Fort Teremba

Fort Teremba was built in the 1870s at a penal settlement on the west coast, part of the system that made New Caledonia a French convict colony for half a century, and during the 1878 uprising it was never taken, sheltering settlers of the district, and was strengthened afterwards. Volunteers restored it from ruins over decades and run it as a museum covering the penal system, the settlement and the events of 1878. A sound and light performance is staged there each year.

History

Building of a military fort and prison on Teremba Bay began in 1871 at the request of Governor Eugène Gaultier de la Richerie, with convicts doing the work, and a small town grew around it with a registry office, a library, a church, a school, a post office and a wharf. The fort came under the prison administration in 1885 and was abandoned in 1897-98 as transportation ended; the local Association Marguerite restored it from 1984, and in 1989 it was classified as a historical monument (Wikipedia, Fort Teremba).

The main sights

• The restored fort - the 1870s buildings rebuilt from ruin by volunteers.
• The penal displays - the account of the convict system and the settlement.
• The 1878 events - the uprising during which the fort held and became a refuge.
• The annual performance - the sound and light staging held at the site.

When to go

April to November is the dry season. The fort keeps limited opening hours and closes some days. The annual performance is usually in September.

What to expect

Opening hours are limited and run by volunteers, so closures happen. Interpretation is almost entirely in French. The site is small and two hours covers it.

Nearby

La Foa is south, and Bourail is north.

Key facts