Kingston and Arthur’s Vale Historic Area (KAVHA) Interpretation Plan and Materials Palette

Client: Australian National Maritime Museum Location: Norfolk Island Completed: 2018- Current
KAVHA on Norfolk Island is one of the 11 sites that comprise the UNESCO World Heritage listed Australian Convict Sites. The sites collectively are representative of the global phenomenon of convictism and its association with global developments in the punishment of crime in the modern era. In addition to its convict past the KAVHA site is distinguished by archaeological evidence of Polynesian settlement and being the place of resettlement of the Pitcairn Islanders, descendants of the Bounty Mutineers, who have created a unique cultural identity and deep association with their island home. Convergence was commissioned to develop an Interpretation Plan for the site, including scoping and prioritisation of interpretive projects over a five year period. Concurrent with the Interpretation Plan was the definition of a materials palette to guide the maintenance and development of infrastructure within the World Heritage Area. Convergence has recently been commissioned to undertake the first of the priority interpretive projects.
KAVHA was the landing place of the Pitcairn Islanders in 1856. Their descendants today comprise nearly a third of Norfolk Island’s population. They value KAVHA as a place of special significance because it has been continually and actively used as a place of residence, work, worship and recreation.