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Norfolk Island 
 
[Flag of
                                    the United Kingdom]
6 Mar 1788 - 3 Sep 1901
[Australian
                                    flag]
Adopted 3 Sep 1901
[Norfolk
                                    Island (Australia)]
Local Flag Adopted 17 Jan 1980
Map of Norfolk Island
Hear National Anthem
"God Save the King"
("
God Save the Queen"
1837-1901, 1952-2022)
Hear Local Anthem
"Come Ye Blessed"
("Pitcairn Anthem")
Norfolk Island Act
(30 May 1979/18 Jun 2015)
Capital: Kingston 
Currency: Australian Dollar
(AUD)
National Holiday: 26 Jan (1788)
Australia Day
---------------------------------------
Local Holidays: 8 Jun (1856)
  Bounty Anniversary Day
--------------------------------
6 Mar (1788)
Norfolk Island Foundation Day 
Population: 1,748 (2016)
GDP: $80 million (1995/96)
Exports: $1.84 million (2017)
Imports: $42.1 million (2017)
Ethnic groups: Australian 79.5%, New Zealander 13.3%,
Fijian 2.5%, Filipino 1.1%, English 1%, other 1.8%,
unspecified 0.8% (2011)
Total Police Force: 13 (2002)
Defense is the Responsibility of Australia
Merchant marine: None (2018) 
Religions: Protestant 46.8% (Anglican 33.6%, Uniting Church
in Australia 12.8%, Seventh Day Adventist 3.2%), Roman
Catholic 12.6%, other Christian 2.9%, other 1.4%, none 26.7%,
 unspecified 9.5% (2016)
International Organizations/Treaties: UPU, WMO
Norfolk Island
Chronology

10 Oct 1774                Re-discovered by Cdr. James Cook on HMS Resolution,
                             and is named Norfolk Isle for Mary Howard, Duchess
                             of Norfolk. 
 6 Mar 1788                U.K. penal station is established on Norfolk Isle,
 6 Mar 1788 - 28 Sep 1844  Administered as part of New South Wales.
28 Feb 1814 -  6 Jun 1825  Abandoned.
29 Sep 1844 - 31 Oct 1856  Part of Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania).
 5 May 1855                Penal station definitely closed, with Norfolk to be
                             resettled from Pitcairn.
 8 Jun 1856                194 Pitcairn islanders resettled on Norfolk.
 1 Nov 1856                Separate territory; Governor of New South Wales to
                             be Governor of Norfolk.
30 Oct 1857 - 1897         Executive Government vested in a Chief Magistrate,
                             to be elected annually.
19 Mar 1897                Affairs of Norfolk Island to be administered by
                             Governor of New South Wales. 
 3 Jul 1903                Council of Elders reorganized as elective Executive
                             Council.
19 Dec 1913                Norfolk accepted as a territory of Australia
                            (by Norfolk Island Act 1913), effective 1 Jul 1914.
 1 Jul 1914                Norfolk placed under the authority of Australia as
                             Norfolk Island.
21 Jun 1935                Executive Council replaced by an Advisory Council
                             for Norfolk Island.
 7 Apr 1960                Advisory Council reorganized as the Norfolk Island
                             Council.
 7 Aug 1979                Autonomous (administration re-organized and the
                             Executive Council is re-established).
11 Dec 2010                Office of Chief Minister formalized.
 8 May 2015                Referendum 68% vote to freely determine political
                             status of the island (not recognized by Australia)
18 Jun 2015                Autonomy abolished, administration reorganized.
 1 Jul 2016                New South Wales law made applicable (but in
                             reference to responsible Australian Minister, not
                             New South Wales Minister/Government).
 3 Feb 2021 -              Local regional council suspended by Australia.   

