In this part we finish off the 'Introductory Island bus tour', go on the 'Off Road Island Adventure' (the 'Off' bit meant we went off the main road onto private property, we could have done in the Cube) and go on the water for 'Christian's Glass Bottom Boat' trip (summer is best for coral as this time of year it's just all brown) but we did see Stephen the fish. The rest of the time we just went around in the Cube at our own speed which, of course, is the blistering speed of 50kph (32mph).
17th to 19th
Videos have to be watched on this page and click on photos to enlarge.
Tuesday 17th
Introductory Island Bus Tour
St Barnabas’ Chapel, Norfolk Island.
St Barnabas’ Chapel, Norfolk Island.
St Barnabas’ Chapel, Norfolk Island.
The ceiling had no nails or bolts in its construction.
The pews were inlaid with mother-of-pearl shell. St Barnabas’ Chapel, Norfolk Island
St Barnabas’ Chapel, Norfolk Island.
1876 Henry (Father) Willis organ in St Barnabas’ Chapel, Norfolk Island. The chapel was dedicated in 1880.
1876 Henry (Father) Willis organ in St Barnabas’ Chapel, Norfolk Island.
St Barnabas’ Chapel, Norfolk Island.
A Melanesian Mission was established there from 1866-1924.
Melanesian Mission established there from 1866-1924.
This was one large fig tree in the church grounds.
Monday 18th
'Off Road Island Adventure'
The view, looking south, from Mount Pitt, 320 meters (1050 ft) above sea level.
Where we stayed, from Mount Pitt.
Old boiler in the forest.
Anson Bay
Anson Bay
World War 2 bunker at Anson Bay.
This is how the island would have been covered when Capt. Cook first saw it. The tall 'chimney' like plants are actually pines covered with a native vine called Samson's Sinew.
This is how the island would have been covered when Capt. Cook first saw it.
Lynn found another friend, must have been the stripes.
Looking down to Kingston from a private property near Longridge.
The old original road to Kingston went down from near here.
The new house on the property made from Norfolk Pine.
The reason why they coudn't use Norfolk Pines as masts for sailing ships.
The knots from the branches go all the way through the trunk all the way up the tree.
The private lookout deck.
View from the deck.
View from the lookout deck.
The have a great view of Nepean Island.
An original Pitcairn Settlers cottage on the property. The timber slats in the roof,
under the corrugated iron, show the original covering was timber shingles.
Sparse, and wobberly, use of scarce stone as foundations.
Our stop at Simon's water, a private property where 'visitors are welcome to wander' but not to drive on.
Where the whales pass Simon's Waters
.
A lichen covered hibiscus tree.
The view to Elephant Rock from Simon's Waters.
Elephant Rock
Free Time
A model of the 'Bounty' in the Pier Store Museum.
A cannon from the 'Bounty' in the Pier Store Museum.
Inside the old Crank Mill (1827) where convicts were used on treadmills to power the machinery to grind grain into flour.
Looking into the old Crank Mill.
The Civil Hospital, 1st built 1796 and then rebuilt in 1829.
"......the wards are exceedingly hot in summer, and cold and damp in winter" (Robert Pringle Stuart 1846)
Wonder what I'll get looking through the high window in the psychiatric ward.
The photo from the the window.
'Site of the 1792 Government House'
Surgeons Quarters, built 1827, is a pre-fabricated timber building sent from the Sydney Lumber yard.
Lieutenant Phillip Gidley King Royal Navy Together With Seven Free Persons, Six Female Convicts and
Nine Male Convicts Landed Near This Spot On 6th March 1788 to Form The Second British Settlement
in The South Pacific. This Monument ...........was Unveiled by Herbert King Nobbs a Descendant of Lt. P King.
Reminders of the past. Boats, the same as these, still bring all supplies from ships, anchored of the coast, to Norfolk Island.
Not sure what this building was used for.
Royal Engineers Office, 1851.
Whaler boats and boat sheds, Kingston.
This is the spot where Lieutenant Phillip King, 7 free persons, 6 female convicts
and 9 male convicts landed on the 6th March 1788. Kingston pier was built in 1839.
There was a gaol containing 130 cells in five radiating wings behind these walls.
The construction started in 1838 and was fully occupied by 1849.
