| 3,000,000 years ago |
Norfolk Island formed from lava erupting from unknown event. The island has been reduced to about 1/3 of its original size by erosion and weathering since then. |
| 1000 - 1400 |
In this period, at lease one Eastern Polynesian group arrived on Norfolk Island, probably from the Cook or Society Islands or North Island of New Zealand. |
| 1400 - 1774 |
Possibly another Polynesian group arrived, most likely from the South Island of New Zealand. Bananas were established in the present-day Kingston area by one of the first or second groups. |
| 1522 |
Portuguese Cristovao de Mendonca probably first European to sight Australia. |
| 1606 - 1696 |
Succession of Dutch, Portuguese and English sailors including Jantz, Hartog, Carstenz, Tasman and Dampier visit parts of Australia. |
| 1728, Oct 27 |
James Cook born in Yorkshire, England |
| 1754, Sep 9 |
William Bligh born in Plymouth, England |
| 1764, Sep 25 |
Fletcher Christian born Morland Close, Cumbria |
| 1768 - 1771 |
James Cook's first Pacific voyage, observes transit of Venus at Tahiti, circumnavigates and charts New Zealand, Tupaia, a native of Tahiti, draws Cook navigational map showing 74 islands centred on Society Islands, proving that Polynesians had considerable knowledge of both near and distant island groups. |
| 1772, Jul |
Captain James Cook leaves Plymouth with Resolution and Adventure on second Pacific voyage. |
| 1774, Oct 10 |
Captain James Cook in Resolution discovers Norfolk Island |
| 1776 - 1779 |
Cook's Third Pacific Voyage |
| 1779, Feb 14 |
Cook killed by Hawaiians at Kealakekua Bay, Hawaii. Due to illness of Lieutenants Clark and King, William Bligh, as Salling Master on Resolution, assumed command of the Resolution and Discovery. |
| 1787, May 13 |
First Fleet sails for Botany Bay |
| 1787, Dec 23 |
Under command of William Bligh, H.M. Armed Vessel Bounty with 46 men and boys aboard leaves Spithead to collect plants from Tahiti and Java to replant in the West Indies, providing a cheap food for sugar plantation slaves. |
| 1788, Jan 19 |
First Fleet arrives at Botany Bay. Phillip decides site not best site for settlement. |
| 1788, Jan 26 |
First Fleet finally anchors at Sydney Cove, Port Jackson. By 28 January all convicts disembarked. |
| 1788, Feb 14 |
Lt. Phillip Gidley King, accompanied by 22 people, including 9 male and 6 female convicts leaves Sydney in H.M. Brig Supply to establish a settlement on Norfolk Island. |
| 1788, Feb 29 |
King's party sights land: Phillip Island (small island approximately 6km south of Norfolk Island), named after Governor Arthur Phillip |
| 1788, Mar 6 |
King disembarks group at Sydney Bay, Kingston, Norfolk Island |
| 1788, Oct 2 |
Vessel Golden Grove sails from Sydney for Norfolk Island with the second group of 42 settlers |
| 1788, Oct 26 |
Bounty anchors at Matava Bay, Tahiti |
| 1789, Jan |
Ann Inett, Gidley Kings convict mistress, gives birth to son, who King names "Norfolk" - first known birth at Norfolk Island. |
| 1789, Apr 4 |
After 5 months stay, by which time crew and officers cement friendship with Tahitians and discipline has become lax. The Bounty leaves Tahiti with a full cargo of breadfruit plants. |
| 1789, Apr 28 |
Bounty crew mutineers, Bligh cast a drift with 18 companions in Bounty's 23 foot (7m) open launch. Some of Bligh's loyalists unable to go in the launch because it was already dangerously overloaded. |
| 1789, Jun 14 |
Bounty's launch arrives at Koupang in Dutch Timor. In 41 days with minimal navigational aids, Bligh completed an epic voyage of 3618 nautical miles (6705 kilometres). They arrived in Timor many days earlier than Bligh had expected. |
| 1789, Jun 7 |
