2023, with the Australian Government indicating it can be reactivated at short notice to relieve pressure on the mainland immigration detention network.
Christmas Island sits approximately 1,500 kilometres from the Australian mainland and 360 kilometres from Indonesia. Its extreme remoteness is not incidental to the legal situation faced by those detained there — it has direct consequences for access to legal representation, family contact, and the speed at which urgent matters can be addressed.
Immigration Detention Is Not Criminal Imprisonment — But Legal Rights Still Apply
People held at Christmas Island Immigration Detention Centre are detained administratively under the Migration Act 1958 (Cth), not as a result of a criminal conviction. Administrative detention carries its own legal framework — and its own serious risks. Detention can be prolonged, conditions have been the subject of sustained criticism by the Australian Human Rights Commission and various oversight bodies, and the process of challenging detention or seeking visa outcomes is complex and time-sensitive.
If someone you know is being held at this facility, they have the right to access legal advice. That right does not disappear because of geographic isolation, and it applies from the moment detention begins.
Section 501 Cancellations and Criminal History
A significant proportion of people held at Christmas Island in recent years have been transferred there following visa cancellations under section 501 of the Migration Act — a provision that allows the Minister to cancel a visa on character grounds, including on the basis of a criminal record or a sentence of 12 months or more. A section 501 cancellation can occur even after a person has served their sentence and been living in the community for years. The consequences — deportation to a country the person may barely know — are severe and often irreversible without prompt legal challenge.
If a visa has been cancelled or is at risk of cancellation on character grounds, the window to respond is narrow. Decisions can be challenged through the Administrative Appeals Tribunal and, in some cases, through the Federal Court. Acting quickly and with proper legal advice is essential.
Getting Legal Help
Our criminal lawyers are experienced in matters involving character-based visa cancellations and can advise on the interaction between criminal charges, convictions, and migration consequences. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call 1300 331 331 for a free first consultation.