NORFOLK ISLAND

Take time out in the incomparable charm of a tiny Pacific paradise

Swimming out through the blue waters of Emily Bay, I pause to turn and tread water as I look back at the shoreline. Rows of towering Norfolk pines come right up to the sand, and I enjoy a moment of tranquillity as I admire their beauty, breathing in the ocean air and listening to the distant sound of children playing in the shallows. I’ve been told there is a sea turtle around and I make several dives below the surface attempting to spot it; I have no such luck, but am far from disappointed by the prospect of returning tomorrow to search again.

This is a way of life on Norfolk Island, where time seems to slow to a pace that allows a deep sense of mindfulness and appreciation of your surroundings to emerge. The locals call it “Norfolk time”. Having reset my internal clock to this new cadence, I swim back to shore to meet my mother. She reluctantly agrees to leave her spot on the sand and we return to our car to further explore the island. Covering a mere 35 square kilometres, the diversity of nature on Norfolk is astonishing. We wind our way along a road that takes us past paddocks where cows graze, around headlands with views of secluded bays and beaches, and through a tunnel created by the densely-packed canopy of Moreton Bay figs, before arriving at Puppy’s Point in time to watch the sun sink lazily below the horizon.

Taste of paradise In recent years, Norfolk Island has established itself as a true foodie’s destination, epitomising the paddock-to-plate philosophy and growing almost all produce organically in season. We visit several wonderful restaurants on the island; our first meal at the locally renowned Dino’s – a quaint home-turned-restaurant oozing with quirky charm – is an exemplary introduction to Norfolk’s culinary standard. The prawns are fat and flavourful and a simple garden salad becomes a talking point, but the undeniable hero of the meal is the handchurned liquorice ice-cream. Hilli is another popular dining spot that more than lives up to its name, derived from a word from the Norf’k language meaning a drowsy, lazy feeling. A fusion of fresh flavours and a glass or two of locally produced merlot induce a feeling of pure contentment and relaxation. Our most memorable dining experience, however, comes without even having to leave our accommodation; our gracious hosts have arranged an in-house chef to cook for us. We’ve been so busy exploring the island that we’ve barely had a chance to relax at our luxury holiday cottage – the aptly named By The Bay – but tonight we’re able to sit and enjoy a meal of freshly caught and expertly prepared trumpeter with fresh garden vegetables, while gazing out at three hectares of private headland and the glittering waters of Ball Bay.

Living history An important part of visiting Norfolk Island is connecting with its unique and fascinating history. We begin this journey by exploring the World Heritage Site of Kingston, significant for being one of the best surviving convict settlements and the place where the descendants of the Bounty mutineers were resettled from Pitcairn Island in 1856. We stroll through the beautiful Georgian buildings – sharply juxtaposed with the back-breaking convict labour taken to build them – dipping in and out of museums and piecing together the stories of the colonial, penal and Pitcairn

settlements that have occupied the island at different points in time. The Sirius Museum – dedicated to the wreck of the HMS Sirius – displays the one-tonne anchor recovered from the wreck site. A short drive away is the 360-degree panoramic painting known as Fletcher’s Mutiny Cyclorama, which tells the infamous story of the mutiny on the Bounty. Wherever we go, Norfolk’s history comes to life through the vivid retellings of locals whose connection to their story is truly inspiring.

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