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Lieutenant governors
 6 Mar 1788 - 24 Mar 1790  Philip Gidley King (1st time)      (b. 1758 - d. 1808)
24 Mar 1790 -  4 Nov 1791  Robert Ross (acting)               (b. 1740? - d. 1794)
 4 Nov 1791 - 22 Oct 1796  Philip Gidley King (2nd time)      (s.a.)
22 Oct 1796 - 12 Nov 1799  John Townson (acting)              (b. 1759 - d. 1835)
12 Nov 1799 - 26 Jul 1800  Thomas Rowley (acting)             (b. 1747 - d. 1806)
26 Jul 1800 -  9 Sep 1804  Joseph Foveaux                     (b. 1767 - d. 1846)
29 Sep 1803 - 15 Jan 1804  .... (acting for Foveaux)
Commandants
 9 Sep 1804 - 10 Apr 1810  John Piper                         (b. 1773 - d. 1851)

25 Jan 1810 - 18 Feb 1813  Tankerville Alexander Crane        (b. 17.. - d. 1815)
18 Feb 1813 - 28 Feb 1814  William Hutchinson (acting)        (b. 1772 - d. 1846)
28 Feb 1814 -  6 Jun 1825  Vacant
 6 Jun 1825 - 17 Mar 1826  Richard Turton                     (b. 1786? - d. 1835)
17 Mar 1826 - 19 Aug 1827  Vance Young Donaldson              (b. 1791 - d. 1861)
19 Aug 1827 - 26 Nov 1828  Thomas Wright                      (b. 1794 - d. 1864)
26 Nov 1828 - 17 Feb 1829  Robert Hunt                        (b. 178. - d. 185.)
17 Feb 1829 - 29 Jun 1829  Joseph Wakefield (acting)          (b. 179. - d. 1840)
29 Jun 1829 - 17 Apr 1834  James Thomas Morisset              (b. 1780 - d. 1852)
 1 Jan 1834 - 14 Apr 1834  Foster Fyans (acting)              (b. 1790 - d. 1870)
17 Apr 1834 -  3 Apr 1839  Joseph Anderson                    (b. 1790 - d. 1877)
 3 Apr 1839 - Nov 1839     Thomas Bunbury                     (b. 1791 - d. 1862)
Nov 1839 - 28 Mar 1840     Thomas Ryan                        (b. c.1790 - d. 1846)
Superintendents
28 Mar 1840 -  7 Feb 1844  Alexander Maconochie               (b. 1787 - d. 1860)

 7 Feb 1844 -  5 Aug 1846  Joseph Childs                      (b. 1786 - d. 1870)
 6 Aug 1846 - 18 Jan 1853  John Giles Price                   (b. 1808 - d. 1857)
18 Jan 1853 - Sep 1853     Rupert Barber Deering              (b. 1816 - d. 1891)
Sep 1853 -  5 May 1855     Henry James Day                    (b. 1803 - d. 1882?)
 5 May 1855 -  8 Jun 1856  Thomas Samuel Stewart (acting)     (b. 1818 - d. 1892) 
24 Jun 1856 - 31 Oct 1856  the governors of New South Wales
Governors
 
1 Nov 1856 - 30 Jun 1914  the governors of New South Wales
Chief Magistrates

 8 Jun 1856 - 31 Dec 1857  George Martin Frederick Young      (b. 1822 - d. 1899)
                             (1st time)
 1 Jan 1858 - 31 Dec 1858  Isaac Christian                    (b. 1825 - d. 1877)
 1 Jan 1859 - 31 Dec 1859  George Martin Frederick Young      (s.a.)
                             (2nd time) 
 1 Jan 1860 - 31 Dec 1861  Thomas Buffett                     (b. 1825 - d. 1900)

