If the essence of a break on Norfolk Island could be bottled, it would be labelled the ultimate tonic.
Tell people you are going to Norfolk Island and it seems everyone has an opinion. Significantly, the most vehement are from those who have never been there. “A destination for the newly wed and the nearly dead,” is the common response.
Even harsher: “There’s nothing to do.” If your idea of a holiday is theme parks by day and nightclubs by night, then perhaps Norfolk has a deficit. But if a genuine getaway with pristine beaches, great surfing, swimming and snorkeling, not to mention stunning wilderness walks, overlaid with a vibrant food culture in a society that still leaves its doors and hearts open to all appeals, then Norfolk is paradise on earth.
The island is an eight by five-kilometre blip in the Pacific Ocean, loosely midway between New Zealand, New Caledonia and New South Wales. It’s approximately the same latitude as Lismore on the coast of Australia, as the locals somewhat disconcertingly refer to the mainland. Technically, Norfolk is an external territory of the Commonwealth of Australia but, as far as the 2100-odd residents and tourists who visit weekly are concerned, it might as well be a world away.
This is due in no small part to the rather exotic nature of the population and their rich culture. While there is evidence of Polynesian settlement some 800 years ago, James Cook first mapped the island in 1774, and he noted its native flax and pines, handy for making sails and masts for ships. Shortly after the First Fleet arrived in Sydney, Philip Gidley King was dispatched to Norfolk to establish a convict settlement to shore up the British Empire’s supply of these vital maritime materials, not to mention prevent any other European power from settling the small, but strategically located, Pacific island.
While English is the official language, most islanders speak Norf’lk — a hybrid of the old English spoken by the mutineers from the supply ship, HMS Bounty, who landed on Pitcairn Island in 1790 — and the Tahitian spoken by the women they married. When their descendants had outgrown this drop in the ocean, and the survivors of the Norfolk Island convict colony were being transferred to Tasmania, Queen Victoria graciously gave them the slightly larger puddle that is Norfolk. In 1856, the entire Pitcairn population of 194 relocated and settled on Norfolk, where the stone buildings from the harsh convict days must have looked like mansions to the new arrivals.
As the oldest of Australia’s 11 UNESCO-listed convict sites, Norfolk Island’s Kingston and Arthur’s Vale Historic Area (KAVHA) offers an unparalleled glimpse into colonial history. Here, the layers of time are tangible — from the stone foundations of penal settlements to the enduring presence of the Pitcairn descendants who reshaped the island’s destiny. Today, almost 40 per cent of the population can trace their heritage back to the Pitcairners, and the surnames, Christian, Buffett, Adams, Young, Evans, McCoy, Nobbs and Quintal, are a source of great pride to the locals who can claim connection.
Our first “watawieh” (hello, how are you) comes before we’ve even left the airport terminal, after the two-and-a half-hour flight from Sydney, when we discover that concept of meet and greet is alive and well on Norfolk. Hire cars are part of most accommodation packages and hosts generally come to the airport in person to welcome new guests, provide directions to the apartments or hotels and help with car pickup.
Our host explains that the island pretty much grows all its own produce and when there’s a surplus, it’s common to sell it from roadside stalls. “Just take what you fancy and leave what you think it’s worth in the honesty box,” she advises. “Islanders love to share. We know the tranquillity, safety and beauty of the island is precious and we look after it. We look after our people too. If anyone is in trouble, we hold a benefit. We have potluck dinners where everyone brings a plate and we raise money for whatever is needed. Norfolk children often have to leave the island for education or employment, but they always want to come back for holidays. And most of them come home to get married.”
Two Chimneys Winery, which combines a three-acre (0.5-hectare) vineyard and tasting facility, is the place to sample locally grown Chardonnay, Semillon, Verdelho, Merlot and Chambourcin. As Rod McAlpine tells the story, he came to the island to work in the bank, met an island girl (Noelene, who is a Buffett) and the rest is history. After a stint back in Australia, they came back to Norfolk because they felt it was the perfect place for their daughter to grow up. Following a Churchill Fellowship, they planted their first vines in 2002 and celebrated their first vintage in 2006.
