Situated between Australia, New Caledonia, and New Zealand, Norfolk Island is one of Australia's external territories. Lord Howe Island is just over five hundred miles to the west-southwest. The island group includes Philip Island, about three miles to the south, and the smaller Nepean Island, between Norfolk and Philip Island.
Archaeological evidence suggests that the island was settled by East Polynesians sometime in the 13th or 14th centuries, but it was uninhabited when it was discovered by Captain James Cook in 1774, who named it for Mary Howard, Duchess of Norfolk.
In 1786, Britain included the island in its plan to colonize New South Wales in Australia, and it was colonized by fifteen convicts and seven free men, who were to prepare the island for the cultivation of hemp. Soon after, more convicts and soldiers were sent to the island. By 1794, Britain had determined to close the penal settlement as being too costly to maintain. By 1813, only a small group remained to slaughter any remaining stock and destroy the buildings so that another European power wouldn't be tempted to claim the island. By 1814, the island was abandoned.
However, in 1824, Britain decided to reopen the island as a penal colony for hard-core convicts, its remoteness being considered an asset. The second penal colony closed in 1855, and the island was again abandoned.
The next human occupation of the island was in 1856, when the island was settled by descendants of Tahitians and HMS Bounty mutineers, having moved from the Pitcairn Islands, which had become overpopulated. The new settlers began farming and whaling industries on the island and, although some families decided to return to Pitcairn, the population of Norfolk Island grew, and they accepted new settlers who arrived on whaling ships. The island became the headquarters of the Melanesian Mission of the Church of England in 1867, where it remained until 1920.
Over the years, the island came under the administration of Britain, New South Wales, Tasmania, as a distinct and separate settlement, and then under New South Wales again. The island served as an airbase and refueling depot during World War II, and New Zealand troops were garrisoned there. In 1979, Norfolk Island was given limited self-government, under which the island elected a government that was responsible for internal affairs.
In 2015, the Australian government announced significant changes for Norfolk Island. The Norfolk Island Legislative Assembly was abolished, and the island was to be run by an Administrator appointed by Australia. All laws applying to Australian citizens would apply equally to Norfolk Islanders. Opposition to this arose among residents of Norfolk Island, including appeals to the United Nations to be included in its list of non-self governing territories, as well as a movement to join New Zealand.
Islanders are mostly British or of combined European-Tahitian ancestry. Roughly fifty percent of the population can trace their ancestry to Pitcairn Island and the HMS Bounty mutineers. There is a tendency towards an aging population, as young adults often move away from the island. Most of the islanders identify as Christian, mostly Anglican and Protestant.
Norfolk Island is by far the largest island of the group. It has an area of just over 13 square miles, with no significant lakes or ponds. At 1,047 feet above sea level, Mount Bates is its highest point, and the area surrounding the mountain is now preserved as a national park, which also includes the two outlying islands. Its soil is suitable for farming and other agricultural uses. The island's coastline is made up of cliffs, although there is a downward slope near Slaughter Bay and Emily Bay, which was the site of the original settlement. Today, the island's main settlement is Burnt Pine, which houses the island's post office, shopping center, telephone exchange, and a community hall, but there are settlements throughout the island. There are no safe harbor facilities on Norfolk Island, and Emily Bay is the only safe area for recreational swimming.
Philip Island is an uninhabited island just under four miles south of Norfolk Island. It is currently part of the Norfolk Island National Park. Previously, the island had been used to hold food animals, such as pigs, goats and rabbits, which have caused large-scale erosion. However, the pigs and goats were removed in the early 1900s, and rabbits had been exterminated by 1988. Since then, the regeneration of native fauna and flora have been underway, including reforestation of Norfolk Island pine.
Nepean Island is a small island, with a land area of about twenty-five acres, between Norfolk Island and Philip Island. It forms part of Norfolk Island National Park. Unlike Norfolk and Philip, Nepean is not volcanic in origin. The island was once used as a quarry and for timber.
