How to Make the Most of Norfolk Island, a Pacific Paradise
The historic Kingston penal colony, listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, is to your left. The world’s second-most southern coral reef is located just two meters from the shore of Slaughter Bay, which is to your right. In the foreground is the lovable Emily Bay, which is often voted one of Oceania’s top swimming spots.
After picking us up at the tiny airport, Mr. Wayne, the proprietor of the lodge where we were staying, gave us a quick tour of the island. He showed us around the island’s main thoroughfares (Taylor’s Road and Country Road) after pointing out the expected convenience stores and eateries.
We pulled over not far from a pebble beach as well. Here he began to describe what made the island so special.
“And what is hidden there?” I inquired, hoping to find the fourth element of a tetrad.
‘I was coming to it,’ he said with a grin, ‘Behind us, you will discover two of the four museums within walking distance. They’ll give you a great rundown of the 500 years of Polynesian, Penal, and Pitcairn Islander history that took place here.
Wayne offered us a warm grin as he saw our collective eyebrows go up, signaling that we had no idea what kind of vacation we were getting ourselves into. Hello, and welcome to Norfolk Island!
Norfolk Island is a beautiful Australian overseas territory in the Pacific. The Australian government controls it directly. Nearer New Zealand and New Caledonia than the Australian continent, it is located around 1600 kilometers northeast of Sydney.
The tiny island’s history is so rich that it has been buried under three distinct periods. Norfolk Island is covered in its namesake pine trees, making it look like a verdant crown jewel.
SMALL ISLAND PACKS A BIG PUNCH
Norfolk Island, or NI as the locals call it, may be a tiny island, but it packs quite a few blows. For the explorer who discovers its secret existence, it holds adventure, wonder, and excitement at every turn.
Lord Howe Island, New Zealand, and Fiji all draw more tourists than Northern Ireland does. However, this adds an air of mystery and exclusivity that will appeal to the adventurer seeking something truly unique.
Visiting the island is like opening a treasure chest that has been sitting out in the open all this time. Although sometimes overlooked, it is rich with priceless recollections. Observing red-tailed tropic birds do a backwards flight as part of their courtship ritual is one such example.
PRESERVING THE PAST
Norfolk Island’s history may be broken down into three major periods. Evidence of Polynesian colonization dates back to the 13th to 15th centuries, when the earliest dated artifacts were discovered. This makes the island the furthest westerly point of the Polynesian peninsula. The three islands that make up the triangle are the Polynesian nations of Hawai’i, New Zealand, and Easter Island.
No one knows why they departed. However, there are several signs pointing to their colonization, such as stone tools discovered in Emily Bay, the presence of banana trees, and the presence of Polynesian rats on the island.
All subsequent historical chapters are presented in English. During his second voyage to the Pacific in 1774, Captain Cook found the island. The Duchess of Norfolk inspired his choice of the name. The landing of Captain Cook’s crew near Duncombe Bay is commemorated with a lookout to the north of the island.
The significance of this small island has been recognized by Cook. The tall pines and flax fields there were ideal for making rope and sails, respectively. In addition, to ensure that Britain would continue to receive the essential materials it had come to rely on from other countries and colonies.
It’s no surprise that Lieutenant Phillip Gidley King, under the command of Governor Arthur Phillip, conquered NI in 1788, just weeks after establishing the colony in Sydney. Almost immediately, it surpassed Sydney as Britain’s oldest Pacific outpost.
SECOND SYDNEY
This original colony was similarly named Sydney, demonstrating a striking lack of creativity. Kingston was once known as King’s town, after the lieutenant who had renamed the settlement.
However, the penal colony closed for good in 1814 when the inmates were relocated to Tasmania. It was considerably simpler, closer, and cheaper to maintain what was then called Van Diemen’s Land.
Ten years later, in 1825, the penal colony was reestablished. While the distance from Sydney was a disadvantage in the past, it is now seen as an advantage when it comes to housing ‘twice-convicted’ individuals from the New South Wales colony.
This rerun lasted for 30 years and was the island’s bloodiest time period. The harsh treatment of prisoners led to the island’s infamous moniker: “Hell in Paradise.”
THE MANY MUSEUMS OF NORFOLK ISLAND
Kingston and Arthur’s Vale Historic Area (KAVHA) is where many of the island’s past is memorialized. The Australian Convict Sites UNESCO World Heritage Property includes eleven locations around the country that tell the story of the harsh treatment of convicts.
You may see a lot of historical artifacts from the First and Second Settlement periods in the Commissariat Store right now. The 1840s way of life of the people who lived at No. 10 Quality Row has been preserved thanks to the fact that it was constructed at the height of the terrible Second Settlement.
The HMS Sirius display is conveniently close by. Relics from the First Fleet’s flagship, the HMS Sirius, which ran aground nearby in 1790, are on display there. One of the ship’s anchors that has been meticulously preserved is the show’s centerpiece. Additionally, cannons, cannon balls, and several other trinkets portray life over two centuries ago.