Visit Puppys Point, a clifftop vantage point on the north-western side of the island, for spectacular sunset views. Several nights a week, nature’s spectacle is the backdrop for a comeas-you-may event called the Fish Fry, Norfolk’s answer to the Aussie barbecue, at Orn Dar Cliff. This is Norfolk hospitality at its best, crispy fried fish freshly cooked and served with all manner of traditional Polynesian-Norfolk hybrid dishes including lots of kumara, banana and coconut-based accompaniments, all with lashings of “Norfolk gravy”, aka cream. After dinner, the Baunti Byuutis dancing group keeps the traditions of their foremothers alive with Tahitian dance performances and the evening’s rightful conclusion always involves liberal serves of Norfolk’s famous fruit-based pies, which are actually tarts.
The world-renowned author Colleen McCullough called Norfolk Island home for almost 36 years. She and her husband, Norfolk Islander Ric Robinson, created a luxurious hideaway here. They maintained their privacy to ensure Colleen had the perfect environment for her writing. And it worked; she created some of her most powerful titles in their little sanctuary. The escorted tour will take you through her magnificent home, and you will see where Colleen worked on her novels. In addition, you’ll get to view Ric and Colleen’s priceless collection of artefacts gathered on their travels all over the world. Colleen wrote 27 books during her lifetime and was halfway through another when she died. Some of the more noteworthy include Tim, The Thorn Birds and Morgan’s Run.
In summer, The Wanderer adds a touch of itinerant charm. It’s a mobile cocktail caravan bringing handcrafted drinks and a relaxed island vibe to some of Norfolk’s most scenic locations. Operating only on weekends, this family-run business rotates between six picturesque spots, from clifftop lookouts to beachside backdrops, with locations announced mid-week on social media. Plans can shift with the weather, adding a little spontaneity to your weekend. The menu features cocktails infused with locally inspired ingredients, along with wine, beer, bubbles and light bar snacks.
On the water, Crystal Clear Kayaks offers a different perspective. Glide over the protected waters of Emily Bay in a see-through kayak and watch the underwater world come alive beneath you as the transparent kayaks allow the lagoon and its inhabitants to unfold beneath.
Norfolk’s night skies are officially recognised among the darkest in the world, with Gold Level Dark Sky status. It’s an ideal destination for seasoned stargazers, but also for those who simply want to lie back and take in a sky filled with stars, or head out on a self-guided night of discovery.
Let your eyes adjust: spend 15–20 minutes away from screens or bright lights for the best view. Time it right: aim for a new moon or crescent phase to see fainter stars and galaxies. Pick a prime spot: Mount Pitt and Mount Bates offer 360° views; Emily Bay’s pontoon reflects the stars; Captain Cook Lookout, Anson Bay and Kingston’s foreshore are all spectacular too. Bring a blanket or chair and check the weather for clear skies.
Like most of her fellow islanders, Tania Anderson wears many hats, including that of weekend radio announcer. The island’s tourism marketing coordinator spends her working week directing visitors to the best tours and places for birdwatching, painting, bike riding or swimming, exploring convict heritage and culinary delights, from progressive dinners in people’s homes to the restaurants that celebrate local produce. Another local who’s proud to keep the language of her Adams forebears alive, Tania has a cheerful steering-wheel salute for everyone she passes on the road and is at pains to explain that cows, which graze on the roadsides, have right of way on Norfolk and there are stiff penalties for injuring them. Not that Norfolk’s roads are made for speeding, as the terrain is quite hilly and the roads windy.
While summer is the best time to enjoy the beaches, it seems there’s always an event on the calendar to justify a visit. In March, the locals celebrate Foundation Day with reenactments of the landing of the party from The Supply. Bounty Day acknowledges the arrival of the Pitcairn Islanders in June, Show Day is in August and in November, as a legacy of past visits by American whalers, Thanksgiving is celebrated. There are also a country music festival in May, a golf classic in August, bird week and a food festival in November, jazz festival in December and even a ukulele celebration in September. But it’s Norfolk’s barefoot and fancy-free ambience that gets under your skin. In a world of constant deadlines and pressure to meet targets and KPIs, it is an indescribable relief to find yourself in the slow lane, in a place where it’s common to leave your car unattended with the keys in the ignition and houses unlocked. Visitors are invited to “gut a hill” (take it easy) and embrace the laidback lifestyle that is Norfolk’s default mode.
