Norfolk Island · 2 PLACES TO EXPLORE

A little more
of Kingston.

Find places to visit in Kingston. See what catches your eye, then save a few favorites for your trip.

Kingston · NF

Slaughter Bay

Don't let the name fool you. Slaughter Bay — derived from an old English word meaning 'slow-moving water' — is one of Norfolk Island's calmest and most scenic spots, a shallow reef-fringed bay where crystal-clear water reveals a living aquarium just metres from the sandy shore. Maximum depth is only about four metres, making it one of the island's premier snorkelling destinations. Tucked within the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Kingston and Arthur's Vale Historic Area (KAVHA), Slaughter Bay blends natural beauty with deep historical resonance: it was on this very reef that HMS Sirius, flagship of the First Fleet, was wrecked in 1790. Today the bay serves as both a marine sanctuary within the Norfolk Marine Park and a peaceful recreation spot backed by convict-era ruins and views across to Philip and Nepean islands.

National park

Kingston · NF

Bumbora Beach nice

Bumbora Beach sits in a small, sheltered coastal reserve on Norfolk Island's south shore, about a kilometre west of historic Kingston, where the slopes give way to Creswell Bay. Affectionately called "Bumby" by locals, this 5.5-hectare pocket of native forest, tide pools and rocky beach is one of the few places near town where you can walk down to the sea and feel you have it to yourself. A steep, unsealed road brings you to a creek-side car park, from which a boardwalk threads past pines and plantings down to the beach. The reward is sweeping ocean views toward Phillip and Nepean Islands, rock pools brimming with sea life at low tide, and the easygoing rhythm of a place built for picnics, birdwatching and a dip when the water is calm.

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Norfolk Island · 2 PLACES TO EXPLORE

A little more
of Kingston.

Find places to visit in Kingston. See what catches your eye, then save a few favorites for your trip.

Bay

Kingston · NF

Slaughter Bay

Don't let the name fool you. Slaughter Bay — derived from an old English word meaning 'slow-moving water' — is one of Norfolk Island's calmest and most scenic spots, a shallow reef-fringed bay where crystal-clear water reveals a living aquarium just metres from the sandy shore. Maximum depth is only about four metres, making it one of the island's premier snorkelling destinations. Tucked within the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Kingston and Arthur's Vale Historic Area (KAVHA), Slaughter Bay blends natural beauty with deep historical resonance: it was on this very reef that HMS Sirius, flagship of the First Fleet, was wrecked in 1790. Today the bay serves as both a marine sanctuary within the Norfolk Marine Park and a peaceful recreation spot backed by convict-era ruins and views across to Philip and Nepean islands.

National park

Kingston · NF

Bumbora Beach nice

Bumbora Beach sits in a small, sheltered coastal reserve on Norfolk Island's south shore, about a kilometre west of historic Kingston, where the slopes give way to Creswell Bay. Affectionately called "Bumby" by locals, this 5.5-hectare pocket of native forest, tide pools and rocky beach is one of the few places near town where you can walk down to the sea and feel you have it to yourself. A steep, unsealed road brings you to a creek-side car park, from which a boardwalk threads past pines and plantings down to the beach. The reward is sweeping ocean views toward Phillip and Nepean Islands, rock pools brimming with sea life at low tide, and the easygoing rhythm of a place built for picnics, birdwatching and a dip when the water is calm.