Norfolk Island - Facts

Norfolk Island FAQs

Pre-Arrival Boat:  Norfolk Island is an external territory of Australia and therefore subject to the same requirements as mainland Australia. Australian Border Force require an Advance Notice of Arrival (ANA) (see Clearance for details) and the Department of Agriculture, Fishers and Forestry (DAFF) require a Pre-Arrival Report (PAR). See Biosecurity for details.
Pre-Arrival Crew:   All nationalities, with the sole exception of New Zealanders, must obtain a visa in advance or be registered as an eVisitor.  See Immigration for details.
Where can I enter? Kingston is only Port of Entry on the island. Landing is either at the Cascade Jetty or Kingston Jetty depending on the weather.
Are fees high to enter by yacht? The Australian Border Force does not levy any charge for clearance. However, the Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry operates on a full cost recovery basis. See Fees for more information.
What security and safety concerns should I know about?   Due to an isolated location and tight-knit community, Norfolk Island is a very safe place to visit. There are no snakes on the island but visitors should be be mindful of weather conditions, which can change quickly.

Norfolk Island Facts for Sailors

• Norfolk Island is an Australian External Territory. In 2015 The Australian Government revoked the Island's existing semi-independent status and it is now part of the state of New South Wales.
• It lies 1700kms (1060 miles) northeast of Sydney and 900kms (560 miles) from Lord Howe Island.
• Half the island's population of 1700 residents are descendants from Pitcairn Island who relocated to Norfolk in 1856.
• The co-official languages are English and Norfuk which is a blend of 18th century English and Tahitian.
• The currency is the Australian dollar (AUD).  For details see General Info.
• The island has one standard time zone and one Daylight Saving time zone.  For details see General Info.
• The island's main export is the evergreen Norfolk Pine, which is popular in Australia and elsewhere.
• Norfolk Island is a pleasant stopover halfway between New Caledonia and New Zealand.
• The climate is described as a warm marine subtropical climate with temperatures between 10 Deg C and 28 Deg C.  See the Weather section for detailed info.
• While there are a number of anchorages around the island none can be considered safe in all weather conditions. Therefore, a boat should never be left unattended and crew should only go ashore in settled weather. Yachts have been lost at Norfolk Island through ignoring this warning.
• It is also wise not to approach the island at night, as there are no lead lights or markers. There are some semi-submerged rocks around close to the island.
• For information on anchoring, see Kingston/Docking.
• For details of supplies, see Yachting Essentials.