The Bounty Museum

The mutiny of the HMAV Bounty of 1789, became a 'Hollywood' sensation. But, it was to be almost 20 years after the event, before any news of the mutineers reached England.

Violence and bloodshed had been the fate of early settlement on Pitcairn Island, ending with the survival of only two mutineers; Edward Young (who later died of natural causes) and Alexander Smith (who reassumed the name of John Adams).

In 1808, the American captain, Mayhew Folger and his ship Topaz arrived at Pitcairn Island as the first visitor from the outside world. Adams recounted his story of the years from whence the mutineers had arrived in 1790. Although the British Government was informed of the presence of the Pitcairn community, no action was taken at this time.

Following, Captain Beechey of HMS Blossom visited Pitcairn Island in 1825. It was as a result of his published reports on his return to England that the English public’s awareness grew of this unique and Christian society that had been formed on Pitcairn Island.

John Adams

Banana export on Norfolk Island

When the Pitcairners arrived on Norfolk Island in 1856, they inherited numerous tools, agricultural equipment and considerable stock which had been left behind by the former convict community.

For many years. the Norfolk descendants were solely dependent upon subsistence farming and fishing, plus imports of non-locally-grown materials. Crops raised were chiefly maize, sweet potatoes (kumeras) and yams. A little coffee was grown.

Bananas, guavas, passionfruit, oranges, strawberries and vegetables of all kinds were cultivated around island homes. Local industry attempts at banana, fruit pulp, citrus fruit and bean seeds grown for export in the early 1900's, all failed for various reasons.

Norfolk Island has a long established, rich history of growing fruits and vegetables that has been shared by father and mother to son and daughter over the past 150 years.

Agriculture

Reference: Marie's complete A-Z Guide to Norfolk by Alice and Ed Howard 1986.

Held at Rawson Hall in October, the Annual Show is the main function of the Royal Norfolk Island Agricultural and Horticultural Society.

Like Shows in most small communities, it encourages better farming practices and varieties, as well as arts and crafts; is one of the principal social events of the year; allows the presentation of a large number of awards and supports a zealously-protected hierarchy of honorary positions.

There are more than 400 competitive classes in the Show, in sections that include gardens, photography, needlework, vegetables, fruits, livestock, cooking and preserves, floral art, handicrafts, art, equestrian events and many others.

Gardens and cattle are judged at the homes of competitors, and open to the public a few days later. Portable displays are inside Rawson Hall. Small animals are shown just outside the Hall. The equestrian events are held in a paddock out back of the hall.

Judges for livestock and the equestrian events are usually experienced Show judges from the mainland. All judges’ decisions are accepted by everyone on the island as being wise, fair, and above reproach, especially in such classes as best giraffe or llama in the Show!

But everyone wins, really, on Show Day.

Agriculture & Horticulture Show

Please note: if you are travelling to the island for our Bounty Day celebrations, please check with our local Visitors Information Centre of the actual day the parade is being held - ie. if the 8 June falls on a Saturday or Sunday, it has been customary for the parade to be held on the following Monday.

Norfolk Islanders commemorating our Anniversary Day.

The parade then continues with everyone talking and singing until reaching the cemetry gates.. Family members lay wreaths on the graves of their loved ones before the singing of Pitcairn Hymns. The Prayer of John Adams is read by a direct descendant, then families enjoy a picnic lunch held in the compound at Kingston.

All the families then join together, with the children leading the procession and stroll to the Cenotaph, which stands at the crossroads below the Commissariat Store. Wreaths are laid in commemoration of those lost in the World Wars.

Each year on Anniversary Day the landing of the Pitcairn Islanders is re-enacted. The day is observed as a Public Holiday and is also called “Bounty Day”.

Descendants of the Pitcairners assemble in period costume at the Kingston jetty.

They are met by the “Commissariat Storekeeper, Mr Stewart and his wife and Captain Denham” (whose ship HMS Herald was anchored off island in 1856).

Anniversary Day

Bounty Day - 8 June

View to Anson Bay beach from the barbeque area.

Of particular historical heritage significance is the World War II observation post (one of two posts located in this bay area) situated on low coastal cliffs near the southern boundary of the Reserve.

Native flora and fauna adorn this Reserve, with a coastal view commonly shared in tination promotions to show... in just one glance, the intrinsic natural beauty of Norfolk Island.

