Readers of the News have the chance to win a seven day holiday on Norfolk Island worth almost $3000.
In each edition of the News a numbered token will appear. Readers have to collect at least 20 differently-numbered tokens to enter the draw for the holiday prize.
Norfolk Jet Holidays has teamed up with the News to give one lucky reader and a companion, the chance to spend seven days on this island paradise, including air fares, transfers, accommodation and car hire.
An entry form will be published in the News in the coming weeks.
So collect at least 20 different numbers tokens from the News for your chance to win.
Norfolk island, a unique experience
If you are looking for a holiday destination somewhere which boasts a pollution free, stress free, friendly and inviting atmosphere, set in a sub-tropical climate, then Norfolk Island is just the place. The outside world will seem miles away when you touch down in this charming island paradise with its dramatic scenery, fascinating history and a unique culture.
On a clear day from the highest point, Mt Pitt, the whole 34.6 sq kilometers is visible. Rising from the blue pacific are gentle, rolling green hills topped with magnificent Norfolk Pines, surrounded by steep cliffs, beaches and a stunning clear lagoon. With a large portion of the island dedicated to national park and reserves, Norfolk seems to be untouched by the modern world.
Discovered in 1774 by Captain James Cook, (he described it as "an Island Paradise") the island and it's people are rich in history. It was first settled as a convict colony by the British in 1778, just 26 days after Port Jackson primarily to investigate the farming of the Norfolk Pinetrees for ship masts and the local flax for sails. This proved unsuitable and the island became a source of produce and supplies to the early Sydney settlement. This first colony closed in 1814 but in 1825 a new, second, settlement was established. This was a penal colony designed by the British to be "a place of extreme punishment" for convicts from NSW and Tasmania. This terrible and bloody era ceased in 1855 and Norfolk Island was given to the Pitcairn Islanders who arrived in 1856 aboard the HMS Morayshire.
Those original Pitcairn Islanders, and now the Norfolk Islanders of today, are descendants of the infamous Bounty Mutineers, Fletcher Christian and the men that mutinied against the tyranny of Capt. Bligh on the 28th April 1798. The culture and language is a unique mixture of olde English and early Tahitian dialects.
Visitors today enjoy not only this amazing history and natural beauty but also a never-ending array of things to do. It is a holiday where you really can do as much, or as little, as suites. Saved from being accessible by having no mobile phone networks yet not completely cut off by still having available TV and the internet.
Exploration of the Island is done by a vast array of sightseeing tours, trail rides, 4WD tours, carriage rides, joy flights, historical and rainforest walks, and more, ensuring that those who are interested can find out everything there is to know. Alternatively you can jump in one of the many inexpensive hire cars, grab a map and head off to explore on your own comforted in the knowledge that although there are 170km of roads, you cannot really get lost.
Norfolk Island features great venues and facilities for golf, tennis, bowls, clay target shooting, snorkeling, scuba diving, fishing and the list goes on. Another plus is the shopping from around the world offering perfumes and cosmetics, clothes and shoes, hobby equipment and toys, quality diamonds and jewellery, fine china collectibles and lots more at tax-free and GST free prices.
Burnt Pine is the shopping centre of the island and filled with not only shops, but a choice of quaint and modern cafes and coffee shops where you can stop and enjoy local ground or imported coffee whilst you read a book, decide on your next adventure or just daydream in peaceful surrounds..
At the end of each day you are still left with choices to make, decisions on where to eat, and what to do. You can dine at a variety of fine restaurants, ideal for a special occasion, or you can have a counter meal at a cheerful pub or club, or you can pick one of the many themed dinners, a fish fry, Murder Mystery or a Night as a Convict. Or you might just want to pick up some takeaways, or cook yourself a BBQ and sit on a clifftop and watch the sun go down, the list goes on.
Other diversions at night for you include a theatrical show re-enacting the Mutiny on the Bounty, the Sound & Light Show depicting life as a Second Settlement convict, the Trial of Fifteen, an engrossing play portraying characters who shaped Norfolk's history.
For something unique, try 'Wonderland by Night' a collection of humorous poetry told in both the local language and English in a fairylight-lit forest with illuminated dioramas and the clear, star filled sky as a backdrop.
Norfolk Island has progressed as an attractive holiday destination over the years without ruining any of its island charm. The flexibility in flights together with the choices of accommodation styles, packaged to suit most budgets, see it suiting a variety of travellers. Ideal for business people who need to get away from their busy life ... ideal for those who seek nature based activities ... bushwalking, snorkeling, swimming and the like ... ideal for those looking for an easy holiday with same currency, same language, no fuss, and ideal for families who want to spend quality time together or for active people who like to fill their holidays with informative and energetic activities, and definitely ideal for those who just want to kick back with a good book and a glass of wine and watch the world drift by.
It is all of this that has earned Norfolk Island a reputation for being a destination people fall in love with, a place that lures many to return year after year, a holiday that sees most leave wishing they could stay longer and one that you should go to soon.
Norfolk Jet Express flies from Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane with a total of 10 flights per week. For more information, call Norfolk Jet Holidays on freecall 1800 111 653.
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