Recommended Resources
The small development of five self-contained apartments is situated on New Cascade Road, overlooking the Pacific Ocean, on Norfolk Island. The features of the vacation rentals are described, and several photographs are included. Policy information, regular and special rates, and online bookings. Flights can also be booked through the site, and an overview of island activities and events is included.
http://www.cascadegardennorfolkisland.com/
Situated on a couple of acres of sub-tropical gardens, the guest facilities offer garden and ocean view apartments within a short walk of the cafes, restaurants, and shops of Burnt Pine in Norfolk Island. Apartment photos and descriptions are set forth, along with pricing, special offers, air packages, and online bookings. General information about the island, including immigration and tourism issues, is included.
http://www.channersonnorfolk.com/
Offering self-contained guest accommodations, the rentals include two beach houses, three private cottages, one and two bedroom units, a garden house, and a studio unit, each of which is highlighted here, with photographs, and made available for online bookings. Its spa and a list of amenities are put forth, and a guide to Norfolk Island events and attractions, maps, and transportation options are included, along with a blog.
http://www.coastnorfolkisland.com/
The not-for-profit organization was formed to promote Norfolk Island, especially to Australian and New Zealand citizens, showcasing the island as a place to live, work, and invest, as well as a holiday destination. A guide to working on the island is included, along with information about island health care options, childcare, professional and public services, regulations, and cost of living.
http://destinationnorfolkisland.net/
The self-contained rental accommodation property includes nine one and two bedroom apartments, which are highlighted here with photographs, descriptions, and a list of features and amenities. Guest services will include the use of a mobile phone with a local number, access to WiFi Internet, and a rental car can be pre-booked if needed. The property includes orchards with oranges, mandarins, tangerines, avocados, guavas, and bananas, when in season.
http://www.hideawaynorfolkisland.com/
Located on more than two and a half acres of hillside overlooking the Pacific Ocean and a Norfolk Island rainforest, the vacation holiday resort features cottages and villas. Accommodation choices are stated and shown in photographs, including prices, special offers, amenities and features, tariffs, and online bookings. Also included are guest comments and contact data.
http://kentiaholiday.com/
Established in 2000, the agency is headed by an eighth-generation islander and descendant of the HMS Bounty mutineers. Available land, homes, business properties, commercial properties, and accommodations are featured, along with information on building on Norfolk Island, immigration, and the tender process. Featured homes, client reviews, office hours and contacts are included.
http://quintalhomes.com/
Established in 2016, the business imported the first new MOKEs into Australia after they were out of production for twenty-two years. Offering the unique vehicles for rent on Norfolk Island, the company highlights the vehicles on its site, posting its rental care agreement, a statement on vehicle conditions, policy information, and rental prices. Norfolk history is also outlined, along with travel information.
http://mokeaboutnorfolkisland.com/
Owned and operated by Duncan and Gaewyn Evans, locals who can trace their ancestry back to Pitcairn Island and the first convict settlement on Norfolk Island respectively, the business has build and developed Endeavor Lodge, own Whispering Pines, Daydreamer Apartments, and Rainbows End House, and manage Islander Lodge and Ocean Breeze, all accommodations on Norfolk Island.
http://www.norfolkislandaccommodation.com/
Owned locally and based in Norfolk Island, the airline operates international flights between the island and New Zealand and Australia, with a focus on bringing visitors to the island. Fare types and rules, travel insurance, cancellations, and refunds are discussed, and flights may be booked online. Information about its baggage allowances, cabin classes, check-in procedures, and schedules are posted.
https://norfolk.aerocrs.net/
Located on Cascade Road, Norfolk Island, the K-12th-grade public school is part of the New South Wales Government Education and Public Schools. Its enrollment policies, parent information, term dates, and a student handbook are provided, along with schooling costs, attendance and absence policies, and faculty and staff contacts. Its curriculum and activities are outlined, and a historical timeline of the island is included.
