Things to do in Kingston

THE 15 BEST Things to Do in Kingston

Things to Do in Kingston

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Top Attractions in Kingston

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What travellers are saying

  • Darren S
    Bright, Australia2,782 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Always enjoy a visit to the cemetery and hearing stories about the past history that took place on the early days and others that have not long passed.
    Use your museum pass and get a discount.
    This time, we had local Didd's Evans telling stories about the cemetery and passing on his local kids on many that lay here.
    Written 12 March 2025
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Jenny T
    18 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    With an extremely knowledgeable person at each of the 4 locations it was so interesting to read and hear about the history of Norfolk Island. Do yourself a favour and get the Museum pass it gets you into all 4 museums and a couple of tag along tours, well worth it.
    Written 6 January 2025
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • westy54
    Sydney, Australia13,472 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    This pier was built by the convicts in 1839, some effort with leg irons on, and has certainly seen some action since as it was the main port for the unloading of people and supplies for the colony.

    Nowadays it appears to be the main wharf for where the fishing boats and official Government boats dock. There is a crane at the end of the pier that lifts the boats out of the water and when you see all of the sharks hanging about you can understand why no one uses the slipway.

    We passed by here a couple of times and were lucky enough on each occasion to see the fisherman unloading and cleaning their catch, throwing what was not wanted into the water where about a dozen sharks fought each other for the scraps.

    We stood and peered very carefully and exceedingly apprehensively over the edge of the pier. Great care needed to be taken as there was no guard rail and you would not survive the shark feeding frenzy if you slipped and fell in.
    Written 30 September 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Lee R
    Melbourne, Australia528 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Gorgeous view over Kingston. Definitely worth visiting this spot & reading the information on the boards. Best spot to photograph Kingston. Could have spent hours just looking at the beautiful views from here.
    Written 21 December 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Dianne S
    Greater Adelaide, Australia5 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A big thank you George, for your caring and supporting Peter though the sand on and off your Glass Bottom Boat, much appreciated. George was very friendly and informative making our tour around Emily and Slaughter Bays very memorable. Thank you so much George and Norfolk Island.
    Written 11 July 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • westy54
    Sydney, Australia13,472 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    The salt house was built of stone in 1846 and replaced an earlier structure that was built in Slaughter Bay in 1829. This earlier structure was washed away. The Salt House was used for harvesting and storing salt which in turn was used for preserving meat and was important for the diets of the settlers, guards and prisoners.

    Some of the walls and the chimney are intact as well as the concentration tanks and channels that were carved into the nearby reef.

    At high tide sea water was captured in the reef's concentration tanks. The sea water was initially subject to evaporation by the sun with the subsequent brine then pumped into evaporation pans that were placed over fires inside the Salt House. The crystallised salt was then shovelled into wooden troughs to drain.

    This process produced about 134 kilograms of salt per week.
    Written 8 October 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Frog-Aus
    Box Hill, Australia375 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A beautiful georgian building on Quality row built by the convicts during the second settlement, giving an insight into li9fe on Nor5filk island in those days for the controlling elite
    Written 22 July 2022
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Bruce J
    Adelaide, Australia185 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Nice piece of convict-built architecture. Easy to drive over it without noticing but good parking area with information sign nearby. These folk were tough and built structures even tougher. Stop and take a look recommended.
    Written 12 January 2025
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • James S
    Gold Coast, Australia527 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A lone pine tree stands next to Emily Bay. There are others nearby, but it is by itself. It has been doing that for quite some time, in windy conditions, as it is evident by its angle. You'd think nothing else of it, if you weren't told Cook sketched this thing when he visited Norfolk Island. So that's it claim to fame. It's been around that long.

    An old lady actually parked her blue rental car right in front of this tree causing much anger from people trying to take photos of it. She had no idea why this was an issue and stubbornly stayed there until they got back on their tour bus and left.

    Actually this is quite a bit of a problem throughout the Kingston World Heritage Area. There aren't any marked spaces, it's just dirt everywhere and although common sense should kick in, it is not crystal clear where you should be parking, so people just park wherever they feel like, and if they are old (which a lot of tourists on Norfolk Island are) usually as close to whatever they plan on walking to that they can. Many photographs of ruins and historic buildings in Kingston will unfortunately have rental cars in them. If you rent a car on Norfolk, try to be considerate of photographers when you park.
    Written 23 March 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • James S
    Gold Coast, Australia527 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    I originally didn't know if I'd bother walking up all these stairs I saw behind the hospital ruins of Kingston. But I decided might as well. And it was so worth it. I actually didn't walk up any stairs, as there is a well worn dirt path to the right of them, well right next to them. I just walked up that. Not far up there's a lookout looking back over the hospital and ruins behind it, including a building you go into if you go on The Ghost Dinner in the lantern carrying latter part of that night. You can also just turn around and get some great views before there and all the way up after. Then there's two lookouts on the left, one about half way up, and another just about at the top (where there is a flag pole, hence the name of the hill I guess. These both look out on Philip Island, over Slaughter Bay and your seeing Kingston from the opposite end you will see if you walk up Driver Christian Road after Bloody Bridge. If you imagine Kingston as a rectangle, another way to see it is from the side of the rectangle, Queen Elizabeth Lookout.

    Anyway, only a few more steps up from there, on the right is a lookout looking over Arthur's Vale, the farming area of the old convict days. There's info on some signage up there telling you interesting stuff like they deliberately gave them hand hoes to use, to make the work more laborious. There's some interesting names on memorial benches such as Rug on the way up there.
    Written 21 March 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Survey54
    Sydney, Australia1,255 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Government House at Kingston is currently open to the general public for one afternoon a month, and by good luck rather than good management we happen to be there in the week of the open day. Cost to get in is $20 each which all goes to charity, and it was great to support the local community in this way. Car parking in the grounds is free. There is no photography permitted inside the building as it is the official residence of the Administrator. On entering, we were given a brochure, which had a plan of the building with the tour route through the rooms, as well as a more informative booklet which you could purchase on departure. The volunteers in each room were very knowledgeable. I particularly liked viewing the old maps of the Island which were framed on some of the walls. If you can arrange your holiday around the publicised date that Government House is open to the public and you are interested in the history of the Island, I suggest you do so.
    Written 12 June 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • f4rm3r
    Brisbane, Australia136 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    9 hole golf course with different tee placements allowing for 18 holes. Course was in perfect condition fairways were wide which tempted you into hitting long ball after long ball. Greens were in immaculate condition. Course was a beautiful layout with some holes hugging the coast line and also scattered with historic buildings. Was about $110 for 18holes with motorised cart and half set of hire clubs.

    We stayed for lunch which was nice enough. Friendly staff and a good seat overlooking the 18th hole.

    Would highly recommend playing here.
    Written 4 July 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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