Baby it’s cold outside… As the thermostats start to be edged upwards, the fire gets lit and the slippers go on, the mind starts to long again for those hot summer days of going to the beach and finishing up with a barbeque. The train of thought usually winds up with a persistent nagging of “I need to get away for a while…” And so you start searching through travel sites and looking at package deals, trying desperately to find somewhere within the budget to take the family, your partner, or perhaps just yourself, away from monotony of home-bound, office-bound winter blues. Might I suggest – Norfolk Island? Cast your mind and those nagging thoughts in this direction. Norfolk Island. Situated in the South Pacific, just a 2-hour flight from Sydney and Brisbane, or 1.5 hours from Auckland. It is not your ‘usual’ tropical paradise, but who wants ‘usual’ these days? While the rest of southern civilisation is flying north for the winter to be laying by crowded pools, being hassled by street sellers or dealing with jet lag, you could be wandering through tranquil sub-tropical rain forests and dining in cosy cafes within hours of leaving your home. Norfolk […]
Photo credit: Norfolk Island Tourism This is a recent email sent by a couple who stayed with us recently. It gives a very good overview of their “walking holiday” on Norfolk Island. Again, many thanks for making our stay most enjoyable and all the extras you did for us. The unit was great, the bed comfortable and the cooking facilities appreciated by we who tended to eat there and not out at Burnt Pine every night. While we enjoyed all the places we visited on Norfolk Island, the places we enjoyed the most were definitely those we walked to. And now for the pleasures of walking Norfolk Island. As mentioned during our time there, while we were prepared for the distances involved, we were not for the steep inclines and the humidity. We also did not realise that Mokutu was located towards the south east corner of the island. However we did find many advantages: Personal: The opportunity to maintain or improve our level of fitness; Also the possibility of getting a bit of a suntan; To feel the sea breeze as we travelled down roads to many of the features and to gulp in huge lungfulls of that fresh, […]
Norfolk Island is a very interesting mix of cultures. There are people living here from all over the world and it is always incredibly fascinating to hear how they came to be here. Norfolk Island is a tiny island (8km x 5km) in the South Pacific, approximately 1600KM east of Australia and 1120 km North of Auckland New Zealand. When you have a look on a map you will see the Island really does sit in the middle of nowhere, it seems. With a transient population that ranges from about 1400 to 2000 at any given time, there is a mix of locals (Pitcairn descendants), New Zealanders, Australians and Pacific Islanders. But there is also a collection of Europeans, Americas, South Africans and the list goes on. And so, one has to wonder when you travel here, how in the world do all these people end up in such an out-of-the way, often overlooked little Island? Every one has their own story. Mine is probably just as fascinating as the rest, and I often look back and shake my head. Never in my wildest dreams would I have ever thought I would be travelling here, let alone living here. People […]
Guest Blog Post by Sharni-Marie Barney One of the challenges facing a lot of us today is the lack of “space” that is available in the day-to-day craziness that we now call life. With constant notifications vying for our attention, media oozing out of every device and expectations from colleagues, bosses, friends and families that we are always “on” it is near impossible to find the time or the location that is needed to think. And not just think, but process, create, discover and mull over new ideas. “Creativity flourishes in solitude. With quiet, you can hear your thoughts, you can reach deep within yourself, you can focus.” Creativity is an essential element in all forms of work and life. Without it everything becomes monotonous and tired: Businesses start to fail due to lack of innovation and fresh inspiration. Writers lose momentum and regular writing habits become bygone concepts. The artists’ “muse” vanishes. Relationships become uninteresting. Passion becomes a long lost fantasy replaced by “the grind”. I think you get my point. Here’s a few thoughts to consider: Recognise the need for creative space – This might be the first time you have thought about the need for constructive “time […]
