The island mainly attracts honeymooners or retired Australians and New Zealanders lured by the quiet life and the inexpensive shopping (known collectively as the “newly weds and nearly deads”). Even the most frequent visitors require a passport to visit the island, which has its own government, a nine-member Legislative Assembly, and an administrator appointed by the Australian Governor General. A thirty-day visitor permit, extendable to 120 days, is granted automatically on arrival. The island has no income tax, finances being raised from sources such as departure tax ($25) and a road levy included in the price of petrol. There’s a $500 fine for working illegally, but finding work here through the right channels is not impossible: many of the 1800 residents (who are not entitled to the dole) hold down two or three jobs, and employment for school-leavers is guaranteed, often in the two tacky sound-and-light shows that tell the story of the mutiny on the Bounty and the convict era. Most of the local people remain unaffected by tourism, maintaining their friendly, good-humoured attitude, their ridiculous nicknames and the remnants of their dialect, Pitcairn, a mixture of old West Country English and Tahitian.
Much of the land is cleared for cultivation, as islanders have to grow all their own fresh food to keep the island disease-free; cattle roam freely on the green island and are given right of way, creating a positively bucolic atmosphere. Scenic winding roads provide access to the national park and the Botanic Garden in the northern half of the island, which together cover twenty percent of Norfolk’s area. It’s here that you get an idea of how the entire island originally looked, as you roam through the best of the remaining subtropical rainforest.
History
Norfolk’s isolation was one of the major reasons for its second settlement (1825–55) – as a prison rather than a productive island, described officially as “a place of the extremest punishment short of death”. Some of the imposing stone buildings designed by Royal Engineers still stand in Kingston, on the southern coast of the island. There were up to two thousand convicts on the island, overseen by sadistic commandants who had virtually unlimited power to run the settlement and inflict punishments as they saw fit. Only under the command of the enlightened reformer Captain Maconochie (1840–44) was there some improvement in prisoners’ conditions.
Norfolk Island was again abandoned in 1855, but this time the buildings remained and were used a year later during the third settlement, which consisted of 194 Pitcairn Islanders (the entire population of the island), who left behind their overcrowded conditions to establish a new life elsewhere. The new settlers had only eight family surnames among them – five of which (Christian, Quintal, Adams, McKoy and Young) were the names of the original mutineers of the Bounty. These names – especially Christian – are still common on the island, and today about one in three islanders can claim descent from the mutineers. The building of an airport during World War II, and the arrival of television have helped greatly to reduce Norfolk’s linguistic isolation, though these descendants still speak some Pitcairn to each other. Listen for expressions such as “Whataway?” (“How are you?”) and “Webout you gwen?” (“Where are you going?”). Bounty Day, the day the Pitcairners arrived, is celebrated in Kingston on June 8.
The Island Sights
On the south coast, contrastingly picturesque KINGSTON is the sightseeing focus of the island; it’s also Norfolk’s administrative centre, with the Legislative Assembly meeting in the military barracks, and the old colonial Government House now home to the island’s Administrator. There is an excellent view from the Queen Elizabeth Lookout (opened by the Queen in 1974, the bicentenary year of the discovery of the island) over the Kingston and Arthur’s Vale Historic Area and the poignant seafront cemetery, containing a number of graves from the brutal second settlement. You can wander freely around the cemetery and the grounds, which have detailed interpretive boards, but it’s very expensive to visit the remaining buildings and their museums: you can tour the buildings separately (prices given below) or with a combined ticket ($16) which allows multiple access to all sites spread over several days.
Quality Row bears some of the world’s most impressive examples of Georgian military architecture, and looking at the buildings now it’s difficult to imagine the suffering that took place behind their walls. Here the Archeological Museum (daily 1–4pm; $5), where ongoing research is carried out, is located in the basement of the former Commissariat (1835), the upstairs of which was converted by the Pitcairners to All Saints Church. Close by, in the House Museum (daily 1–4pm; $5), there are examples of Norfolk pine furniture made by convicts. The worthwhile Social History Museum (daily 9.30am–4.30pm; $5), located in the pier store, outlines the story of the island through its three settlements. Perhaps most interesting, though, is the Maritime Museum (daily 9.30am–1pm; $5) in what was once the Protestant chapel; various artefacts recovered from the 1790 wreck of the Sirius are on display, including its huge anchor, but more compelling is the Bounty-related paraphernalia brought here by Pitcairners, including the ship’s cannon and even the kettle that was used on Pitcairn Island for everything from fermenting liquor to boiling sea water for salt. Near the museum you can watch cargo being towed ashore to the small jetty – even cars have to come this way, as there are no wharves. The Kingston area is also the site of the sports oval, the golf course and the island’s main swimming beaches, protected by a small reef: immediately in front of the walls of the ruined barracks, which local people use for shade and wind shelter while picnicking, is Slaughter Bay, which has a sandy beach dotted with interestingly gnarled and eroded basalt rock formations; the small bit of coral reef is excellent for snorkelling, and at low tide you can take a cruise in a glass-bottomed boat. Nearby, the more sheltered Emily Bay is a safe swimming area, backed by a large pine forest.
