Norfolk Island History, Culture & Heritage Educational Tour

Convict History, Island Life & Living Heritage

Tour Overview

Norfolk Island History, Culture & Heritage Educational Tour is an immersive 8-day program designed for students to explore the unique cultural, historical, and natural environment of Norfolk Island. This tour covers the island’s convict history, Pitcairn Islander settlement, and modern-day island life, blending experiential learning with hands-on cultural, historical, and ecological activities.

Students examine convict-era architecture, heritage preservation, traditional practices, and community life, alongside outdoor learning at botanical gardens, coastal landscapes, and local farms. This program supports inquiry-based learning across History, Humanities, Geography, Environmental Studies, and Cultural Studies, making it ideal for primary, secondary, and tertiary students.

Through interactive experiences such as mystery dinners, bushwalks, and culinary or craft activities, students gain a holistic understanding of Norfolk Island’s people, place, and heritage.

Sample Day-by-Day Itinerary

Indicative program – all activities can be tailored to learning outcomes and year levels

Day 1 – Arrival & Island Orientation

  • Arrival and orientation to surroundings

  • Introduction to island geography and culture
    Learning Focus: Place-based learning, spatial awareness

Day 2 – Settlement History & Cultural Exploration

  • Island Discovery Tour

  • Pitcairn Settlers Village guided visit

  • Lantern Lit Ghost Tour highlighting historical stories
    Learning Focus: Colonial history, migration, cultural storytelling

Day 3 – Convict History & Performing Arts

  • Church and market visit

  • Convict Kingston Tour exploring heritage buildings

  • “Who Killed the Surveyor?” Mystery Dinner interactive history experience
    Learning Focus: Heritage interpretation, active learning, historical inquiry

Day 4 – Outdoor Learning & Ecology

  • Botanical Gardens or convict ruins exploration

  • Swim at Emily Bay

  • Bushwalk linking geography, ecology, and sustainability

  • Optional Bounty Museum visit
    Learning Focus: Ecology, landforms, historical landscapes

Day 5 – Literature & Living Culture

  • Colleen McCullough home tour

  • Norfolk culture tour

  • Progressive dinner with locals
    Learning Focus: Local culture, storytelling, community engagement

Day 6 – Industry, Agriculture & Island Today

  • Norfolk Today Tour

  • Farm & industry visit highlighting sustainable practices
    Learning Focus: Land use, agriculture, sustainability

Day 7 – Nature & Local Cuisine

  • Breakfast bushwalk

  • Taste of Norfolk tour featuring local produce

  • Baunti Fish Fry experiential learning
    Learning Focus: Food systems, natural resources, community culture

Day 8 – Art, Heritage & Departure

  • Cyclorama visit interpreting Norfolk Island history

  • Final reflection and departure
    Learning Focus: Heritage interpretation, critical reflection

Key Learning Areas

Subjects Supported

  • History

  • Humanities & Social Sciences (HASS)

  • Geography

  • Cultural Studies

  • Environmental & Sustainability Studies

Curriculum Connections

  • Convict settlement history and colonial heritage

  • Pitcairn Islander migration and community structures

  • Cultural identity, traditions, and storytelling

  • Island geography, ecosystems, and sustainability

  • Observation, fieldwork, and critical analysis

  • Heritage management and community engagement

Suitability by Education Level

Secondary School (Years 7–12)

  • Curriculum-aligned historical and geographical investigation

  • Hands-on learning in heritage, community engagement, and environmental studies

  • Supports assessment tasks and inquiry-based projects

Tertiary & Vocational

  • In-depth study of heritage management, tourism, and community sustainability

  • Applied fieldwork and research opportunities

Customisation Options

  • Adjust tour length or daily focus

  • Tailor learning outcomes by subject or year level

  • Incorporate assessment-linked activities

  • Suitable for single-school or multi-school groups

Plan Your Tasmania Educational Tour

Work with Team of Travel’s tour coordinators to tailor this itinerary to your students’ curriculum requirements, learning objectives and preferred travel dates.