Norfolk Island has been a place i have gone to on my summer holidays. It is 2 hours from Sydney by a small 737 jet, it is good approaching this Island because there is ocean everywhere for miles and then the Norfolk island appears with its steep cliffs and rocky beaches. It reminds me of the drive between LA and San Francisco. The airport was built by the Americans in WW2 during the pacific war. When you land there is quite a modern terminal waiting for you so you walk off the plane into the terminal.
The island was settled by the British in March 1788, just five weeks after the First Fleet arrived in Sydney. It was chosen for a settlement because Captain Cook had identified the towering Norfolk Island pines as being useful for ships masts and the local flax as good for sails. In the end the trees were no good for masts.The history of NI has one of penal colony where the British sent the worst criminals to this Island for hard labour, much like the French did to the Isle of Pines. In the end this idea was abandoned due to the distance from Australia. The Island itself was abandoned for a time till Queen Victoria wanted to make peace with mutineers of the Bounty who had settled on Pitcairn Is.. They where given this Island and the rest is history.
All of the South Pacific’s best features are present on Norfolk Island, plus a lot more. With unbelievably beautiful seas protected by thriving coral reefs just a short swim from the sand,. However, you’ll also find magnificent headlands with seemingly endless views and gloomy cliffs where waterfalls plunge into the sea.
The generations of the Bounty Mutineers and their Polynesian families proudly blends into their culture, which is unlike any other in the Pacific. And when it comes to food culture, they have been eating paddock-to-plate and using organic vegetables for a long time. Although supplies are shipped from New zealand mainly which once governered this Island under the self governance of the Norfolk. It is a reltively small island but alot is packed into it. It is worth just walking around the Island and exploring it with its different terrain and beaches.
They have have this long wharf in which they use to bring supplies in off the supply ship through and it is interesting when they clean their fish alot of Bronze Whaler sharks come up the narrow channel to get the fish offerings.
8 reasons
1,. Fresh air and fresh seafood.
2. Unique destination
3. limited number of people can stay on the Island
4 Great beaches from Isolated to busy.
5. Some interesting history of the Island celebrated with museums.
6. Great fishing
7. Good restaurants
8. other island close by for day trips. (uninhabited.)
