We don’t just have a convict history – we have two (more or less one after the other). Firstly, Governor Arthur Philip established a prison colony here in 1788, but this only lasted a few years. The island then lay abandoned until a second, much harsher, penal colony lasted from 1825 until 1856. Thankfully, things are much more peaceful now. But so important is our convict past – we’ve been nominated for World Heritage listing.
For further information about Norfolk Island's convict history, check out www.kavha.gov.nf