government house reserve

 




Location

Government House Reserve is in the Kingston and Arthur’s Vale Historic Area on the south coast.


Size

The reserve occupies 7.4 hectares of land


Geology

Government House is built on a small knoll about 10m above sea-level.  Underneath parts of the reserve there is a layer of peat which is the fossilised remains of a swamp that was there about 6,000 years ago.  There are lots of fossilised pine trees, pine branches and other plant material in that layer.  In the First Settlement, the swamp that covered most of what is now called Kingston Common was drained and the plant communities were cleared.


Why is it important for conservation?

Government House, the official residence of the Administrator of Norfolk Island occupies about 2/3 of the reserve.  The rest of the reserve is used for the golf course, picnic area, pine forest camping and an important wetland environment.


Government House is an important example of a large Georgian house.  Many of the pines were planted in the late 1830s and 1840s and were an important part of the formal gardens

The remains of a Polynesian settlement lie under the dunes and pine plantation near the southern end of the reserve.


Best Bits

  1. •You can visit Government House when it is open to the public.  It is usually open one Wednesday afternoon each month

  2. •On Bounty Day, Pitcairn descendant families who are wearing traditional costume are invited to special ceremonies.

  3. •At Christmas, carols by candlelight are held in the grounds.

  4. •You can walk around the reserves and dogs are welcome.

  5. •Learn to play golf at the Golf Club if you don’t know how.


GAWAMENT HAUS RISERW



                                                     



Said es

Gawament Haus Riserw es iin daa KAVHA (Kingstan en Aatha’s Viel Historic Iehriya ) orn daa sauth koes.


Sais

Dieh reserw tek ap 7.4 hekteyas o’ laen.


Jiohloji

Gawament Haus se bild et orn wan iwi nohl baut 10m abaw sii-lewel.  Anda sam o’daa reserw gat wan liehya o’ piit wathen es daa fohsilaist remiens o’wan swohmp bin deya baut 6,000 yias age.  Gat plenti fohsilaist pain trii, pains lem ena taeda plaant muteriyal iin daa liehya.  Iin daa Fas Setelment, dem drien daa swohmp dhaet bin yuusa kawa mus orl o’wathen wi yuusa korl daa Kohman en tek wieh dem plaant gat iin.


Fut es importantan fe kohnsawiehshan?

Gawament Haus, daa ohfishl residens o’daa Aedministriehta o’ Norfuk Ailen tek ap baut 2/3 o’daa reserw.  Dem yuus daa rest o’daa reserw fe daa gohlf kors, piknik iehriya, pain fohres kaempen en wan important wetlaen envairanment.


Gawament Haus es wan important ekseampl o’wan big Jorgiyan haus.  Plenti o’dem pains plant et iin dem liet 1830s en 1840s en es wan important piis o’dem forml gaaden


Dem remiens o’wan Pohliniishan setelment lieh anda dem dyuun ena pain plaentieshan gen daa sauth en o’daa reserw.

Baes Piis

  1. •Yu el wiset Gawament Haus wen se upen gen daa publik.  Es yuushyuali upen orna   Wensdi aaftanuun evri manth

  2. •Orn Baunti Dieh, Pitkern desendent faemlis huu gat orna tradishnl klorth es invaited gen a speshl seremoeni.

  3. •Aet Kresmas, kaerals bai kaendlait es orn in dem graun.

  4. •Yu el work raun dem reserw en dorg es waelkam.

  5. •Lern fe plieh gohlf aet daa Gohlf Klab ef yu kaa watawieh