There's more to Norfolk Island There's more to Norfolk Island

For the unfortunate prisoners of Norfolk Island’s second penal colony, no assignment was worse than the Crankmill. Here, some 100 convicts – still shackled in chains – were forced to mill corn using human-powered machinery.

It was backbreaking work, designed with punishment rather than efficiency in mind. Records from the time recount witnesses hearing haunting wails from the prisoners inside.

The Crankmill was gutted by fire and now lies in ruins within the Kingston UNESCO World Heritage Site. Wander the stone remnants and reflect on the cruel history.

The building didn’t always serve such a dark purpose. Prior to the instalment of the Crankmill, it functioned as a grain store and military barracks.

View looking up inside the Crankmill ruins. The walls of the weathered stone building remain but there is no roof.
View of the Crankmill ruins from a short distance. Stone walls with windows remain but there is no roof. Historic buildings in the background.
View looking up inside the Crankmill ruins. The walls of the weathered stone building remain but there is no roof.
Close-up of one of the walls of the Crankmill ruins. The stone is a weathered grey with patches of sandy colour.
Close-up of two signs on a stone wall of the Crankmill ruins. The top sign says ‘Crankmill’ and the other has information about the site.

Visitor Information

Operating Hours: 24/7

Cost: Free

Getting Here: Near Kingston Pier, a 5-10 minute drive from Burnt Pine.

Top tips for the Crankmill

  • Inspect the gear mechanism from the Crankmill at the nearby Commissariat Store, one of the Norfolk Island Museums.

  • Look for nearby ruins of the old lighter boat – once used to bring in supplies from cargo ships.

Map image

More attractions at Kingston UNESCO World Heritage Site

All Saints Church

All Saints Church

All Saints Church also serves as a museum. Discover incredible artefacts from Norfolk’s history and join a Sunday service to meet locals.
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Bloody Bridge

Bloody Bridge

Don’t let the gory legend of Bloody Bridge deter you; visit this historic landmark to admire the stonework and hard labour of the convicts who built it.
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Bounty Folk Musuem

Bounty Folk Musuem

Discover Bounty memorabilia, early photographs of Pitcairn settlers, old weapons and some frankly quite terrifying antique medical instruments.
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The Commissariat

The Commissariat

Visit the Commissariat to learn about Norfolk’s convict past. This historic building once held food supplies for the convicts and jailers on Norfolk Island.
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Fletchers Mutiny Cyclorama

Fletchers Mutiny Cyclorama

Norfolk Island’s history unfolds at Fletcher’s Mutiny Cyclorama, a 360° painting that depicts the mutiny on the Bounty.
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Norfolk Island Golf Club

Norfolk Island Golf Club

Play golf on Norfolk Island for a truly memorable experience. Tee off in a World Heritage Site overlooking the ocean.
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Government House

Government House

Government House is a stately mansion and home to the Administrator of Norfolk Island. Learn more on a museum tour of our historic centre, Kingston.
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Historical Photo Display - Lions Club House

Historical Photo Display - Lions Club House

Formerly the Surgeons Quarters, today this resilient little building houses a fascinating collection of photographs which bring the history of our island to life.
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Kingston Pier

Kingston Pier

Visit Kingston Pier, which was a vital entry point for Norfolk’s settlers and still welcomes supply ships and fishing boats as it has done for two centuries.
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Lone Pine

Lone Pine

Bring your camera along to capture this solitary tree that survived the mass felling of Norfolk pines and stood sentry over the island’s turbulent history.
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New Military Barracks

New Military Barracks

The New Military Barracks may be Norfolk’s administrative centre today, but it also has an interesting history.
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No. 10 Quality Row

No. 10 Quality Row

Turn back to Norfolk Island’s convict chapter at No. 10 Quality Row, now a museum. Learn about the home’s inhabitants as you wander through the restored interior.
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Norfolk Island Cemetery

Norfolk Island Cemetery

Our fascinating history takes on a new dimension at the Norfolk Island Cemetery. Read the grave stones marking two centuries of life on this South Pacific island.
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Old Military Barracks

Old Military Barracks

The Old Military Barracks have served many purposes over the years. Visit the Kingston UNESCO World Heritage Site to find out what important roles it has played.
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Pier Store

Pier Store

Learn about the mutiny on the Bounty and our Pitcairn history at Pier Store, located within the Kingston UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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Research Centre No. 9 Quality Row

Research Centre No. 9 Quality Row

Set in a restored Georgian house, the Research Centre serves as a looking glass into the Norfolk Island of yesteryear.
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Royal Engineer's Office

Royal Engineer's Office

The Royal Engineer's Office is a great place to start your investigation into Norfolk’s storied past
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Salt House

Salt House

Sitting on a headland overlooking Emily Bay, the Salt House is one of several evocative ruins and heritage buildings.
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Sirius Museum - Protestant Chapel

Sirius Museum - Protestant Chapel

Learn about the seafaring saga of the Sirius, which wrecked just off the coast of Norfolk Island at the Sirium Museum within the Protestant Chapel.
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The Arches

The Arches

The Arches, a series of stone archways, are one of Norfolk Island’s biggest mysteries. Ponder their original purpose when you visit them in Kingston.
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The Old Watermill

The Old Watermill

Set in a grassy valley next to an old dam, the crumbling ruins of the Old Watermill are a reminder of a dark chapter in Norfolk Island’s history
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