Report on Don & Sue Brian's Folk History Tour of Norfolk Island, 2016

Click on pictures for full-screen image

(all photos © Sandra Nixon)

Pine sighted by Captain Cook in 1774 who saw Norfolk Island pines as masts for Naval ships.

Quality Row & Kingston from above
10 BMC members & 4 folkie friends of BMC were among the 30+ people on Don & Sue Brian's recent 7-day Norfolk Island Folk History tour. Don & Sue spent 5 years on the Island & researched the convict, whaling & Bounty history. Don's fellow Roaring Forties members Chris Maltby & Margaret Walters joined him in presenting the songs he located. A great time was had by all.

Don & Sue have since discovered more fascinating information, and will have even more by late August 2017 when they present their second tour. Preliminary details are on the Norfolk Island Travel Centre site for those who are interested in joining them.
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Why the tall Norfolk Pines were no use for ship's masts -

 
 the branches grew out of/into the trunk. But the wood has many other uses. (Sandra Nixon photo)

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Unearthing Norfolk Island's untold stories


Earliest existing gravestone, 1794

Thomas Wright, Australia's oldest convict - sentenced to Botany Bay in 1799 aged 60 & to Norfolk Island in 1839 aged 102!

American whalers spent a lot of time on the Island & in the area.


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Tales from the artifacts (museums)

Sirius anchor

Convict built settee, 1830s

Whalebone arch 1975

Whalebones inside museum, 2016

Whalebone milking stool
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Convicts of the Second Settlement - The New Gaol, a pentagonal prison




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Norfolk Island on the Middle Ground. The Middle Ground was the whaling grounds in the Pacific - between the Arctic & Antarctic grounds.

Sydney, Norfolk Island, later renamed Kingston

Whaling station

Heave away to the south, me lads
Where sperm whales do dwell
Distribution of whale kills by American ships, 19th century
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Pitcairn Settlers Village tour including a talk by builders of replica of local NI whale boat 'Rhonda' & a plaiting class by Sue!






Blacksmith's shop

Modern replica whaleboat Rhonda and tools from the whaling days
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Musical tales of the land & sea








back - Sue Brian, Gavin Holmes, Chris Maltby, Don Brian, Sharyn Mattern, Louise Murray, Prue Cancian.
front - Moir Holmes, Sandra Nixon, Chris Woodland, Margaret Walters, Dale Dengate.
(photos - Sandra Nixon)

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