http://www.norfolkisl-c.schools.nsw.edu.au/
Norfolk Island Church of England
Tracing its history back to the conversion of John Adams, one of the HMS Bounty mutineers, the congregation meets each Sunday morning at Saint Barnabas Chapel, and on Sunday afternoons at All Saints Kingston, the church serves the Norfolk Island community. Directions, schedules, and a calendar of events are posted to the site, with an overview of its ministries, leadership contacts, and a blog.
https://norfolkislandchurchofengland.com/
Offering a swim school and Mojo fitness classes, the studio is located on Taylors Road, Norfolk Island. Its group and personal training classes are described, including prices and policies, and a swim price list and the schedule is posted to the site, along with a swim school newsletter, enrollment form, and available options. Directions, office hours, contacts, and announcements are posted to the site.
http://www.norfolkislandfitness.com/
Organized as a means of showcasing the island’s several eating establishments, as well as the quality and uniqueness of Norfolk Island cuisine, the annual event features a variety of activities centered around local foods, including a walking tour of a 100-acre farm, cooking demonstrations, and tastings. An outline of scheduled events, information on booking travel, and a gallery of photographs are presented.
http://www.norfolkislandfoodfestival.com/
Norfolk Island People for Democracy
The NIPD is a movement that was established in opposition to the Australian government’s abolishment of self-governance on Norfolk Island, and to work for the restoration of the heritage for the Norfolk Island people and to have the island listed on the United Nations list of non-self-governing territories. A description of the problem is included, along with a proposed solution, and the solicitation of support.
http://www.norfolkschoice.com/
Norfolk Island Regional Council
Created in 2016, the official site allows interested people to listen to recordings of Regional Council meetings, find information and reports of Council services, and download various Council policy statements, plans, and other documents. Other resources include government gazettes, rate information, account inquiries, census data, and vacant positions. Historical information and an overview of island tourism and economic development are included.
http://www.norfolkisland.gov.nf/
The location and general information about Norfolk Island are put forth here, including a gallery of photographs and video, a profile of Norfolk Island National Park, and the history of the island. A guide to island guest accommodations, attractions, restaurants, shopping venues, and a calendar of events are included, along with travel information, a printed brochure available on request, and guest experiences.
http://www.norfolkisland.com.au/
In business for more than thirty-five years, the island-based travel agency promotes island tourism and vacation travel, attracting visitors from Australia and New Zealand. Its holiday packages, tours, activities, escorted tours, and group tours are highlighted, and regularly scheduled island events are showcased. Inquiries may be made through the site, as well as online reservations.
https://www.norfolkislandtravelcentre.com/
Created by Norfolk Island’s Society of Pitcairn Descendants, the site features the history of Norfolk Island from its formation millions of years ago to its colonization and subsequent abandonment by Polynesians in the 13th or 14th centuries, its repeated use as a penal colony, to its European colonization, and current status. Its past and current governments, settlements, and villages, and a gallery of photographs.
http://www.pitcairners.org/
Full access to the content of the online newspaper requires a subscription, which may be done through the site, which includes island and regional news stories, governmental news and reports, cruise ship and airline schedules, an entertainment section, and a visitors guide. Published on Fridays, the newspaper includes a profile and history of Norfolk Island, and an online shopping area.
http://www.norfolkonlinenews.com/
Territories of Australia: Norfolk Island
Norfolk Island is an external Australian territory, and one of Australia’s most isolated communities, as well as one of its oldest, having been settled six weeks after the founding of Sydney, New South Wales. The Australian Government, Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development offers a profile of the island, introduces the Administrator, and discusses Norfolk Island reforms.
http://regional.gov.au/territories/norfolk_island/
Offering a fully-equipped, solar-powered, traditional Norfolk Island home, just minutes from town and beaches, the rental house is situated on five acres. Several photographs of the interior and exterior of the home are presented, including pictures from other areas around the island. Its features and a list of amenities are recorded, along with policy information, contacts, and a profile of Norfolk Island.
http://thecleanestisland.com/