Mutineers arrive back at Tahiti. Christian enticed or kidnapped wives for his crew and collected goats, pigs, and other animals. The crew transported the women and animals to an island, Toobouai, 350 miles south of Tahiti. After being attacked by natives, the crew decided to return to Tahiti. |
| 1789, Sep 23 |
Nine mutineers sail from Tahiti on board the Bounty, with their wives, 6 Polynesian men and a female baby. |
| 1790, Jan 15 |
Bounty arrives at Pitcairn Island |
| 1790, Jan 23 |
HMS Bounty burned in Bounty Bay, Pitcairn Island |
| 1790, Mar |
HMS Sirius, the flagship of the First Fleet, bringing supplies to Norfolk Island, wrecked on the reef at Sydney Bay, Norfolk Island |
| 1790, Jun |
Second Fleet arrives at Sydney. Overcrowding and lack of food result in death rate of 25% of the mainly young men and teenage boys aboard - 40% died within 8 months of arriving. |
| 1790, Oct 11 |
William Charles Wentworth born at Norfolk Island around this time. |
| 1791 |
Third Fleet arrived at Sydney |
| 1792, May |
Population of Norfolk Island 1156, including guards and soldiers, women and children, free settlers, time-expired convicts and 874 serving convicts |
| 1791, Aug 28 |
H.M.S Pandora commanded by Captain Edward Edwards carrying 14 of the mutineers captured at Tahiti, runs aground on Great Barrier Reef and sinks. Four mutineers, still locked in Pandora's Box on deck, and 35 of ship's company, were lost. |
| 1792, Sep |
Norfolk Island Population 1,115 |
| 1792, Sep 12 |
Trial of mutineers begins at Portsmouth some 3 years after the mutiny. Four acquitted, six sentenced to death for mutiny and desertion. However, the court recommended the King's Mercy for two, who were pardoned, one man discharged on a technicality and three (Ellison, Burkitt and Millward) sentenced to hang. |
| 1792, Oct 29 |
Mutineers Ellison, Burkitt and Millward were publicly hanged on board H.M.S. Brunswick. |
| 1793 |
Mutineers William Brown, Isaac Martin, John Mills and Fletcher Christian are killed by Polynesians on Pitcairn Island in bloody disputes over women and work on the Island. |
| 1793, Nov 9 |
Lieutenant Philip Gidley King notes that Norfolk Island should be transferred to New Zealand. |
| 1793, Dec |
Australia's first State-assisted school begun by Lt. Philip Gidley King in Norfolk Island. |
| 1798 |
Mutineer William McCoy, in drunken delirium, ties a stone around his neck and throws himself into the sea at Pitcairn Island. |
| 1798, Oct 7 |
Sloop Norfolk, 25 tonnes, built on Norfolk from Norfolk Pine, sailed from Sydney Cove under Lieutenant Matthew Flinders and crew of 8 on exploratory voyage. Circumnavigates Van Diemen's Land, proving it not part of the mainland, Vessel had been confiscated by Governor Hunter on its arrival at Port Jackson in June, as construction of boats large enough for convicts to seize and escape was forbidden under standing orders to Commandants. |
| 1799 |
After becoming violent and threatening, mutineer Matthew Quintal is executed, probably at the behest of John Adams on Pitcairn Island. |
| 1800 |
Mutineer Edward Young dies of an asthma attack on Pitcairn Island. John Adams is the only remaining adult male on the Island. |
| 1800, Sep 28 |
Philip Gidley King replaces John Hunter as Governor of New South Wales. |
| 1804 |
Norfolk Island population 1,104 - free settlers and emancipated convicts outnumber serving convicts. |
| 1806, Aug 13 |
Captain William Bligh succeeded Philip Gidley King as Governor of New South Wales. |
| 1808, Feb 6 |
Captain Mayhew Floger on US whaler Topaz discovers Bounty mutineers' settlement on Pitcairn, only mutineer still alive is John Adams |
| 1814, Feb |
First penal settlement closed, most of the wooden buildings destroyed and the Island abandoned. Convicts and free settlers were all moved to Van Diemen's Land. |
| 1825 |
Second convict settlement established as a place of extremist punishment at Norfolk Island |
