Worst of the Worst: Norfolk Island Museum

Worst of the Worst: Norfolk Island Museum

Once infamous as a place of suffering and described as a place for the ‘most depraved and dissolute characters’, Norfolk Island has undergone a remarkable transformation from an ‘Ocean Hell’ to ‘Paradise on Earth’.

June 2025 marked 200 years since the start of the notorious penal settlement – the second British attempt to use the island strategically. This settlement endured longer than the first colonial British Settlement (1788-1814), cementing Norfolk Island’s grim reputation as the dreaded ‘Isle of despair’ and ‘Ocean Hell’.

By the 1820s, bushrangers and incorrigibles – repeat offenders who had already been convicted and transported at least once before – posed increasing challenges to colonial authorities. In response, the British government sought new, more remote penal settlements. Isolated and seemingly inescapable, Norfolk Island was deemed an ideal prison site.

In 1825, Captain Richard Turton arrived with a military detachment, 57 convicts, 6 women, and 6 children to establish the new British settlement. Initially they camped amid the ruins of the previous settlement which had been abandoned for 11 years. By December, additional convicts arrived, and the settlement expanded, marking the start of its grim penal history.

Worst of the Worst?

Over the 30 years from 1825 to 1855, some 6,500 men were transported to Norfolk Island. Despite its reputation as a place for the doubly convicted and serious criminals, the majority of convicts had committed petty offenses. Nearly 70 per cent were transported for non-violent property crimes, including burglary, pickpocketing, and theft, with almost 50 percent of convicts sent for their first conviction.

Hard Labour and Harsh Realities

Convict life was defined by hardship. Work began at sunrise and continued until sundown, with one hour for breakfast and one hour for dinner. Meals were originally served in the Prisoners’ Barracks before being moved to the mess yard, located near the open privies and dust-filled Lumberyard.

Labour was described as “hard, incessant, irksome, and eternal”. Convicts endured relentless physical toil, including rock-breaking, road construction, hand-tilling fields, operating the crankmill, and transporting heavy building materials.

If transportation to Norfolk Island was not punishment enough, some convicts committed further crimes. Punishment on the island was severe – those who defied authority faced brutal disciplinary measures, from floggings, heavy leg irons to solitary confinement in dark, suffocating cells – and even execution.

Odd Jobs

Not all convict jobs involved back-breaking labour. Some convicts obtained trusted positions as overseers, police runners, constables, clerks, and watchmen – essential roles that kept Norfolk Island’s penal settlement functioning.

Convicts volunteered or were appointed to these positions in exchange for sentence reductions, earlier tickets-of-leave or small salaries.

The island even had the first surf lifesavers of Australia – a gang of convicts nicknamed ‘the Water-rats’ who assisted boats that had overturned while trying to land at Kingston. For their gallantry, a number of them received reduced sentences.

The Soldier’s Life

The military played a crucial role in maintaining order on Norfolk Island during its time as a penal settlement. From the reoccupation in 1825 until the settlement’s closure in the 1850s, soldiers were stationed here to enforce discipline, suppress uprisings, and oversee convict labour.

Although their conditions were far better than those of the prisoners, soldiers endured hardships of their own. After deductions for rations, regimental necessities, clothing, and laundry, a soldier’s daily earnings amounted to just three pence—a meagre sum for a life of discipline and duty. But soldiers were often a cause of concern for commandants as they were a key source of contraband (such as tobacco) for prisoners, and even involved in daring escape attempts!

Two military barracks were constructed on the island and can be visited in Kingston. Today, the Old Military Barracks is used by Courts and Registry, and the New Military Barracks is home to offices for the island’s Administrator, KAVHA Maintenance, Museums and the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts.

Ruling the Settlement

Commandants played a crucial role in shaping its administration, discipline, and infrastructure of Norfolk Island’s Penal Settlement. From its re-establishment in 1825 under Captain Richard Turton to its final days under Thomas Samuel Stuart, a humble storekeeper, these figures shaped the island’s administration, discipline and infrastructure.

Some commandants ruled with an iron fist, enforcing brutal punishments that cemented Norfolk Island’s reputation as a place of extreme suffering. Others, like Captain Alexander Maconochie, sought reform, introducing rehabilitative measures that challenged the penal system’s harsh conventions. Maconochie’s ‘Marks System’ and his experiment on Norfolk Island later formed to basis for parole within the judicial system. 

Today, you can step back in time and see what life was like for the Commandant at Government House, which is open to the public once a month, with proceeds supporting local charities.

More than just Kingston

Originally known as Sydney during the First Colonial settlement (1788–1814), the main township was rebuilt over its ruins and renamed ‘Kings Town’ during the Second Penal Settlement (1825–1855). Over time, the name evolved into Kingston, which remains today.

Unlike the earlier Colonial settlement, where the island was divided into grants, the penal settlement was structured around government-controlled farms, police stations, and agricultural outstations, ensuring convict labour was fully utilised.

The other main settlement areas included Cascade and Longridge, with smaller agricultural farms dotted around the island. As you travel around today, you can still see remains of these outstation buildings.

End of an Era

By the mid-19th century, Britain’s approach to convict transportation was shifting. The Prison Act of 1835 led to the gradual abolition of transportation: New South Wales in 1840, Norfolk Island in 1847, Van Diemen’s Land (Tasmania) in 1853 and Western Australia in 1868.

Following the Molesworth Commission’s damning report on convict treatment, Norfolk Island’s penal settlement was gradually wound down. By 1847, the British government had decided to phase out the settlement and by October 1854, only 119 convicts remained on the island. Many convicts were transferred to Van Diemen’s Land, marking the end of the island’s brutal reputation.

The Storekeeper was left in charge of the settlement from 1855 to 1856 to welcome the new residents of Norfolk Island from remote Pitcairn Island.

World Heritage – Preserving the Past

In 2010, Kingston’s historical significance was formally recognised with its inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage List as part of the Australian Convict Sites. This prestigious designation underscores Kingston’s role, not only in Australia’s history, but in the broader global narrative of penal transportation and colonial expansion.

The World Heritage listing acknowledges Kingston’s exceptional value in illustrating the processes of convict transportation, colonial settlement and the far-reaching impact of the British penal system. Its convict-built structures, along with key architectural and archaeological achievements, offer a window into the labour and craftsmanship of the time.

This recognition comes with an ongoing responsibility to preserve and interpret Kingston’s heritage. Conservation efforts, guided by research and collaboration between local and international experts, ensure that Kingston remains accessible, engaging, and safeguarded for future generations.

Today, as you walk through Kingston’s convict-built ruins, you’re not just stepping into history – you’re witnessingthe resilience of those who endured, and the transformation of a place once feared, into one cherished.

Image Credit: Robin Nisbet 

Article content disclaimer: Article first published in Discover Norfolk, Volume 08 Issue 02, 2025. Please note that details of specific travel, accommodation and touring options may be outdated. References to people, places and businesses, including operating days and times may be have changed. References to Government structure and Government businesses/entities may no longer be applicable. Please check directly with businesses and/or Government websites directly rather than relying on any information contained in this article before you make travel arrangements.