Kingston (Norfolk Island) see · Kingston (Norfolk Island) attractions
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Kingston (Norfolk Island) attractions
Kingston (Norfolk Island) attractions
The major attraction of Kingston is the ruins, predominantly dating from the penal settlement and often functioning as semi-museums with plaques giving a brief explanation of what the building was used for. The old salthouse is a particularly picturesque sight and appears on many postcards, however it is far from the only attraction in Kingston.
The other part of Kingston is the houses of Quality Row. These were originally built for use by the military officers of the penal settlement, and were then used as residences by the Pitcairn settlers after the closure of the penal settlement. Most of these old houses are restored to some degree, with one even functioning as a church with regular worship services. Ask at the information bureau in Burnt Pine about the opening hours of these houses, as hours change with varying restoration programs.
Kingston is also the site of Emily Bay, the only safe swimming beach on the island*. Protected from the Pacific surf by a natural coral reef, Emily Bay is a social location for locals, as well as home to the competing Glass Bottom Boat (Glaas Bohtem Boet, in the local language) companies. A trip on one of these boats is highly recommended.
Finally, Kingston is the site of the Norfolk Island Golf Club. With a clubhouse housed in a converted Quality Row house, this 9-hole course is famous for having the largest water hazard on earth - the Pacific Ocean, a real risk of taking any balls sliced off the fourth tee. There are frequent competitions for locals and tourists alike, and players of all abilities are welcome to pay the nominal fees to hire clubs and have a social round.
*There are several other bays on Norfolk Island, but Emily Bay is the only one from which swimming should be attempted, as the tides on the other bays are notoriously unpredictable.
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Kingston (Norfolk Island) Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.