Norfolk Island

Norfolk Island's history began with settlement by East Polynesians, who later disappeared before European contact. Captain James Cook charted the island in 1774, naming it after the Duchess of Norfolk. It subsequently served as a British penal colony for much of the 19th century, housing convicts until 1855. In 1856, descendants of the Bounty mutineers were resettled on the island from Pitcairn Island, establishing a unique cultural blend. The island was transferred to Australian administration in 1914 and remains an external territory today.