| 1829, Mar 5 |
John Adams dies on Pitcairn |
| 1838, Nov 30 |
A Constitution for Pitcairn Island, drawn up with the help of Captain Elliot and H.M.S. Fly, was signed aboard the Fly. Edward Quintal becomes First Magistrate. It was the first British Constitution incorporating female suffrage and the Pitcairners date their formal incorporation into the British Empire from the signing of this document. |
| 1840, May |
Convict transportation to NSW ceased but continued to Van Diemen's Land and Port Phillip district. |
| 1853 |
Transportation to Van Diemen's Land officially ended; last ship carrying convicts arrived in Hobart in May. |
| 1855 |
Van Dieman's Land adopted name Tasmania. |
| 1856, Jun 8 |
Last convict settlement people leave Norfolk Island as Pitcairn people arrive on the ship Morayshire. The Morayshire brought 194 persons (40 men, 47 women, 54 boys, 53 girls) |
| 1856, Jun 24 |
An Order in Council issued by Queen Victoria separating Norfolk from Van Dieman's Land and making it a distinct and separate settlement the affairs of which were to be administered by the Governor of New South Wales. |
| 1858, Dec 2 |
Moses and Mayhew Young, with their wives and twelve children, leave Norfolk Island on schooner Mary Ann to return to Pitcairn Island. They arrive 17 January 1859 |
| 1859 |
Whaling industry established. Population 221 |
| 1863, Dec |
18 Twenty-seven more Pitcairners leave Norfolk in schooner St Kilda to return to Pitcairn. The included Thursday October Christian, Robert Buffett, Samuel Warren (a mainlander married to Thursday O. Christian's daughter), and Simon Young, together with family members. Arrive Pitcairn early February 1864. |
| 1791 |
Melanesian Mission granted 100 acres (40 hectares) and allowed to buy a further 935 acres (378 ha) at a cost of 1,830 pounds 10 shillings ($3661 or about $4 per hectare to establish a mission on Norfolk Island (Norfolk's total land area is 3455 ha - the Mission occupied 418ha or 12% of the total) |
| 1875 |
Nov Foundation stone of St Barnabas Chapel laid |
| 1880 |
Chapel construction completed and consecrated |
| 1884, Nov 5 |
Gorge Hunn Nobbs, spiritual leader of Norfolk Island for 50 years, dies |
| 1899 |
Melanesian and Europeans on Island at Melanesian Mission total 210 persons |
| 1902 |
Pacific Overseas Cable Station established at Anson Bay at site still occupied by present-day Telstra |
| 1920 |
Melanesian Mission closed |
| 1925 |
Schooner Resolution II launched through hole blasted in reef at Emily Bay - 61 feet long, 59 tons gross weight - vessel built by Norfolk Islanders as trader to alleviate inadequate shipping services. Vessel was sold to Burns Philp company in 1927. |
| 1931, Mar 28 |
First aircraft to Norfolk Island arrives - Francis Chichester in Gypsy Moth-type seaplane Madame Elijah lands at Cascade Bay en route from New Zealand to Australia |
| 1942, Dec |
Airport completed and first used - constructed for transmitting wartime aircraft. N Force of up to 1488 personnel from NZ's 36th battalion garrisoned on Norfolk for duration of WWII |
| 1943, Mar 1 |
Mrs Marianne Selina Buffett, the last of the original Pitcairners, died aged 87 years |
| 1974 |
Bicentenary of discovery of Norfolk Island by Captain James Cook. Queen Elizabeth II visits Norfolk |
| 1975 |
High Court of Australia held that Norfolk Island is part of the Commonwealth of Australia. |
| 1979 |
The Norfolk Island Act (1979), a Commonwealth Act of Parliament, passed into law, providing for the establishment of a Norfolk Island Legislative Assembly to assume responsibility for a wide range of functions previously handled by a Commonwealth-appointed Administrator, with assistance from a locally elected Advisory Council. First Assembly elected on 1 August 1979. |
