Many thanks

MANY THANKS TO YOUR 3 TOUR GUIDES .

I WENT ON CONVICT KINGSTON TRAIL, ART TRAIL, and CYNTHIA'S GARDEN tours.

The three guides were very knowledgeable and made the tours fun.

I am hoping to come over again with my daughter as it is the most beautiful island of the eight islands I've seen.

Many thanks to all.

Marjorie Zieber

An evening with Archie

My wife and I have recently spent a very enjoyable time on your beautiful Island.

One of the highlights was the tour “Wonderland by Night” with Archie Bigg.  Although it was wet (torrential at the end) it was a great night listening to Archie tell his poems and showing his excellent light shows.

When we arrived home Michelle said that she would write a poem about Archie and I have attached it in case you might like to publish it sometime.

AN EVENING WITH ARCHIE

12-06-2010

We just had an evening with Archie,

Archie Bigg is the gentleman’s name

He regaled us with poems and stories

as we walked in the soaking rain

The first was about a clever old cow

then one of a convict called Barney,

Barney Duffy that is

who spent seven long years in a tree

Still it was pouring as he told of his snoring,

we laughed at the legs sticking out of the car,

A poem on tourists “ohhh the questions they ask”

There were sights to behold as the poems unfolded

of dunnies and laundry sheds

the one on “ent me” we all understood

We rounded the bend to a beautiful sight

the woodland all bathed in

a soft gold light

Right next to me was a magical tree

that reached fair up to the sky

This tree we were told was 200 years old

and was home to a beautiful bird

that returns every year to give beauty

I hear, to this pine, a grand old tree

Witches flew by in the wet night sky,

there was a visit from santa too

Wet and bedraggled we head for the shed

and were greeted with coffee and cake

Wet we might be, but we all did agree

just like that beautiful bird, we will all return

To that spiritual isle in the sea.

Thank you Archie and Wonderland, would not have missed it for quids.

Cheers

Bill and Michelle Holmes (NSW)

What a fantastic Bounty Day

On June 8 every year Norfolk Islanders celebrate the arrival of 194 salan (people) from Pitcairn Island on that day in 1856.  These people were descendants of the Bounty mutineers, and they were granted a new life on Norfolk Island by Queen Victoria when Pitcairn was no longer able to sustain them.

The celebrations begin with families congregating at Kingston Pier, dressed in period costume (right).  There is a re-enactment of the landing at Kingston Pier (right), a march to the Cenotaph where we remember those who lost their lives in past wars, a march to the cemetery to sing Norfolk hymns and lay wreaths on family graves, and then morning tea at Government House.  The highlight is a picnic lunch in the convict-built gaol compound for the Pitcairn family and friends where traditional Norfolk wetls (food) are enjoyed by all present.  There were celebratory lunches happening all across the Kingston area - at the Salt House and Emily Bay for example, and at island homes too.  One of the island's tour companies hosted lunch for 300 visitors.  Other visitors did their own 'Bounty Day' picnic too.

The picnic foods are amazing.  They are the result of days of baking.  The foods we all enjoy have European, Polynesian and American influences.  And the food leftover is enjoyed by families all across the island for days after.

The day began with fresh, cold winds, and driving showers of rain, but by march time at 10am the showers had cleared and the day was fine, sunny, but still cool.  This year the march was the largest since 2006, when we celebrated the 150th anniversary of the arrival of the Pitcairners in 1856.

At Government House the Administrator of Norfolk Island, the Hon. Owen Walsh, and Ms Walsh, hosted morning tea for the island families, just as it happened 154 years ago.  At morning tea the 'best dressed' family were the Youngs - all six of them.  It was a very popular win.

It was a wonderful time enjoyed by all. 

And in the late afternoon many of us left the picnic with a 'hili' (feeling very lazy), and slept the rest of the afternoon away.  Long may the Bounty Day tradition continue.

Singing Norfolk songs on the march; and hundreds march along Quality Row to the cemetery

The picnic in the gaol compound

After the picnic - Ai gat ' hili (I am so lazy)

Dining at Norfolk Blue

We are blessed in The World of Norfolk with some wonderful eating places. In fact there are over 20 of them and they provide cheap and cheerful meals right through to fine dining.

And one of the newest is Norfolk Blue at 100 Acres. Owned by Robyn and Paul (Jap) Menghetti, this restaurant, bar and grill is a ‘must do’ whether you live here, or are visiting.

The setting is magnificent. The restaurant is in an old Norfolk Island home set in lush sub-tropical grounds, with some of the most beautiful shrubs, ferns and flowers imaginable. It is a magic space. The restaurant is approached along the avenue of old fig trees that is so well-known and loved by so many, and it does something good to the soul as you pass by these wonderful trees.

The BAUNTI team enjoyed lunch there on Sunday. The food was a delight. We enjoyed entrees of pork spring rolls, seafood chowder soup, and cannelloni, with herb and garlic bread. Main courses included herb crusted chicken with mango sauce, mushrooms with fetta cheese, sundried tomatoes and polenta chips, with an avocado and garden salad. But the house specialty is the house cuts of steak, and Joade enjoyed a 300 gram cut of scotch fillet, medium done, with mushroom sauce. Yum! And the desserts made Deb and my day. We chose the warm chocolate pudding with baileys fudge sauce, cream, and berries. It was superb. Deb suggested it just might be the best ever!

What a delightful afternoon with friends it was.

The chocolate fudge dessert - yum!

The fig trees

Poinsettia at Norfolk Blue