Our own tour. Wednesday 9th August 2017

Off to do our own exploring today and our first call Is Mt Pitt(319m) Then walk to the top of Mt Bates. (321m)

View from Mt Pitt to Phillips Isaland

There is quite a bit of communications gear set up on Mt Bates and Mt Pitt dating back to WW2.

We have learnt quite a lot since we arrived here about the Norfolk Pine.

When the trees are young the branches are erect.

As they get older the branches are more horizontal

When they are old, the branches are downright floppy!

The path is a bit slippery and I wish I had put my tramping pole in as I intended to do. I could also have used it to wave away the native fantails - lighter in colour and bigger in body than NZ's but they still flutter! Lucky we had a clearday for the panoramic view.

But a really like the parts of the walkway where there are metal grids with a stuck-on sand top.

Our next stop is the Botanical Gardens which have several well tended walkways and an informative information centre. (all free)

This is a large model of the green parrot which now seems quite abundant after a period where it neared extinction. The underside of the wings is iridescent blue and its head and spine are red. It looks wonderful in flight - we see them often from our unit.

This is the story of the only Norfolk Island Owl - yes only one. They decided she was a close enough fit to New Zealand's Morepork and brought two males over. One fast disappeared but the other liked what he saw and within a short time there was the essence of a thriving colony. We heard them every night at our unit.

What's this convolvulus doing in a Botanical garden?

Modern rat traps

Duncan tangles with Samson's Sinew

We are now heading to the Northwest corner of the island with viewing points at Puppy's Point, Anson Bay, Fisherman's Lane and then a steep drive to the Captain Cook Monument and view his first landing spot.

Our car didn't have 4 wheel drive so we didn't reach the wonderful looking beach in this bay

Captain Cooks first landing place is in the front bay and Duncombe Bay is beyond the reef.

From The Captain Cook Memorial looking towards a series of interesting rocky outcrops.

By now we were quite hungry, but a number of cafes in this area are closed for the winter so we headed back into town for a meal at the Golden Orb.
Now this is "Our" tour. So you can guess where we head to next - Two Chimneys Winery. We had a pleasant surprise as all the Wines were of a good standard, we had a very good host.... and we ended up bringing half a dozen back to NZ with us!!
Back to the unit for a beer/cider on the deck and read our books until we dropped off to sleep. We cooked tea there and then headed off to Wonderland by Night (you guessed it -we had a voucher). It started 19 years ago as Poetry Under The Stars, but had very poor attendance until the name change. We had 80 there (maximum) the night we went. It was a series of dioramas amongst the trees with amusing poetry by Archie Biggs (we saw him in the cafe next day - he is getting on a bit and so a young woman from Hamilton with family links to Norfolk Island read the poetry)

This is Barney Duffy, a prisoner who mutinied at the gaol. He escaped and based himself in a tree hollow for seven years. Eventually he was tracked down by the Militia and they took him to be hanged. On the gallows he put a curse on the men who bought him in. They were killed in a freak fishing accident in the following month.

The old wash house with Reckitts Blue, wooden pegs, concrete tubs and sunlight soap.

The children's area had nursery rhyme characters , a few witches and even Santa Claus flew past!!

It was very entertaining and even Duncan  - who was a reluctant starter - enjoyed it. Tea and cake followed the walk.