Norfolk Islands

 

 

Norfolk Island is a small island in the Pacific Ocean located between Australia, New Zealand and New Caledonia. It and two neighboring islands form one of Australia's external territories.

Discovered by Captain James Cook in 1774, it was claimed by him for Great Britain and named in honor of the Duchess of Norfolk. Cook sailed on, and the island was to remain uninhabited for a further 14 years. Since then the island has seen two penal settlements come and go, the second of which was the most brutal ever established by Britain.

In 1856 the island received those who call it home to this day - the Pitcairners, descendants of the Bounty Mutineers.

After the creation of the Commonwealth of Australia in 1901, Norfolk Island was placed under the authority of the new Commonwealth government to be administered as an external territory.

In 1979, Norfolk was granted limited self-government by Australia, under which the island elects a government that runs most of the island's affairs. As such, residents of Norfolk Island are not represented in the Commonwealth Parliament of Australia, making them the only group of residents of an Australian state or territory not represented there