Norfolk Island

Norfolk Island lies about fifteen hundred kilometres east of the Australian mainland, a volcanic island of thirty-five square kilometres covered in the Norfolk Island pine, a species endemic to it and now planted worldwide. Its population descends substantially from the Pitcairn Islanders, themselves descendants of the Bounty mutineers and Tahitian women, who were resettled here in 1856 and brought with them Norf'k, a language blending eighteenth-century English and Tahitian that is still spoken and taught. Cattle wander freely and have right of way on the roads. The island's national park protects rainforest on Mount Pitt, and the surrounding waters hold reefs at Emily and Slaughter bays.

What you actually see

• The Norfolk pines - the endemic species covering the island's hills.
• The Pitcairn heritage - Norf'k language, family names and Bounty descendants.
• The free-roaming cattle - stock grazing roadsides with right of way.
• Emily Bay - the sheltered reef lagoon for swimming and snorkelling.

When to go

September to May for the warmest weather; the island is subtropical and mild year-round, with winter cool and wetter. Flights are limited and should be booked ahead. Bounty Day on 8 June is the main community celebration.

Honest expectations

Flights are relatively expensive and infrequent, and delays strand people. Shops keep short hours and close on Sundays and public holidays. Cattle on the roads make night driving hazardous. The island is small and quiet by design.

Nearby

Kingston and Arthur's Vale, the UNESCO convict area, is on the island's southern shore.