 1 Jan 1862 - 31 Dec 1865  Arthur Quintal II (1st time)       (b. 1816 - d. 1902)
 1 Jan 1866 - 31 Dec 1866  William Quintal (1st time)         (b. 1817 - d. 1905)
 1 Jan 1867 - 31 Dec 1870  John Buffett (1st time)            (b. 1826 - d. 1906)
 1 Jan 1871 - 31 Dec 1871  David Buffett                      (b. 1826 - d. 1924)
 1 Jan 1872 - 31 Dec 1873  William Quintal (2nd time)         (s.a.)
 1 Jan 1874 - 31 Dec 1875  Fletcher Christian Nobbs           (b. 1833 - d. 1912)
 1 Jan 1876 - 31 Dec 1880  Francis Mason Nobbs (1st time)     (b. 1835 - d. 1909)
 1 Jan 1881 - 31 Dec 1882  John Buffett (2nd time)            (s.a.)
 1 Jan 1883 - 31 Dec 1884  Francis Mason Nobbs (2nd time)     (s.a.)
 1 Jan 1885 - 31 Dec 1885  Arthur Quintal II (2nd time)       (s.a.)
 
1 Jan 1886 - 31 Dec 1887  Stephen Christian (1st time)       (b. 1843 - d. 1918)
 1 Jan 1888 - 31 Dec 1888  Henry Seymour Buffett              (b. 1847 - d. 1931)
 1 Jan 1889 - 31 Dec 1890  Stephen Christian (2nd time)       (s.a.)
 1 Jan 1891 - 31 Dec 1892  Byron Stanley Mitchell Adams       (b. 1847 - d. 1902)
                             (1st time) 
 1 Jan 1893 - 31 Dec 1893  Stephen Christian (3rd time)       (s.a.)
 1 Jan 1894 - 31 Dec 1894  Francis Mason Nobbs (3rd time)     (s.a.)
 1 Jan 1895 - 14 Nov 1896  Byron Stanley Mitchell Adams       (s.a.)
                             (2nd time) 
14 Nov 1896 - Dec 1898     Warner Wright Spalding             (b. 1844 - d. 1920)
Dec 1898 -  8 Apr 1899     Peter Herbert Metcalfe (1st time)  (b. 1854 - d. 1913)
                             (acting)
 8 Apr 1899 - Jul 1903     Charles McArthur King              (b. 1824 - d. 1903)

Jul 1903 - 10 Mar 1904     Peter Herbert Metcalfe (2nd time)  (s.a.)
                             (acting)
10 Mar 1904 -  7 Mar 1907  Walton Drake                       (b. 1850 - d. 1940)

 1 Feb 1907 -  9 Sep 1913  Charles Sinclair Elliot            (b. 1853 - d. 1915)
Administrator and Chief Magistrate
 
9 Sep 1913 - 30 Jun 1914  Michael Vincent Murphy             (b. 1859 - d. 1935)
Administrators
 1 Jul 1914 - Feb 1920     Michael Vincent Murphy (1st time)  (s.a.)
Feb 1920 - 31 Aug 1920     Alexander Stoney Patton (acting)   (b. 1862 - d. 1940)
 1 Sep 1920 - 30 Apr 1924  John William Parnell               (b. 1860 - d. 1931) 
Jan 1924 - 30 Jun 1924     ....
                             (acting [for Parnell to 30 Apr 1924])
Administrators and Chief Magistrates
 1 Jul 1924 - 24 Jul 1926  Edwin Thomas Leane                 (b. 1867 - d. 1928)

24 Jul 1926 - 12 Aug 1926  Henry Stephenson Edgar (1st time)  (b. 1848 - d. 1937)
                             (acting)
12 Aug 1926 - 31 Jan 1927  Michael Vincent Murphy (2nd time)  (s.a.)
                             (acting)
 1 Feb 1927 - 25 Jan 1928  Victor Conradsdorf Morisset        (b. 1866 - d. 1928)
                             Sellheim
25 Jan 1928 -  6 Jun 1928  Henry Stephenson Edgar (2nd time)  (s.a.)
                             (acting)
 6 Jun 1928 - 13 Dec 1928  Charles Edward Herbert             (b. 1860 - d. 1929)
13 Dec 1928 - 30 Apr 1929  Henry Stephenson Edgar (3rd time)  (s.a.)
                             (acting) 
 1 May 1929 - 30 Jun 1932  Alfred Joshua Bennett              (b. 1865 - d. 1946)

 1 Jul 1932 - 24 Dec 1936  Charles Robert Pinney              (b. 1883 - d. 1945)
Administrators
24 Dec 1936 -  4 Nov 1937  Charles Robert Pinney              (s.a.)

