21^st February 2026. Blog Post 11

Guides like to tell jokes: “This Island’s rarest tree is the dog tree. Only way to tell it apart is by its bark”. Actually, he was referring to the not rare at all Norfolk Island hibiscus, more easily identified by its leaves and seed pods. Rather the Norfolk Pine, endemic solely to Norfolk Island, is the quintessential symbol of this windswept, isolated island situated between Australia and New Zealand. They are everywhere, the Island’s official tree, emblem featured on national flag, now also on our most recently purchased T-shirt.

Fascinating history: Inhabited by Polynesian settlers between approximately 12^th to 15^th Centuries, James Cook the first European to discover it in 1774, uninhabited.

A notoriously brutal British penal colony in 18^th and 19^th Centuries, even more so than its French New Caledonian counterpart, known as “Hell in the Pacific” until closed and the island abandoned in May 1855. Then, as Pitcairn Island became overpopulated with Bounty Mutineer descendants, the entire Pitcairn population was relocated, sailing the challenging 3 903-kilometer five-week journey to Norfolk Island in June 1856. Some later returned to Pitcairn and today Mutineer descendants are substantially represented on both remote Islands

Enjoyable day, first touring on a 4WD bus: Panoramic view at Mount Pitt peak of the lush green, rolling hilled, well-maintained island, weather comfortably pleasant after extreme humidity recently experienced on other Islands. Cows, chickens roaming the streets, we drove past over two-hundred-year-old towering fig trees with giant tentacled roots, World Heritage site including ruins of the dreaded penal colony and “bloody bridge”, past home of beloved Australian writer Colleen McCullough, author of 1977 bestseller “The Thorn Birds”, where she wrote in “splendid isolation”.  

Then back walking around “Burnt Pine”, the Island’s main centre: Cyclorama’s 360-degree panoramic Bounty Mutineers story, beautiful Guava gallery’s various artworks. Compulsory tasting of the iconic fresh creamed honeycomb ice cream.

A surprisingly interesting, delightful day on an Island we, until recently, knew little about.

Deadlines, pressures, bills to pay, latest news, world developments, purpose of life??!  I wander how Norfolk Island’s approximately 2 200 people relate to these? Any lessons for us?!

Norf’k Language: “Queen Elizabeth Avenue This plaque celebrates the occasion of the Diamond Jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth 11 on 4th June 2012 Queen Elizabeth Avenue was originally named in the Queen’s honour upon her coronation on 2nd June 1953”.