Off to the Golden Orb cafe for breakfast this morning. And they could make a proper flat white coffee too. An enjoyable breakfast.
In the last week, we had been to the Kingston area a few times but hadn't spent a lot of time actually exploring. Today was the day.
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| The Prisoners Barracks |
Started at the foreshore area at the New Jail, where we were the other day. From there to the Prisoner's Barracks and on to the Lime Kiln and Salt House. The Lime kiln, where they reduced the limestone from nearby Napean Island to lime for mortar, and the Salt House, where they evaporated seawater to collect salt, an important part of their rations.
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| The Lime Kiln |
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The Salt House
Across the road is the site of the only remnants of the Polynesian Settlement, which preceded the First Penal Colony in 1788. Archaeological remains suggest a single phase of occupation in the period between c. 1150 and c. 1450 AD, with settlers probably arriving from East Polynesia by way of the Kermadec Islands. Other evidence included the discovery of bananas growing in Arthur’s Vale in 1788, stone artefacts and the wreckage of a canoe at Ball’s Bay and various Polynesian artefacts recovered from this site. |
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Archaeological dig - Polynesian Settlement
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Next stop was the cemetery. So many young deaths and so many from drowning. There are two parts to the cemetery. The Penal Colony cemetery and one for the present day. We even found Colleen McCollough's grave stone.
Quality Row, as it has been called since the arrival of the Pitcain Islanders (previously Military Row) has many buildings that date from the second penal colony and have been restored. Some are even used as private residences. There are a couple that are now museums, which we visited. One was the home of the Engineer and the other the Forman of Works. These guys had it pretty good, so different from the poor wretches contained in the New Prison and the Prisoner's Barracks.
We completed our exploring with a quick stop at the New Military Barracks and a longer visit to the Commissariat Store, the top floor of which was turned into a church (All Saints Church) for the Pitcain Islanders on their arrival. It's still where the Anglican congregation of Norfolk Island meets.
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The New Military Barracks
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| The Commissariat Store & All Saints Church |
By this stage, we were exhausted. Back to Endeavour Lodge via Queen Elizabeth Lookout for one last look over Kingston and then a well-earned rest.
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| Quality Row, Kingston, Norfolk Island |
Drove back into Burnt Pine this evening for dinner at the Leagues Club. Another dinner of local trumpeter fish for me and a Chicken Teriyaki for Jill. All quite nice.
