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 […]
A-Frame Chalets @ Mokutu is a great place to explore from during your holiday on Norfolk Island, at your own pace, on a bicycle. Located just 4 km from Burnt Pine township and 2.5 km from Kingston’s historic district, Mokutu makes a convenient base to explore, and offers commanding views of the sea and sunset! The island is very hilly in some parts so I suggest a reasonable level of fitness for cycling round the island. As a recent guest I cycled to Kingston and toward the Anson Bay area as well as other parts of the island. A bicycle is perfect for a day trip as nothing on the island is more than a few kilometres from each other. Some of the roads are heavily potholed, particularly those on the southwestern section of the island. The roads in and around Burnt Pine and Kingston are in much better shape. The only real danger on the road aside from potholes is cattle, which have the right of way. In all I cycled nearly 100 km in a week on the island. Bicycles are for hire from Hayden Bell at the Automotive Service Centre. He’s a cycling enthusiast who will make sure he […]
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 […]