Norfolk Island Prison. Photo taken 1911-1915.
'Ding Dong', Avon calling.
Commissariat Store. When the Pier Store was flooded in 1834 Commandant Anderson decided
to build a new Commissariat away from the waterfront. The Commissariat took only six months
to build and was opened in 1835. The building is now being used as the All Saints Church.
A view across the cricket pitch to Quality Row.
A road built across the marshland that was filled in to build the gaol.
Boat Number 7, Kingston.
Government House, 1804 and 1828.
Old Military Barracks, 1830.
Norfolk Island boasts the oldest cricket pitch in the southern hemisphere
(the first match was played here in 1838).
The walk down to Crystal Pool. We didn't go all the way as rain was threatening.
The walk down to Crystal Pool (Nepean Island in background).
As well as the pines, Capt Cook thought the Flax, seen growing here, would be
suitable for making sail-cloth......he was wrong in both cases.
Getting back to the car before it rains.
The steep and rutted track didn't bother our sure-footed Cube.
(if it rained it would have been different)
'Rat stoppers' on the Kentia Palms in a plantation.
There use to be a LOT of money in the Kentia seed business.
In October 1850, two soldiers drowned while fishing at 'Rope Rock'.
now known as Headstone Point. It was once thought they drowned
after being cursed by the convict Barney Duffy.
Taking off through the pines.
Tuesday 19th
Free Time
Norfolk Pine flooring in the Botanic Garden's information centre.
Broad-leafed Meryta. There were only about 20 female plants left in the
early 2000's but have now recovered since they stopped cattle grazing on them. Botanic Garden
The leaf of the Broad-leafed Meryta.
A cricket taking a chance on a egg-sac in 'spider land'.
How it all once was. No leeches, snakes or ticks on the island.
A tree of the rainforest, Whitewood is a large tree with smooth grey trunk, often buttressed at the base. Botanic Garden
This rainforest now ony occurs in the national park.
The vine is called Samson's Sinew / Wild Wisteria.
Colourful Fungi on the forest floor.
How it all once was. Botanic Garden
Cordyline obtecta, known locally as 'ti', stand majestically over he pathway.
I don't know what it's called but I like the leaves. Botanic Garden
Capt. Cook's Monument.
Looking west Capt Cook's Monument to where the landing party from the HMS Resolution landed.
Point Howe in the background
It is presumed, from written descriptions, that the landing party from Cook's ship,
the HMS Resolution, landed here.
Some Aussie birds, from top left: Australian Kestrel, Crimson Rosella, Emerald Dove, White-faced Heron.
Sub-species of Australian birds that are endemic to Norfolk: Grey Fantail, Sacred Kingfisher, Scarlet Robin.
Double-banded Plover, Whimbrel, White-tern.
Introduced species: European Blackbird, House Sparrow, Common Starling, California Quail.
Christian's Glass Bottom Boat
Taking the glass-bottom boat to the water, Emily Bay.
Launching.
Getting the boarding ramp ready.
Our captain, John Christian.
I Tawt I Taw a Fishy Wishy.
View from the boat.
Water coming over the reef.
Nothing yet.
There's some coral.
One eye on the coral and one on the waves coming over the reef.
The conditions were a little bumpy at times.
Swimming in Emily Bay.
Now to get it back up onto the beach.
Ready to take ashore.
In, on and out with a glass-bottom boat.
Free Time
Car badges I haven't seen before.
Car badges I haven't seen before and mud-guard mirrors.
The Arches (formally The Stables). It was once though that these were stables that
housed the horses of the military officers prior to 1856. Apparently no records exist
so it is still not clear exactly what the building was used for.
The Arches (formally The Stables). It was once though that these were stables that
housed the horses of the military officers prior to 1856. Apparently no records
exist so it is still not clear exactly what the building was used for.
'The Arches' - formally 'The Stables'.
Mist nets (for catching birds to be tagged and released) in the national park.
They weren't set for catching at this stage.
Sunset from the resort.
Sunset from the resort.
People enjoying the Island Fish Fry and sunset at Puppy's Point.
Sunset at Puppy's Point.
Sunset at Puppy's Point.
Last Light.
Sunset at Puppy's Point.
Cameras: Canon PowerShot SX60 HS and Sony DSC-W690.
