A brutal outpost for banished British prisoners, home to the descendants of Bounty mutineers…Norfolk Island’s history reads like a page-turner. And nowhere captures the island’s early days quite like Kingston, part of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Australian Convict Sites.
Take a self-guided tour around historic military and government buildings and the ruins of old gaols. Or, browse the exhibits of the Norfolk Island Museums, hosted across several heritage venues.
Norfolk Island Museums staff run tag-along tours, which are included with the museums pass. For an additional fee, you can also join a local-led tour of the cemetery, where hand-carved epitaphs record the tragic ends of Norfolk’s early inhabitants.
Visitor Information
Operating Hours: 24/7
Cost: Free. Tickets for individual museums can be purchased from any of the museums, the Royal Engineers Office or the Norfolk Island Visitor Information Centre in Burnt Pine.
Getting Here: A 5-10 minute drive south from Burnt Pine.
Top Tips for Kingston
Golfers can tee off against an ocean backdrop at Norfolk Island Golf Club, which is part of the site.
Pack a towel to throw down at Emily Bay Lagoon. Located within the UNESCO World Heritage Site, it’s one of the top swimming and snorkelling spots on Norfolk.
Attractions at Kingston UNESCO World Heritage Site
Don’t let the gory legend of Bloody Bridge deter you; visit this historic landmark to admire the stonework and hard labour of the convicts who built it.
Visit the Commissariat to learn about Norfolk’s convict past. This historic building once held food supplies for the convicts and jailers on Norfolk Island.
Formerly the Surgeons Quarters, today this little building houses a fascinating collection of photographs which bring the history of our island to life.
Visit Kingston Pier, which was a vital entry point for Norfolk’s settlers and still welcomes supply ships and fishing boats as it has done for two centuries.
