Norfolk Island has a gentle charm. Photo / Supplied
Crystal clear water, a creepy convict museum and super cheap Lego ... the young and the young-at-heart will be surprised at how diverse Norfolk Island is, writes Eli Orzessek.
Norfolk Island is like a small country town that has been dropped in the middle of the ocean - it has its own unique culture and personality.
It has gained a reputation as a destination for "the newly-weds and nearly-deads", but I found it to be a charmingly eccentric location with plenty to offer visitors who fall outside of its usual demographic. And only a 90-minute flight away, it is New Zealand's nearest neighbour.
On arrival, the first thing I noticed was the rows and rows of iconic Norfolk on the island's green hills. It was these pines that first attracted Captain Cook to the island in 1774 - he had hoped they would be useful for ship masts, although that didn't work out for him.
The island has a dark and interesting history. It was used as a penal colony by Great Britain on two separate occasions, before being partially gifted to residents of Pitcairn Island - the Bounty mutineers and their Tahitian wives - who were looking for a slightly less isolated place to live.
Descendants of these settlers are considered the true locals of Norfolk Island and they speak Norfuk, a combination of 18th-century English and Tahitian.
A visit to Norfolk Island is enriched with local knowledge, so a tour with a local is a good place to start. I went on Rick Kleiner's personal island tour. Rick is from California, but of Norfolk Island descent. He cheerfully doles out interesting "factoids" as he we zip around the island in his 4WD, avoiding the island's cows - they've got the right of way.
At the top of Mt Pitt we get the full 360-effect: striking panoramic views of vast ocean, rolling hills and lots more of pine trees. Rick points out a row of 100 Norfolk pines, planted for when a resident turns 100. Standing there, looking out into the never-ending ocean, I felt a real sense of being on the globe.
We visited St Barnabas chapel, which dates back to 1882. It remains from when the Melanesian Mission of the Church of England had its headquarters on the island. Entering the space and seeing all its intricate detail is enough to make anyone marvel.
The chapel is made of bricks from the New Gaol, which Rick said was an attempt to create something positive out of that brutal period. The stained-glass windows, designed by Edward Burne-Jones and created by William Morris, were shipped over from England in molasses containers, to protect them from breaking.
Sunset at Norfolk Island's Puppy's Point. Photo / Supplied
The local township Burnt Pine has a very 1970s small-town feel, with a mix of Australian, New Zealand and Pacific influences. It's a great place to grab some duty free bargains with liquor at 30 per cent off the retail price.
The public WiFi hotspots aren't very reliable, but I was glad to stay offline anyway. It adds to the back-in-time effect.
One store in particular is fantastic for the young and the young-at-heart. The Bounty Centre toy shop boasts the cheapest Lego in the world and also contains huge stockpile of mint-in-box vintage toys and models. There are some old favourites here and plenty of obscurities.
For the first half of my trip, I stayed at the South Pacific Resort, a 1960s hotel that was in the process of being renovated. My room had been recently refurbished and was clean and well-serviced.
For the second half of the holiday, I stayed at Ocean Breeze Cottages. There, I had my own self-contained cottage which came complete with stunning sea views.
It's worth spending a good day exploring the historic Kingston area, where the cemetery and the ruins of the old penal colonies are located. Everyone seems to believe in ghosts on Norfolk Island and, after visiting this spot, I can see why - not that I'm convinced.
Walking around the ruins and standing in the tiny cells that convicts once crowded into was an eerie experience, especially after learning more at the museums nearby. I recommend returning in the middle of the night with a torch.
Down the road from the ruins, I spent a peaceful afternoon at Emily Bay - one of the most beautiful beaches I've been to.
Most of the beaches in Norfolk Island are too dangerous for swimming, but a coral reef shelters Emily Bay from the worst of the ocean.
The water is so crystal clear it looks deceptively shallow - making it a bit terrifying at first to dive off the raft that floats in the middle of the bay.
Although the locals thought I was crazy for swimming in late autumn, the water was actually warmer than at most Auckland beaches in summer. The only thing to watch out for is the bites of a territorial local fish called Aatuti. Their bites range in severity, depending on who you talk to. Luckily, these fish are the worst predator that Norfolk Island has - there are no poisonous snakes or spiders.
At the Kingston pier, I watched a fishing boat being plucked out of the water by crane. Because there is no suitable wharf, this is how boats are launched and how cargo is unloaded on to the island. It is a surreal sight that needs to be seen to be believed. This complicated process explains why groceries are quite expensive, especially milk.
An exhibit at the Bounty Folk Museum. Photo / Supplied
Although the government-run museums in Kingston were interesting, I was captivated by the Bounty Folk Museum.
Packed with an extremely varied range of artefacts; the experience is further enhanced by a range of unsettling and scary models of convicts being punished.
Every aspect of Norfolk Island's history is represented here - there's a baby whale embryo, weapons once used to torment convicts, vicious- looking medical and dental instruments from the hospital plus a fair few more mundane items, including Norfolk's first colour photocopier and a battered-looking fax machine.
Moira Winter, who runs the museum, told me she bought it with her husband Glen in 1979, after they visited from Melbourne and he became enchanted with the island. He passed away 12 years ago, but his work is evident in the large ringbinders stuffed with ephemera and pages of hand-inked history.
Sadly, Norfolk Island has faced economic troubles in recent years - something that's no secret; people tell you about it, their weariness is evident in their voices. It is a real shame, because this unique location has so much to offer to a wide variety of people who just haven't heard of the island yet.
I arrived expecting to be bored at times. However, after a week of swimming, exploring, horse riding, and shopping, I found I still hadn't done everything I wanted to do.
Being on Norfolk Island felt like a different time, like being on one of those golden childhood holidays that sticks in your memory forever.
THINGS TO DO AND SEE
Cyclorama: A 360-degree painting depicting the history of the Bounty mutineers and their arrival on Norfolk Island.
Progressive dinner: This tour takes you to a different Norfolk family's house for each course. The food is standard home-cooking, but it's a nice way to learn the personal histories of the island.
Silky Oaks Horse Treks: A very patient woman named Judith took me on a short trek on a beautiful (and also very patient) Palomino named Goldilocks.
Norfolk Island Liqueurs: This local factory produces delicious fruit liquors and soft drinks. Try the plum cola.
A Walk in the Wild mini golf: The golfing fun comes with a short historical bush walk. The shop is another branch of the Bounty Centre, so more Lego. It also has the only soft-serve icecream on the island.
PLACES TO EAT
Pa Yea's: Norfolk Island's newest restaurant serves excellent fresh kingfish.
Dino's: Located inside an historic old house and locals tell me this is where they go for special dinners. I had a local steak and it was huge, juicy, and a perfect medium-rare.
Hilli Restaurant & Cafe: Probably the best meal I had on the island. I had another excellent local steak, with beef cheek meatloaf on the side. The passionfruit creme brulee was divine.
Barney Duffy's: A 70s-style joint, but the local pork ribs were incredibly tender and delicious.
Golden Orb Cafe: A great place for breakfast or lunch, and it's also a bookshop.
CHECKLIST
Getting there: Air New Zealand has a weekly direct service between Auckland and Norfolk Island.
Getting around: Rental cars cost about $25 a day, or hire a bike.
The writer travelled courtesy of Norfolk Island Tourism, Air New Zealand and South Pacific Resort hotel and Ocean Breeze Cottages.
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