 4 Nov 1937 - 31 Dec 1945  Sir Charles Rosenthal              (b. 1875 - d. 1954)
 1 Jan 1946 - 31 Dec 1952  Alexander Wilson                   (b. 1889 - d. 1954)
 1 Jan 1953 - 30 Apr 1958  Colin Hugh Boyd Norman             (b. 1904 - d. 1996)
 1 May 1958 - 30 Apr 1962  Reginald Sylvester Leydin          (b. 1905 - d. 1993)
23 Sep 1961 - 21 Oct 1961  Frederick William McConaghy        (b. 1919 - d. 2017)
                             (acting for Leydin)
 1 May 1962 -  8 Jun 1962  Frederick William McConaghy        (s.a.)
                             (acting)
 9 Jun 1962 - 15 Aug 1964  Robert Hurley Wordsworth           (b. 1894 - d. 1984)
16 Aug 1964 - 29 Oct 1964  James Francis Donovan (acting)     (b. 1923 - d. 1987)
30 Oct 1964 -  2 Jun 1966  Roger Bede Nott                    (b. 1908 - d. 2000)
 
3 Jun 1966 -  6 Jun 1968  Reginald Marsh                     (b. 1906 - d. 2005)
 
7 Jun 1968 -  5 Jul 1968  John Geoffrey Cowap (acting)       (b. 1930 - d. 2015)    
 
5 Jul 1968 - 13 Aug 1972  Robert Nixon Dalkin                (b. 1914 - d. 1991)
14 Aug 1972 - 31 Aug 1975  Edward Thomas Pickerd (1st time)   (b. 1917 - d. 2012)
 1 Sep 1975 - 31 May 1976  Charles Ivens Buffett (acting)     (b. 1914 - d. 1995)
 1 Jun 1976 -  4 Sep 1976  Edward Thomas Pickerd (2nd time)   (s.a.) 
                             (acting)
 5 Sep 1976 -  4 Sep 1979  Desmond Vincent O'Leary            (b. 1914 - d. 1996)
 5 Sep 1979 - 19 Mar 1981  William Peter Coleman              (b. 1928 - d. 2019)
18 Feb 1981 - 11 May 1981  Ian Ewen Hutchinson (acting)       (b. 1939)
                             (acting [for Coleman to 18 Mar 1981])
11 May 1981 - 27 Jan 1982  Thomas "Tom" Ferguson Paterson     (b.
1923)
                            
(acting)
28 Jan 1982 - 28 Apr 1985  Raymond Edward Trebilco            (b. 1926 - d. 1998)
29 Apr 1985 - 31 Dec 1988  John Alexander Matthew             (b. 1928)
 1 Jan 1989 - 12 Apr 1989  William McFadyen Campbell (acting) (b. 1953)
13 Apr 1989 - 12 Apr 1992  Herbert Bruce MacDonald            (b. 1934)
13 Apr 1992 - 30 Jun 1997  Alan Gardner Kerr
 1 Jul 1997 -  3 Aug 1997  Ralph Alexander Condon (acting)
 4 Aug 1997 - 30 Jul 2003  Anthony "Tony" John Messner        (b. 1939)
30 Jul 2003 -  1 Nov 2003  Michael Leslie Stephens (acting)
 1 Nov 2003 -  6 Aug 2007  Grant Ernest John Tambling         (b. 1943)
 7 Aug 2007 - 31 Mar 2012  Owen Edward John Walsh             (b. 1963?)
                             (acting to 2 Oct 2008)
 1 Apr 2012 - 30 Jun 2014  Neil Albert Pope                   (b. 1949)
 1 Jul 2014 - 31 Mar 2017  Gary Douglas Hardgrave             (b. 1960)
 1 Apr 2017 - 31 May 2023  Eric Russell Hutchinson            (b. 1965)
 1 Jun 2023 -              George Plant


