Norfolk Island

Imagine a lush, beautiful island with sandy beaches, jagged cliffs and tall pine trees supported by a local community with a simple, laid back way of life. Norfolk Island is such a place. This green island paradise is found in the middle of the South Pacific Ocean and is just 35 square kilometers in size with 32km of coast line.

Holidays on Norfolk Island feel like you have been isolated from the rest of the world. The buildings have colonial architecture, a heritage from its English ancestors.

On Norfolk Island you will not find any railways, port or harbours, or even any busy roads for that matter. There are eighty kilometers of lane ways across the island and cows still have the right of way. When supplies come by ship, jetties on either side of the Island are used to send small boats out to the bigger ships to ferry in 5 tonnes of supplies at a time.

Norfolk Island Holidays

Despite its compact size and 'sleepy' status, Norfolk Island has a wide range of accommodation options located both in the town centre, up in the hills and along the coastline. Relax in clean fresh air with a hint of pine. Go for walks along the beach or wander through historical ruins. Sample a simpler way of life in lush, green surroundings. Norfolk Island accommodation offers all the usual hotel and motel style options as well as excellent apartment style and B&B accommodation options. No matter you choose to stay, you’ll always be within easy reach of shopping and dining, pine forests, beaches, activities and attractions and famous historical ruins.

Norfolk Island History

The first arrivals were probably from outlying New Zealand Islands judging by the crude stone tools and banana trees left behind. The New Zealand flax plant was also thought to have been introduced by these early travelers.

Years later the First Fleet arrived in Botany Bay, (New South Wales, Australia) in 1788, Lieutenant Philip Gidley King began selecting men and women whose fate it would be to colonize Norfolk Island. Convict settlements were established and abandoned till a group of rebellious men and beautiful Tahitians were given Norfolk Island as their home. read more

Norfolk Island Information

Located between Australia, New Caledonia and New Zealand, the symbol for Norfolk Island is the pine tree and this features on the territory's flag. Visitors to Norfolk Island can find ruins left over from convict settlements, over 170 native plants and ferns, and several types of sea birds that come to the island to breed.

Traditional Norfolk clothing has a colonial theme and most family names are English. Not all ancestors of the current Norfolk people are English, some ancestors were Polynesian. Visitors will notice a strong Polynesian influence on Norfolk Island, as seen in the local cuisine and the hula dance. visitor information