Kingston and Arthurs Vale Historic Area
* This name is listed on the World Heritage List. ª The region is classified by UNESCO.
The Kingston and Arthur's Vale Historic Area ( KAVHA ), which is located on approximately 250 acres of land in the Pacific Norfolk Iceland, represents a significant historically preserved convict settlement from the period when Australia was a penal colony. The area is registered in the Australian National Heritage List and the list of UNESCO world cultural heritage as one of eleven Australian Convict Sites.
On the grounds of KAVHA there are buildings that reflect the lives of the British convicts in the period 1788-1855 and historical traces of an early Polynesian settlement. Today, the grounds and buildings of the KAVHA is used both by the government and administration of the island as is also visited by recreational use.
The landmarked area is located at the small settlement of Kingston, the official capital of Norfolk Iceland; to the small bays (Emily Bay and Slaughter Bay) in the larger Sydney Bay.
Convict settlement
The Norfolk Iceland was settled on 6 March 1788 by a group of 15 prisoners under the command of British Lieutenant Philip Gidley King, then more convicts came to the island, which led to lack of space and famine. The commander responded with draconian punishments on any form of convict resistance. Daily thefts were committed, the offender could be made only rarely found and only severe punishment and surprising searches of the huts, startled somewhat. The work ethic of the convicts was bad because there was not enough supervisory staff available for the convicts.
First of convicts came to the island, who had performed well in New South Wales, however, as the wood and flax processing collapsed on the island, the penal colony was completely abandoned in 1813 and left the island itself. 12 years later, the Norfolk Island was a prison for heavy criminals who had to work under extreme conditions. The death rate was high accordingly.
This settlement is known as a light in paradise ( German: Hell in Paradise ), to which was to promote the debate on the treatment of prisoners. As the reports on the conditions there penetrated to the public in England and protested the free population of Norfolk Island, the prison was closed in May 1855.
1856 began the colonization of the island by islanders of Pitcairn, whose descendants today provides half the island's population.
Structures
The grounds of the KAVHA is managed by the island administration official. Although buildings were lost through natural destruction, the main buildings have been since the 1970s set and restored service. The first construction fuses the outer wall began in 1962.
On the grounds of KAVHA are:
- The New Military Barracks are a rare and well-preserved example of military barracks for soldiers, officers, a military hospital, and ammunition magazine from the early days of Australia. The complex of buildings in which nearly 170 soldiers were housed, was completed in 1837. Today it houses the island administration.
- The Old Military Barracks were built from 1829 to 1834 and formed the central barracks with quarters for soldiers and officers, in which a military hospital, a kitchen and washrooms. The buildings are surrounded by a high wall. The building complex, the first church of the Methodists was built; future use were made to training and for representative purposes. The buildings were also used by the Burns Philp Company and later as a custodian. Today, it is the House of Representatives of the Norfolk Legislative Assembly Iceland.
- The Government House was built in 1828, in which the existing structure of the Government House built in 1804 has been integrated. It was the third building on the island and is one of Australia's oldest government building. The building was abandoned taken in 1855 and 1862 again. Today it houses a school and is the residence of the island administration.
- The building Quality Row was built between 1832 and 1847 as a residence for military, administrative and civilian executives separately from the convict buildings. The four rooms in the building were reconstructed according to the time of the 1840s, including the kitchen and the bath rooms.
- The Commissariat Store was completed in 1835 and is one of the best preserved examples of Georgian architecture. The building contained retail outlets for products and alcoholic beverages, dining room, offices and other commercial premises. 1874 a church was built on the ground floor.
- The historic cemetery of the site there are numerous historic grave stones that were erected since 1825, representing the examples of the fate of the convicts, their living conditions, death and revolts.
Polynesian colonization
A number of archaeological investigations took place at the Emily Bay, which led to knowledge of early Polynesian settlement. In the dunes of the Emily Bay traces of a ostpolynesischen village dating from the 10th to the 15th century were found, left by the first settlers of Norfolk Island. They built from the local basalt houses and oven, where they roasted caught fish, turtles and birds. It artifacts were found from obsidian, which originate from an island that lies about 1,300 kilometers east of the island. Why do these residents leave the island, is not known.
Current usage
Today, the site of the KAVHA is sought and used by the inhabitants of the island and visitors. Finding the restored building for museum, administrative and administrative, but also to church, sporting and cultural purposes use.
The site serves as a sports and picnic grounds, golf course and cemetery. Of great importance is the Kingston Pier, whose construction began in 1839 and was completed in 1847, which serves to this day as investors for overseas and local ships. The Emily and Slaughter Bay is used for swimming, snorkeling, diving, windsurfing and sport fishing.