Do you need to get away from the hectic pace, constant demands, congestion, noise, pressure? Then choose Mokutu as your Norfolk Island accommodation for a Long Weekend holiday on Norfolk Island – where the air is pure, the water is clear, the pace is laid back and every corner you turn reveals an unbelievably gorgeous vista. Norfolk Island Escape: Fly in Friday/Saturday and back Monday/Tuesday – 3 glorious stress-free nights starting from $130 per night. BOOK HERE. Stay in a roomy self-contained Cottage or Suite at A-Frame Chalets @ Mokutu, enjoying panoramic views of Norfolk’s green hills and the Pacific ocean. Explore the island with your own hire car included in the room rate ($40 per day insurance included). You are personally greeted at the airport on arrival and can choose from a range of Stress Release menus to pre-book your long weekend activities or come and play it by ear. The onsite office staff can make restaurant bookings, organise tours, classes, gear hire – whatever you need for the weekend and they can share their best loved places to go and things to do. LONG WEEKEND STRESS RELEASE ‘MENUS’ So that you don’t waste a minute of your precious long […]
This week, Mokutu played host to a very interesting young American who is travelling the world. Currently based in Queenstown, New Zealand, Chris Farrell emailed couch-surfers and woofing organisations on Norfolk Island when he decided to visit. His request was passed on to us and we offered him Mokutu as his Norfolk Island accommodation. In return, Chris helped to repopulate our images gallery with some fabulous shots of Norfolk and Mokutu. Chris has travelled all over the world on a shoestring. So what? He’s young, healthy and has time on his hands. True, but he also has Asperger’s syndrome so has more challenges than the average traveller. In fact, when he was just a very small child, his mother was told he would probably never talk or walk. He resoundingly proved the doctors wrong. While on Norfolk, he did a radio interview, addressed upper primary students at the school, showed the bartender at local nightspot, the Minibar how to mix Mojitos and met a wide cross-section of the population. Hayden and Denise at Automotive Service Centre set Chris up with a magnificent bike which he pedalled literally all over the island. The hilly terrain was no deterrent at all and […]
A-Frames @ Mokutu is a great destination for clubs or small groups on Norfolk Island. For those who are interested in a getaway to Norfolk Island, we can offer some great value rates in well-appointed 3 ½ star accommodation at Mokutu. With airfares as low as $502 return from Brisbane and $542 return from Sydney between May and August, this is a great opportunity to explore this beautiful island in the South Pacific. We are perfectly set up for groups of 12 to 20 with our A-frame chalets, suites and standalone cottage. Each type of unit has two bedrooms, separate lounge / kitchen areas and decks with outdoor settings. All are self-contained and decorated with local original artworks. To add to the convenience of your group, we have a pool, an onsite café and wifi throughout. Mokutu is just a short drive from both the town heart of Norfolk and the magnificent world heritage area of Kingston, but enjoys the serenity and peace of a picturesque setting. Every room enjoys superb views of the lush valleys and hills rolling across to the ocean. We can also offer the use of our two 22 seat Toyota Coaster buses for airport transfers […]
A-Frame Chalets @ Mokutu has recently enjoyed the company of 12 extraordinary people from islands across the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Their homelands were diverse, including the Comoros Islands, Kiribati, Palau, Tonga, Tuvalu and the Cook Islands and they were on Norfolk Island to participate in the Sustainable Islands Program, hosted by the Econorfolk Foundation and funded by the University of Sydney and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). This special group of islanders loved the island vibe at Mokutu and took advantage of the gardens and pool area to relax and chill out after each information-packed day of their intensive program. Mokutu was like a little international village while they were here. Each morning they enjoyed a generous buffet breakfast at the Sublime Lounge Café before field trips to Farmer Lou’s, the electricity generation plant, the Waste Management Centre, Bigg Fresh Farm and others as well as attending lectures and workshops at Governor’s Lodge.The final barbeque hosted for the many friends the group had made during their stay, showed just how many people contributed to this successful program. The barbeque was held in the Mokutu garden with local musician, Yoyo, playing guitar by the pool, joined by […]