It is a tropical island paradise known internationally for its unique red crab migration, but Christmas Island locals hope the territory might, in future, also be known for its single origin coffee.

For the first time 150 arabica coffee plants, grown on old phosphate mining land, have produced a crop large enough to harvest and roast beans for a local brew.

The coffee trial is part of the Mining to Plant Enterprises (MINTOPE) project, which is funded by the Commonwealth Government, local mining company Christmas Island Phosphates and Murdoch University.

In recent years, MINTOPE has trialled a number of different crops including legumes, cereals and vegetables, in the nutrient-poor soils on the remote Indian Ocean island.

The project aims to both diversify the local economy and to improve food security for locals, who can pay more than $10 for a head of lettuce, flown in from Australia's mainland.

The coffee trial is part of the Mining to Plant Enterprises (MINTOPE) project. ( Supplied: Phosphate Resources Limited )

Murdoch University consultant Peter Skinner first sowed coffee on Christmas Island four years ago.

He said it has been among MINTOPE'S most successful crops to date.

"I probably took 100 beans originally and ended up with about 25 seedlings," Mr Skinner said.

"Over the past three to four years those original seedlings have gradually matured, come into flower and are now starting to produce a reasonable amount of beans.

"In the meantime, I brought and germinated more seed.

"I've now got successive crops going and more than 200 coffee plants."

During the most recent wet season, Mr Skinner harvested enough coffee beans to fill an eight-litre bucket.

"We have had small harvests the past two years," he said.

"This is the first year we've had enough beans to actually make coffee out of."

After harvesting the crop by hand, Mr Skinner washed, de-husked and dried the beans for two months.

He then roasted the beans in 50-gram batches, using a domestic popcorn maker.

"It was a fairly time-consuming job," he admitted.

"I roasted the beans for two different times, so I ended up with a light, mild roast and a darker, bold roast.

"The darker roasted beans were jet black and shiny with oil.

"I was worried I'd overdone it, but as it turned out quite a few of our taste-testing group preferred the darker roast."

The beans harvested on Christmas Island are roasted in 50-gram batches, using a domestic popcorn maker. ( Supplied: Phosphate Resources Limited )

Locals invited to taste test first coffee

A taste-testing session of the first locally-produced coffee was held for a small group at the home of Christmas Island's administrator, Natasha Griggs, in late July.

Phosphate Resources Limited chief operating officer Nick Gan was among those who tried the island's first single origin coffee.

Mr Gan said while it may not compare to a coffee you would get at the 'top end of town' in Perth, he found the brew very satisfying.

"As a first attempt, the coffee did taste really good," Mr Gan said.

"We haven't set out to make a big business out of this [crop trial] but we do think there are some interesting cottage-type industries that could come from these trials.

"Growing it into a giant business is not the main goal, but as the island tries to diversify, some small cottage industries [like coffee] could provide employment for locals."

A taste-testing session of the first locally produced coffee was recently held on Christmas Island. ( Supplied: Phosphate Resources Limited )

Peter Skinner agrees there is a need for some more refining with the flavour of the coffee.

"It's as good as any coffee you can buy commercially on Christmas Island, but we can definitely improve on it," he said.

"We didn't have the grind exactly right, it's still an immature crop, grown under very harsh conditions, but for our first try I think it was pretty good."

He is confident next season's crop will be bigger and better.

"It's amazing, we only just finished harvesting the beans a month or two ago and the crop is now again in full flower," Mr Skinner said.

"I believe we'll probably get three or four times the volume of beans in this next season.

"So next year we're set for a much bigger tasting ceremony and hopefully we can include a wider group of local Islanders."

Christmas Island farmer plants coffee, following trial

One local who sampled Christmas Island's first coffee harvest was farmer Mark Bennett.

A coffee enthusiast himself, Mr Bennett moved to the island three years ago and runs Hidden Garden Sustainable Farms.

He volunteered as barista for the taste-testing session.

"It was a really nice experience to know that this was something grown, harvested and processed right here on Christmas island," Mr Bennett said.

Christmas Island farmer Mark Bennett was so impressed by the results of MINTOPE's four-year coffee trial that he has recently planted hundreds his own arabica coffee plants. ( Supplied: Phosphate Resources Limited )

"The quality of the coffee was very good.

"There was a nice rich flavour coming through and a bit of a smoky undertone too, which reminded me of coffee varieties that come from Cuba."

Mr Bennett said he had been so impressed by the results of MINTOPE's four-year coffee crop trial that he recently planted hundreds of his own arabica coffee plants.

"Three or four months ago we put in 200 coffee plants and we still have another 150 to go," he said.

"We hope from that, we'll be able to get between 150 and 200 kilograms of roasted beans.

"So it's not a massive product, by any stretch of the imagination, but it will be a lovely little addition to what we produce here and can supply to the local market."

Mr Bennett hopes to pick the first coffee plant cherries, which contain the beans, from his plants in around 18 months' time.

"If we can get a variety of coffee here that we can brand as Christmas Island single-origin, and it has a flavour profile that resonates with people, then I think we might be on to something," he said.