Presidents of the Norfolk Council of Elders
14
Nov 1896 - Jan 1899     Oliver Masey Quintal               (b. 1841 - d. 1922)  Non-party
Jan 1899 - Jan 1900        John Buffett                       (s.a.)               Non-party
Jan 1900 - Jul 1903        John Forrester Young               (b. 1852 - d. 1913)  Non-party
Presidents of the Executive Council 
 1 Aug 1903 - 15 Jun 1909  Francis Mason Nobbs                (s.a.)               Non-party 
15 Jun 1909 - 31 Jul 1909  .... (acting)
 
1 Aug 1909 - 31 Jul 1915  Joseph Allen McCleave Buffett      (b. 1851 - d. 1921)  Non-party 
 1 Aug 1915 - 31 Jul 1916  Charles Chase Ray Nobbs (1st time) (b. 1859 - d. 1938)  Non-party
 1 Aug 1916 - 31 Jul 1919  Matthew Frederick Howard Christian (b. 1859 - d. 19..)  Non-party
 1 Aug 1919 - 31 Jul 1920  Albert Randall (1st time)          (b. 1878? - d. 1963) Non-party 
 1 Aug 1920 - 31 Jul 1921  Charles Chase Ray Nobbs (2nd time) (s.a.)               Non-party
 
1 Aug 1921 - 31 Jul 1922  Enoch Cobcroft Robinson (1st time) (b. 1875 - d. 1964)  Non-party
 1 Aug 1922 - 31 Jul 1924  Albert Randall (2nd time)          (s.a.)               Non-party
 
1 Aug 1924 - 31 Jul 1928  Eustace Buffett Christian          (b. 1869 - d. 1944)  Non-party
                             (1st time)
 1 Aug 1928 - 31 Jul 1933  Enoch Cobcroft Robinson (2nd time) (s.a.)               Non-party
 1 Aug 1933 - 19 May 1934  Charles Chase Ray Nobbs (2nd time) (s.a.)               Non-party
19 May 1934 - 31 Jul 1934  Eustace Buffett Christian          (s.a.)               Non-party
                             (2nd time) (acting)
 1 Aug 1934 - 31 Jul 1935  Francis Royden Moira Crozier       (b. 1877? - d. 1956) Non-party
Presidents of the Advisory Council for Norfolk Island
 1 Aug 1935 - 31 Jul 1936  Charles Chase Ray Nobbs            (s.a.)               Non-party
 1 Aug 1936 - 31 Jul 1937  Enoch Cobcroft Robinson            (s.a.)               Non-party
                             (1st time) 
 1 Aug 1937 - 31 Jul 1941  William McLachlan                  (b. 1898 - d. 1965)  Non-party
 1 Aug 1941 - 31 Jul 1947  George Hunn Nobbs Buffett          (b. 1885 - d. 1957)  Non-party
 1 Aug 1947 - 31 Jul 1948  Ray Herbert Hastings Nobbs         (b. 1901 - d. 1985)  Non-party
                             (1st time) 
 1 Aug 1948 - 31 Jul 1949  David Campbell Dunsmere Buffett    (b. 1918 - d. 1997)  Non-party
 1 Aug 1949 - 31 Jul 1950  Ray Herbert Hastings Nobbs         (s.a.)               Non-party
                             (2nd time) 
 1 Aug 1950 - 31 Jul 1951  Leonard Dixon Holloway             (b. 1899 - d. 1983)  Non-party
                             (1st time) 
 1 Aug 1951 - 31 Jul 1952  Enoch Cobcroft Robinson            (s.a.)               Non-party
                             (2nd time) 
 1 Aug 1952 - 31 Oct 1952  Leonard Dixon Holloway             (s.a.)               Non-party
                             (2nd time) 
 1 Nov 1952 - 31 Jul 1953  Charles Marie Gustav Adam          (b. 1883 - d. 1967)  Non-party
 1 Aug 1953 - 31 Jul 1956  Ray Herbert Hastings Nobbs         (s.a.)               Non-party
                             (3rd time) 
 1 Aug 1956 -  7 Apr 1960  Wilfred Metcalfe Randall           (b. 1913 - d. 1981)  Non-party
Presidents of the Norfolk Island Council
 