In Bumbora Reserve, just west of Kingston, reached by car via Bumbora Road, you can see the natural regrowth of Norfolk pines; from the reserve you can walk down to Bumbora Beach, a shady little beach where you’ll find some safe pools for children to swim in at low tide. There’s another track down to Crystal Pool, which has more swimming and snorkelling.
West of Burnt Pine, along Douglas Drive, you’ll find the exquisite St Barnabas Chapel, once the property of the Melanesian Mission (Anglican), which relocated gradually here from New Zealand between 1866 and 1921 with the aim of educating Western Pacific people in trades and education. The chapel’s rose window was designed by William Morris and some other windows are by Sir Edward Burne-Jones, with the altar carved by Solomon Islanders.
On the west coast there’s a scenic picnic area with tables and barbecues high over Anson Bay, from where it’s a satisfying walk down to the beach. Immediately north of here, the national park has 8km of walking trails, many of them old logging tracks. Many walks start from Mount Pitt (320m), a pleasing drive up a fairly narrow and winding sealed road surrounded by palms and trees – worth it for the panoramic views. The most enjoyable walk from here is the three-kilometre route to the Captain Cook Memorial (1hr 45min), which starts as a beautiful grassy path but soon becomes a downward-sloping dirt track with some steps. Just south of the national park, on Pitt Road, the rainforest of the Botanic Gardens is worth a tranquil stroll. Here you can observe the forty endemic plant species including the pretty native hibiscus, the native palm, and the island’s best-known symbol, the Norfolk pine, which can grow as high as 57m with a circumference of up to 11m. Both parks are permanently open, but camping is not allowed in either. The island also has an eco-tourism attraction, A Walk in the Wild, at Grassy Road (daily 2–5pm; free), educating visitors about the fragile, disappearing rainforest and its birdlife.
Eating, drinking and entertainment
The clubs on the island provide good places to eat, drink and mingle with the locals. Facing each other across Burnt Pine’s main street are the Sports and Workers Club (daily lunch, Mon & Sat 5.30–7pm dinner) and the Norfolk Island Bowling Club with a daily bar and food (lunch Sun–Fri, dinner Tues & Thurs, fish frys Wed & Sun, $10). The Golf Club in Kingston has a popular bar which also serves meals, while the nearby Royal Engineers Office has a café serving tea and cakes. The only pub is the Brewery, opposite the airport, with local ales such as “Bee Sting” and “Bligh’s Revenge”, pool tables and a rough, late night crowd which can be a bit intimidating for single women.
The South Pacific Island Resort has a big fish fry on Sunday from 6pm ($15), while on other nights an ordinary brasserie menu is available from 5.30pm. The best restaurants are Branka House, in a restored nineteenth-century homestead on Rocky Point Road near the airport (tel 6723/22346; closed Sun & Mon) and Mariah’s at Hillcrest Gardens Hotel, Taylors Road (tel 6723/22255; closed Mon & Tues) for à la carte dining and a special Sunday carvery, with spectacular views of Phillip Island. James’ Place at New Cascade Road in Burnt Pine (tel 6723/23039; closed Wed) has innovative, Asian-influenced and vegetarian dishes. A superb spot for lunch is Café Pacifica (tel 6723/23210) on Cutters Corn Road, set in a leafy nursery and serving exquisite brunches and afternoon teas.
Transport
Tours
A pleasant way to get around is on horseback; try Silky Oaks (tel 6723/22291; from $15 for a sunset ride), just down from the Botanic Gardens, which has its own tearoom in a shady, flower-filled garden.
Practicalities
All tourist facilities are based in the main town of Burnt Pine. Here, in the Bicentennial Complex on Taylors Road, you’ll find the Norfolk Island Visitor Information Centre, which can book tours and activities, plus the liquor bond store (which sells discounted alcohol on production of your airline ticket), the post office and the Communications Centre, where you need to go to make international phone calls. There are two banks on the main street, Westpac and Commonwealth, the Commonwealth has an ATM.
Hotel Accommodation
| Area: | Name of Hotel/Resort | Rating | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Norfolk Island | Fletcher Christian Hotel | MC | |
| South Pacific Resort | MC |
Maps
Norfolk Island
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