History and romance on tap at Norfolk Island

Few places in the world conjure images of adventure and the romantic age of sail as the magnificent Norfolk island, situated in the Pacific Ocean between Australia and New Zealand.

The first known settlers there were Polynesians, but they had left when Great Britain arrived on Norfolk with convicts and soldiers in March 1788. The picturesque island served as a harsh penal settlement for almost 70 years until descendants of the mutineers from Captain Bligh’s ship the Bounty were relocated from Pitcairn Island. In 1914, Britain handed Norfolk over to Australia to administer as an external territory.

Today the island, symbolised by its iconic Norfolk pines, is an ocean paradise that delights visitors all year round.

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Craig Clark, from CRE Brokers, is marketing one of Norfolk Island’s most popular accommodation properties, Castaway Resort & Norfolk Island Brewing.

That’s right. A resort with its own brewery. No wonder it’s popular.

The Castaway is a successful and beautifully appointed property with 20 units, high occupancy and great forward bookings. It is an oasis of calm in the centre of Norfolk, and all the rooms are of a stylish, modern design.

All the work has been done with high-level detail. Mr. Clark said the Castaway offered “a perfect mix of accommodation and food and beverage operations”.

“It’s an all-inclusive destination property in its own right,” he said.

“Norfolk has a very romantic image and this is a really lovely resort. A hotel with its own brewery – you can’t go wrong.”

Included in the offering is a manager’s residence and a 140-seat restaurant offering a la carte cuisine, cocktails, tap beer from the brewery and a fully renovated commercial kitchen.

The microbrewery was commissioned in June 2020 and brews hand-crafted beer and cider. It has become established as a highly marketable trademark brand with full manufacturer’s and liquor licence showing outstanding year-on-year performance. Staff are fully trained and the demand is so high, the owners have limited the sale of products to on-premises only.

The Castaway is located in the heart of the Burnt Pine shopping and café precinct.

The accommodation is comprised of 10 hotel-style rooms with walk-in showers, and private balconies with sea and island views: nine one-bedroom (interconnecting available) units, and one two-bedroom self-contained apartment.

The property is on offer at $4.1 million.

Norfolk Island is 1500km east of Brisbane and 700km south of New Caledonia.

It has a rich and extraordinary history.

The island was uninhabited when first settled by Europeans, but archaeologists believe Polynesians from New Zealand, and perhaps Melanesians from New Caledonia, probably lived there in the 1300s.

The first European known to have sighted and landed on the island was Captain James Cook, on 10 October 1774, on his second voyage to the South Pacific on HMS Resolution. He named it after Mary Howard, Duchess of Norfolk.

Its history as a harsh convict settlement in such a beautiful location made it world famous.

The Kingston and Arthur’s Vale Historic Area (KAVHA) on Norfolk is a World Heritage site. One of Australia’s most interesting and important heritage sites, KAVHA bills itself as “a living showcase of Polynesian, convict and Pitcairn Islander history.”

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