Located in French Polynesia, Makatea was an important site for phosphate mining in the first half of the 20th century. Australia has had significant connections to phosphate mining in both the Pacific (on Nauru and Ocean Island) and the Indian Ocean (Christmas Island) over the past century.
The photograph comes from a series created by the British Phosphate Commission (BPC) (CA 244), an organisation established by the Australian, New Zealand and British governments in 1919. The BPC oversaw the mining of phosphate on Nauru and Ocean Island and acted as managing agent on Christmas Island, also mining there, on behalf of the Christmas Island Phosphate Commission (CA 6799).
The BPC photographic series (R32) provides a fascinating record of phosphate mining operations and settlements on the islands. The photographs show the scenery and terrain, forms of transport, the mining infrastructure and towns. They also show the workers, managers, island administrators and local people, such as these two women and their children.
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