7 Apr 1960 - 1967         Frederick James Needham            (b. 1918 - d. 2001)  Non-party
1967 - 1974                Wilfred Metcalfe Randall           (s.a.)               Non-party
1974 - 1976                Richard Albert Bataille            (b. 1922 - d. 1993)  Non-party
1976 - 15 Aug 1979         William "Bill" Arthur Blucher      (b. 1931 - d. 2017)  Non-party
Chief minister
15 Aug 1979 - 21 May 1986  David Ernest Buffett (1st time)    (b. 1942)            Non-party
21 May 1986 - 28 May 1986  Post abolished
Presidents of the Legislative Assembly

28 May 1986 - 21 May 1989  John Terence Brown (1st time)      (b. 1948)            Non-party
22 May 1989 - 20 May 1992  David Ernest Buffett               (s.a.)               Non-party
20 May 1992 -  4 May 1994  John Terence Brown (2nd time)      (s.a.)               Non-party
 4 May 1994 -  6 Apr 1995  Michael William King               (b. 1948)            Non-party
Speaker of the Legislative Assembly
 6 Apr 1995 -  5 May 1997  Michael William King               (s.a.)               Non-party

Chief ministers
 5 May 1997 - 28 Feb 2000  George Charles Smith               (b. 1948)            Non-party
28 Feb 2000 -  5 Dec 2001  Ronald Coane Nobbs                 (b. 1938)            Non-party
 5 Dec 2001 -  1 Jun 2006  Geoffrey Robert Gardner            (b. 1960?)           Non-party
 
1 Jun 2006 - 28 Mar 2007  David Ernest Buffett (2nd time)    (s.a.)               Non-party
28 Mar 2007 - 24 Mar 2010  Andre Neville Nobbs                (b. 1965)            Non-party
24 Mar 2010 - 20 Mar 2013  David Ernest Buffett (3rd time)    (s.a.)               Non-party
20 Mar 2013 - 17 Jun 2015  Lisle Denis Snell                  (b. 1948?)           Non-party
18 Jun 2015 - 30 Jun 2015  Post abolished
Executive Director of Norfolk Island
 
1 Jul 2015 - 30 Jun 2016  Peter Gregory Gesling              (b. 1955)            Non-party
Chairman of the
Norfolk Island Advisory Council
 
1 Jul 2015 - 30 Jun 2016  Melissa Ward (f)                                        Non-party

Mayor

 6 Jul 2016 -  3 Feb 2021  Robin Eleanor Adams (f)                                 Non-party
Administrator for Norfolk Island Regional Council

 3 Feb 2021 -              Michael Colreavy                   (b. 1954?)           Non-party
                             (interim to 7 Dec 2021)

Party abbreviations (no political parties existed before 2007): NIL = Norfolk Island Liberals (branch of Australian Liberal Party, est.Jun 2012); NILP = Norfolk Island Labor Party (branch of Australian Labor Party, est.2007); NIPD = Norfolk Island People for Democracy (supports autonomous status for Norfolk Island, est.May 2015)







© Ben Cahoon