A Walkers and Gardeners’ Guide to Norfolk Island’s Best Trails

Norfolk Island is often experienced as a tiny microcosm of living history – where atypical historical events and tots cute island community coexist happily. That being there, Norfolk Island wears another hat effortlessly – of being a 360-degree ‘botanical theatre’. In 2026, the global shift toward ‘intentional travel’ finds great expression here, where the terrain changes with startling frequency every few hundred metres. This is a destination for Walkers and Gardeners – travellers seeking to understand a land beyond man-made monuments and historical events; through its soil, its endemic flora, and the rhythms of its forest trails. Whether we call it walking, hiking, tramping or what not – Norfolk Island is a pre-historic landscape that has remained largely unchanged for millennia, offering both physical exertion and keen horticultural observation.

The Elevated Norfolk Island Hiking: Mapping the Summit Track

Hikers often begin their journey at the island’s highest points, Mount Pitt and Mount Bates. The Summit Track serves as the primary artery of the National Park, a ridge-top path that transitions from the iconic, stately Norfolk pines to the hardy tea-tree forests that crown the peaks. Walking this track provides a literal mapping of the island, really. At the summit, the entire coastline reveals itself in a single panoramic sweep. Here’s a history nugget – the Mount Bates Track skirts the edge of a ridge through palm forests, eventually breaking through weathered relic of a WWII radar station.

The Forest Floor Tramp: Through Ferns, Figs, and Phantoms

Descending into the valleys, the landscape shifts toward the lush and the ancient. The Norfolk Island Botanic Garden serves as a condensed gallery of the island’s botanical rarity. The Tree Fern Valley Circuit is perhaps the most significant, housing the Cyathea brownii, reputed to be the world’s tallest tree fern, reaching heights of over 20 metres. Here, the air is notably cooler, filtered through a canopy of huge whitewoods and climbing ferns.

Further south, the Hundred Acres Reserve offers a different kind of grandeur. The ‘Cathedral of Figs’ – a stand of massive Moreton Bay Figs with buttress roots snaking across the earth like mythical tentacles – creates a surreal, shaded sanctuary. These 130-year-old giants lead the way to Rocky Point, where the forest suddenly breaks into clifftop lookouts. It is within these shaded pockets, particularly in Palm Glen, that the elusive Green Parrot is most often spotted, its characteristic call echoing through the native Norfolk Palms.

Botanical History Through The Cultivated Island: Private and Public Heritage

While the island’s National Park preserves the wild, Norfolk also has private gardens reflecting the island’s contemporary horticultural passion. For starters, the Queen Victoria Memorial Gardens provide a manicured study in sub-tropical beauty. The upcoming Garden Week (October 6–14, 2026) offers exclusive access to private estates, including the sprawling grounds of the late author Colleen McCullough. These guided tours allow enthusiasts to meet local growers and explore rare plant nurseries that are otherwise inaccessible. This culminates in the Royal Agricultural & Horticultural Show, where the island’s competitive spirit is on full display through livestock, floral arrangements, and heritage produce.

Norfolk Island’s Coastal Perimeter Hike: Where Salt Meets Soil

The island’s perimeter offers a more rugged experience, where the forest meets the relentless surge of the South Pacific. The Bridle Track, which begins at the Captain Cook Monument, meanders for nearly two kilometres along the northern cliff edges. Here, the vegetation adapts to the salt spray, with white oaks and coastal pines clinging to the volcanic rock.

For those seeking a more vertical challenge, the Flagstaff Hill steps at Kingston provide a visceral connection to the island’s dual heritage. Climbing the ridge from the historic pier rewards the walker with a UNESCO-listed view of the convict ruins and the turquoise of Emily Bay. If we’ve piqued your interest with Norfolk Island’s Garden Week (again, from October 6–14 in 2026), or just exploring the remote island with a fresh set of eyes/boots, do check out our Norfolk Island Hot Deals for the season’s best holiday packages. And for stitching together a bespoke Norfolk Island itinerary, just fill out the Enquiry Form or call us right now at 1300 991 751!