Reference: Norfolk Island Public Reserves - Plans of Management

Anson Bay is one our most stunning beach-ocean views from the top or bottom! That is, you can enjoy the vista from above, looking down upon the beach from a secluded barbecue spot; or if you are feeling energetic you can walk the zigzaging track... down to the bottom and back up! For the not-so-faint-hearted!

Anson Bay was proclaimed a Reserve (5.45 hectares) under the Commons and Public Reserves Act 1936 on 4 February 1937.

High cliffs boast impressive exposures of columnar basalt lava flows with colourful layers of volcanic ash. Here, seabirds find shelter to breed and nurture their young.

Anson Bay

Anniversary Day (Bounty Day) celebrations.

The words for 'Come Ye Blessed' Pitcairn Anthem were taken from the Book of Matthew in the Bible by George Hunn Nobbs and the music was written by Driver Christian.

'Come Ye Blessed' is sung at the end of a funeral service held on the island and at other formal occasions by the Norfolk Island community.

Anthems

'God Save the Queen’ and the ‘Pitcairn Anthem’ have been traditionally sung on days of our national and community significance. These anthems have shaped and identified our community and are of utmost heritage value.

Listen to a 1954 recording of an all male choir singing at Government House.

Pitcairn Anthem

Come Ye Blessed

In 1902, the opening of the Pacific Cable Board’s station at Anson Bay established Norfolk Island as an important link in the Pacific cable system.

From Vancouver, the cable came via Fanning Island and Fiji to Norfolk. Here, it divided, extending one way to Southport, Queensland, and the other way to Auckland, New Zealand.

The cable station provided work for some islanders as seamen upon the cable ships, increased the availability of imports and the station staff contributed to the local economy by purchasing local produce and necessities whilst on island.

The Overseas Telecommunications Commission (Australia) took over the management of the cable station in 1947.

When the station closed in December 1962, the telegram service was transferred to the airport radio station until the opening, in July 1972, of a new Overseas Telecommunications Commission’s building in New Cascade Road, which also housed the Administration’s newly-installed automatic telephone exchange.

Ten years later, a new cable station was built at Anson Bay, part of the ANZCAN cable network involving Australia, New Zealand, Britain, Canada, the Federal Republic of Germany, France, Fiji, the Phillipines and Papua New Guinea.

Reference: Hoare, Merval. Norfolk Island: an outline of its history 1774-1981.

Howard, Alice and Ed. Marie's complete A-Z Guide to Norfolk.

In 1983 Norfolk gained 24-hour-a-day telephone access to the rest of the world with the opening of the ANZCAN cable station at Anson Bay. Up until then, overseas phone calls were carried by radio, often variable in voice quality, with restrictions of use only during daytime and evening hours when the transmitters were manned.

ANZCAN Cable

Reference: Hoare, Merval. Rambler's Guide to Norfolk Island, 1972.

The remains of one stone structure along Rocky Point Road, is popularly called “The Arches”, and formerly known as “The Stables”.

It is a perfect backdrop for wedding portraiture photography of today!

With some broken walls and a facade of ten arches in good preservation the view down a lush valley hints of an old garden habitat.

The Arches

Frangipani on Norfolk Island - painting

Handicrafts of traditional communities were intrinsically linked to surrounding environmental conditions and survival. Production of handicrafts specific for protection and coverings were decorated and later these began to be considered as ‘traditional art’ of an artist’s sense, feelings and cultural characteristics of their community.

Handicrafts are defined by being completely made by hand or using only simple tools.

Norfolk Island arts and crafts are handmade from many different mediums. Traditional materials on the island include natural fibres from plants and animals (flax, moo-oo, banana bark, bone, wool, timber, clay) are creatively used for making hats, baskets, pottery dishes, mats, carvings, jewellery, printing and more…

Artists of more recent years have expanded their ‘repertoire’ into even more specialised creations using available technology and equipment ~ in photography, printing of clothing and homewares, turning of wooden bowls and utensils, bone carved jewellery, canvas prints, stationery, etc.

Our local skills on Norfolk are creatively broad, mostly as a result of the island’s isolation and our understanding of things we need to substitute / make do with / recycle etc ~

We have been sustainable with our art and craft, long before it became a popular marketing ‘catch-phrase’.

Art & Craft

Open 7 days a week

10am to 4pm

Corner of Queen Elizabeth Avenue and Middlegate Road

EFTPOS Availabe & FREE WIFI

Bounty Museum

P.O Box 69

Norfolk Island

NSW 2899

Phone: 53961