Helen Wilson, Executive Member and Illawarra Branch
Norfolk Island October 31 to December 7 2025.
Organised by Mal January, tour leader Kaylene Collins from Trade Travel
Norfolk Island is a very interesting destination with its waves of settlement and uses, beginning with a mysterious Polynesian settlement from the 12th century. The impressive World Heritage listed Georgian buildings from the second convict period (1825-52) remain. In 1856 Queen Victoria granted the island to the Bounty mutineers and Tahitians who had overpopulated Pitcairn Island east of French Polynesia. Today’s landowners are mainly their descendants and have developed a proud and resourceful culture. It is now an Australian territory.
Our party consisted of Mal and a number of his fellow Monday walkers plus some from other branches. Though we were with a commercial company the tour was tailored for NPA, and Kaylene did her best to accommodate our requests. We stayed in a comfortable resort and despite the shortage of fresh produce enjoyed tasty local food.
The island was originally covered in subtropical rainforest but has been repeatedly cleared for farming. Cattle and chickens roam free. The famous Norfolk Island pines are everywhere, but only in rows where they’ve been planted. Otherwise they’re scattered along the coasts and countryside and in the forests.
We were keen to visit the northern section (18% by area) of the island which has been a protected reserve since the 1940s and a national park since 1986. The offshore Philip Island was added in 1996. Norfolk Island National Park is now part of the Parks Australia estate, along with Uluru, Kakadu, Booderee, Christmas Island and many marine parks. The park protects some of the last tracts of majestic subtropical rainforest on the island, with tall pines and unusually tall tree ferns.
We were pleased to be able to meet with park manager, Zoe Knapp, who explained that it has a very high proportion of endemic species and the highest number of threatened species of any of the commonwealth parks. Norfolk Island is identified as a Priority Place under the Australian Government’s Threatened Species Action Plan 2022 – 2032. There is currently a Restoring the Bounty project to restore native habitat across the island.
The National Park appreciates the support and engagement of the local community, including active volunteers. They are exploring avenues for local employment pathways including through school-based apprenticeships. Zoe admires the excellent stewardship which the islanders have learned through necessity, including carefully managing fish takes. In return, the Norfolk Island National Park and Botanic Garden Management Plan 2020 provides for some cultural uses of plants. Non-native bush lemons will be planted and invasive guava trees managed, to maintain local access to these valued plants.
There are other challenges, such as developing water storage to deal with droughts and other extreme weather events. Park managers are also trying to find uses for the eucalyptus forest, which was originally planted to provide a timber resource but which has become a potential fire risk. Rodents are the biggest problem. Unlike Lord Howe Island, where rats were eliminated, Norfolk’s comparatively greater urban context means rodent eradication is not currently feasible.
Although the island is very isolated there are ties in the region. Next December it will host an Island Arks Symposium for people around the Pacific to discuss managing island environments. From our experience Norfolk Island has plenty to share. A guided walk in Norfolk Island National Park.