Amazingly, these historical artifacts have been meticulously cleaned, updated, maintained, and displayed. They piece together the disparate elements of history to form a beautiful mosaic.
The KAHVA concludes with the Pier Store, a museum dedicated to yet another fascinating aspect of Norfolk Island’s history. The third and last chapter of the island’s settlement history is told through the eyes of the descendants of the Bounty mutineers.
MUTINY ON THE HMS BOUNTY
Perhaps no other vessel has gained as much notoriety for its exploits in the Pacific as the HMS Bounty. Multiple film adaptations of the story have been made, including one starring Marlon Brando.
The HMS Bounty set off from England in 1787 with William Bligh at the helm. The plan was to bring breadfruit trees from Polynesia to the West Indies so that African slaves could get their hands on cheap, nutritious food. That’s what I call “globalization” in the 18th century!
The trip’s beginning progressed according to schedule. In Tahiti after ten months at sea, the crew gathered over a thousand breadfruit bushes in five months. Taking in the island of Tahiti’s warm welcome and stunning scenery along the way.
However, everything went wrong after the ship set sail towards the West Indies. Near Tonga on April 28, 1789, the crew launched a mutiny against Acting Lieutenant Christian Fletcher. After the crew of the Bounty was divided between Fletcher and Bligh, incredible adventures befell both factions.
Bligh and his men were ordered to abandon ship and make their escape in the ship’s dinghy. The next unbelievable feat was their crossing of 6,500 nautical miles to the Dutch colony of Coupang in modern-day Indonesia.
TEAM FLETCHER
Team Fletcher, on the other hand, sought refuge, well aware that the Royal Navy would eventually track them down and execute them for organizing the mutiny. They sailed across Fiji and the Cook Islands before calling tiny Pitcairn home. Due to inaccurate Navy charts, this spot was selected. This would imply that only a select few ships would be able to pinpoint the island’s true position.
To avoid being tracked, the mutineers burned the Bounty. They attempted to populate the uninhabited Pitcairn Island with kidnapped Tahitian males and females. Constant warfare on the island led to the deaths of nearly all but one of the mutineers, and it took nearly two decades to find them.
The mutineers’ offspring were relocated to Norfolk Island in 1856. With this, the Mutiny tale came to a close, and NI had another accomplishment to boast about: the Third Settlement.
Many island customs today honor the unusual combination of English and Polynesian ancestry that produced the island’s current population. Including Norfuk, the native tongue of the area. The two official languages of the island are English and this. In 2007, the United Nations put Norfuk to its list of critically endangered languages.
Interestingly, the mysterious Brando ended up marrying his co-star from the film, Polynesian actress Tarita Teriipaia, much like Fletcher did in the film he was playing. The couple settled down to start a family on Tetiaroa. Is there a chance of a recurrence?
THE CYCLORAMA
These tales of the Mutiny are told and items from the Bounty and the Pitcairn Island settlement are displayed in the Pier Store. However, the Cyclorama is a must-see if you’d like to get a visual representation of the tale.
Inside is a circular room with a continuous painting covering its whole surface, bringing the mutiny’s story to life in vivid hues. The large murals and 3D effects create bizarre images by fusing artworks and objects.
Marie Bailey, a descendent of Christian Fletcher’s sixth generation, came up with the idea. Over the course of 16 tortuous months, Island artists including Tracey Yager and Sue Draper finished the paintings.
Spend some time in the cyclorama, peruse the artwork for sale at Gallery Guava, and admire the scarlet poincianas in Queen Victoria’s Garden, all in close proximity to one another. You might also meet the artists and have a conversation with them about their work. Whatever you decide, your recollections of Norfolk Island will forever be colored by the Cyclorama’s sweeping, vibrant swaths of color.
A BIRD-WATCHER’S PARADISE
NI, like many other Pacific islands, is a fantastic place to go bird watching. Many species have become unique to their original habitat over the course of millennia. Sadly, numerous species in Oceania have perished as has been reported elsewhere. Because of illegal hunting or new rodent populations.
Several native bird species, including the ground dove, starling, kaka, and pigeon, have disappeared from Norfolk Island within the past two centuries. It is hoped that at least a few have been saved from oblivion. The Green Parrot of Norfolk Island and the Morepork Owl are two examples.
In 1986, there was only one person left from the later group. Then, to assist repopulate the species on the Island, scientists brought in moreporks from New Zealand, where they are the most closely related species.
The Green Parrot is the park’s mascot, and it can be found only at Norfolk Island. They appear to have descended from similarly endangered flying forebears that originated in New Zealand. The population of this rare species has increased thanks to careful conservation efforts, including stricter control of invasive rodents.
You can follow in my footsteps and go in search of the bird in the tropical forests of the Botanical Gardens. If you don’t see one, the Gardens’ Discovery Centre features a life-size replica of the bird that you may pose with for a photo.
