Norfolk Island History, Endemic Flora & Remote Gardens

Meet at Sydney airport for your flight to Norfolk Island. On arrival, we’ll transfer you to the Governor’s Lodge Resort, set within 12 acres of landscaped subtropical gardens. Tonight enjoy a Welcome Dinner at your hotel.

Today, visit Norfolk Island’s key historic areas, including Kingston, Cascade and Longridge. See the famous convict buildings and enjoy fascinating stories. Also, admire St Barnabas Chapel. This afternoon, explore some of the island's enchanting gardens, including a private garden, complemented by magnificent views. Discover Norfolk Island’s native flora and fauna and learn how its earlier settlements have influenced today’s gardens. This evening, gain firsthand insight into Norfolk Island living during a Progressive Dinner. Enjoy visiting Norfolk Island family homes while having dinner and hearing all about their family histories.

This morning, half of our group will visit the former home of author Colleen McCullough, for a fascinating glimpse into her life on the Island. The rest of our guests will experience Fletcher’s Mutiny Cyclorama, where visitors stand before an expansive painting that curves around the walls of a purpose-built museum. Illustrating the story of the mutiny on the Bounty, the artwork has an almost 3D effect, as you follow its captivating storyboards around the room. There will also be time to explore the nearby Bounty Museum. This afternoon, enjoy a glass-bottom boat ride and view incredible coral gardens with more than 100 species of fish living within their vast natural habitats. Tonight, enjoy dinner at the popular Hilli’s Restaurant.

Today you will visit a local market garden that supplies vegetables to the island, as well as a cattle farm to understand the unique farming practices on Norfolk Island. Our final stop will be at a local home for a delicious paddock-to-plate two-course lunch featuring local ingredients. This afternoon, visit either Fletcher’s Mutiny Cyclorama or Colleen McCullough’s home. Dine at your hotel again this evening.

This morning, learn about Norfolk Island’s brutal convict history during a tour of the Kingston area. This whole area is a living showcase of Polynesian, convict, and Pitcairn Islander history. Walk through the cemetery, where you will hear the history of the colonial headstones. See the Pier Store, Boat Shed and the Crank Mill and the ruins of the New Gaol, all of which has to be seen to be believed. After lunch, enjoy a tour of the Pitcairn Settlers Village, where you will gain insight into the lives of a local family whose ancestors have lived here since 1856. A traditional Norfolk Island dinner will be enjoyed tonight. The Island Fish Fry takes place on a private property, ‘Orn Dar Cliff’, with a spectacular coastal backdrop and sunset views. Savour this feast of local dishes, enjoying breathtaking coastal scenery as the sun sets.

Today, we enjoy a very special naturalist walk while identifying the flora and birdlife of the island. Margaret Christian, who was previously employed for 20 years as Norfolk Island’s park ranger, will tell a holistic story of the island's origins, connections, and the many changes that have occurred over time. Visit forest, coastal and wetland areas, where you will potentially see many of the island’s endemic species and birdlife. This afternoon, we take a scenic drive around the island, visiting coastal Ball Bay, Bumbora Beach, and Mt Pitt, where you will have wine and cheese with a 360° view of the island. Dinner will be at your hotel this evening.

This morning, we have two ‘breakfast bushwalks’ to choose from. Both offer spectacular coastal scenery and the chance to spot endemic plants such as Norfolk tree fern, Phillip Island Hibiscus, two frond fern, and bastard oak. After breakfast, visit the Captain Cook Monument, a scenic lookout where you will stand at the spot on the northern coast where Captain James Cook and his officers landed in 1774. It has some of the best sea views on the island, with offshore rock formations like Bird Rock and Elephant Rock. Later, enjoy exploring Norfolk Island’s Botanic Garden and Hundred Acre Reserve to see more of the island’s unique plant life. Enjoy dinner at The Homestead, a working farm that embraces the farm-to-plate philosophy and produces beef and vegetables commercially.

This morning, head to the township of Burnt Pine, where you will visit the local market and browse its quaint shops before being transferred to the airport for your onward journey home.