The Australian Museum, known for its exciting scientific expeditions to places like Lord Howe Island, Balls Pyramid and the Solomon Islands, will conduct scientific research on Norfolk Island for its 2022-2024 expedition. Norfolk Island has a diverse environment and notable historic sites offering a unique heritage.
The Museum and its collaborators will be travelling to Norfolk Island to undertake multiple phases of research over the next two years. This expedition is a broad-scale, multi-pronged collaborative program of biodiversity surveys and archaeological fieldwork. Details on the Museum’s website.
The expedition will take place over three phases:
Results from this expedition will be posted here as they become available.
Phase 1: October-November 2022
In collaboration with the Norfolk Island community, Parks Australia, the Australian Institute of Botanical Science and the Auckland War Memorial Museum, Australian Museum scientists will conduct biodiversity surveys of native and introduced fauna and flora to add to the existing scientific knowledge of the biodiversity of the Island and inform management practices.
A program of archaeological fieldwork, including excavation, will be conducted by Australian Museum scientist Dr Amy Way and University of Sydney Masters student Nicola Jorgensen, in collaboration with the Norfolk Island community. This aims to further our understanding of pre–European, Polynesian settlement on Norfolk Island and explore the nature and extent of this occupation through the objects they left behind.