UNIQUELY NORFOLK

Images Norfolk Island Tourism

Norfolk Island

Auckland

THE ON-AGAIN, OFF-AGAIN nature of overseas travel has many of us longing for the days when Kiwis can once again spread our wings and fly off to foreign lands for a week or two of taking it easy. But while most of us look to Bali and Rarotonga for a great escape, there is a Pacific paradise even closer to home that many of us overlook because of a few common misconceptions. So when you and your loved ones are planning your open-border escape, take a long look at Norfolk Island: it has surprises for even the seasoned traveller.

First and foremost, it is just up the road. Many people think Norfolk Island lies far to the north and far out in the middle of the Pacific, but in fact it is just a two-hour flight from Auckland. That means you get to spend more time doing what you should be doing - relaxing, exploring, enjoying - and not in transit.

Many people think Norfolk Island lies far to the north and far out in the middle of the Pacific, but in fact it is just a two-hour flight from Auckland.

Secondly, many of us equate Norfolk Island with Australia’s convict past, which in turn conjures up visions of a harsh and windswept colony at the end of the earth. And while the lives of the first Europeans to settle there were certainly hard going, the Island is a veritable paradise, with blue lagoons and white sand beaches.

Norfolk Island is rightly known as something of a photographer’s paradise, with breathtaking scenery around every turn. The landscape is stunning, with a vividness of colour in the pine and rainforests that we don’t see in Aotearoa New Zealand, and the sunrises and sunsets are particularly spectacular, so start honing up your photography skills now. Getting around all this remarkable scenery is easy - the island has a footprint of just 35 square kilometres after all - as there are many tracks and trails are perfect for gentle strolls of more serious hikes. A popular favourite and great starting point is the Bridal Track on the North coast, which starts from the grassy slope where Captain James Cook first landed and meanders up and around the coastline through pine and white oak with fantastic views of the smaller outlying islets. There are guide maps available, so you can plan the length and focus of your journey, whether it be the unique flora and birdlife of the island or that amazing landscape, from the pristine lagoon of Emily Bay that is protected by a coral reef and is great for swimming and snorkelling or the moonscape of the uninhabited Phillip Island just offshore. And if all this walking sounds like too much hard work for a holiday, then hire a Mini Moke and do a grand tour on wheels.

But an even better way to explore this culture - and any culture! - is through its food.

Perhaps the greatest misconception about Norfolk Island however, is that it’s just a part of Australia. And while technically it is an external territory of Australia, the reality is that it has a culture that is unique and very different to the Great Southern Land.

For a start it has its own language. Norfuk, though it is increasingly known as Norfolk, is a blend of 18th-century English and Tahitian, originally introduced by Pitkern-speaking settlers from the Pitcairn Islands. And it also has its own culture; those same linguistic influences brought from Tahiti, Europe and Pitcairn have created something very special and well worth exploring through the various heritage sites dotted across Norfolk. Kingston is a World Heritage listed site and a great place to start, with intriguing layers of settlement to be explored from the convicts to the sealers and whalers who followed, while Fletcher’s Mutiny Cyclorama, created by local artists Sue Draper and Tracey Yager, is a 360 degree painting depicting the story of the famous mutiny; chosen by TripAdvisor as one of Australia’s top five landmarks in 2014, it is remarkably realistic.

But an even better way to explore this culture - and any culture! - is through its food. Locally grown produce with a real ‘paddock to plate’ (or in the case of the awesome local seafood ‘Pacific to plate’) approach means fresh, inseason ingredients prepared with a mixture of traditional English style melded with the tastes and ingredients of the islands. Norfolk is increasingly becoming something of a foodie destination, and if want to know why look no further than the regular Island Fish Fry held at Puppy’s Point overlooking the ocean: a selection of fresh fried fish, salads, homemade breads and desserts all served while the sun goes down, with local performers providing an accompaniment. It’s uniquely Norfolk, and it should be on your bucket list.