Kingston and Arthur's Vale

Kingston and Arthur's Vale is the historic core of Norfolk Island and one of eleven Australian Convict Sites inscribed by UNESCO in 2010. The island held two penal settlements: the first from 1788, and the second from 1825, established explicitly as a place of extreme punishment for reoffenders, and the buildings of that period, the Georgian officers' quarters along Quality Row, the barracks, the crank mill, the gaol ruins and the pier, survive along a shore of pines and lagoon that makes the setting jarring against the history. Four museums cover the settlements, the Bounty story and the shipwreck of the Sirius. Kingston remains the island's administrative centre.

What you actually see

• Quality Row - the Georgian houses of the second settlement's officers.
• The gaol ruins - remains of the penal buildings along the shore.
• The four museums - convict history, the Bounty story and the Sirius wreck.
• The lagoon setting - Emily Bay and the pines beside the ruins.

When to go

September to May for the warmest weather; the site is open year-round with museums keeping set hours and closing on some public holidays. Guided tours and evening performances run through the week.

Honest expectations

The four museums are ticketed, individually or as a pass. The convict history, particularly of the second settlement, is severe and presented plainly. Buildings are in use as offices and residences and are not all open.

Nearby

Burnt Pine, the island's main town, is a short drive; Emily Bay adjoins the site.