List of administrative heads of Norfolk Island

The administrator of Norfolk Island acts as a representative of the Australian Government and carries out other duties according to the Norfolk Island Amendment Act 2015. Since its construction in 1829, Government House located in Kingston has been the residence of the commandants, chief magistrates, and presently, administrators of Norfolk Island.

List of officeholders Term Incumbent Title Notes6 March 1788 to 24 March 1790Philip Gidley KingLieutenant-Governor1st term24 March 1790 to November 1791Robert Ross4 November 1791 to 29 June 1800Philip Gidley King2nd term1796 to 1799John Townson1799 to 1800Thomas Rowley29 June 1800 to September 1804Joseph Foveaux9 September 1804 to January 1810John PiperJanuary 1810 to February 1814Tankerville Alexander CraneFebruary 1814 to 6 June 1825abandoned6 June 1825 to April 1826Richard TurtonCommandant1826 to 1827Vance Young Donaldson1827 to 1828Thomas Edward Wright1828 to 1829Robert HuntFebruary 1829 to 29 June 1829Joseph Wakefield29 June 1829 to 1834James Morisset1834 to 1834Foster Fyans1834 to 4 November 1839Joseph Anderson1839 to 1839Thomas Bunbury1840 to 1840Thomas Ryan17 March 1840 to 1844Alexander Maconochie8 February 1844 to 5 August 1846Joseph Childs1846 to 1853John Giles PriceMay 1855 to 8 June 1856abandonedJune 1856Separated from Van Diemen's Land and made a Distinct and Separate Settlement. (Pitcairn Agreement with Her Majesty Queen Victoria). A Governor (Crown) was appointed to administer the Government of Norfolk Island1856 to 1857George Martin Frederick YoungChief Magistrate1st term1858 to 1858Isaac Christian1859 to 1859George Martin Frederick Young2nd term1860 to 1861Thomas Buffett1862 to 1865Arthur Quintal II1st term1866 to 1866William Quintal1st term1867 to 1870John Buffett1st term1871 to 1871David Buffett1872 to 1873William Quintal2nd term1874 to 1875Fletcher Christian Nobbs1876 to 1880Francis Mason Nobbs1st term1881 to 1882John Buffett2nd term1883 to 1884Francis Mason Nobbs2nd term1885 to 1885Arthur Quintal II2nd term1886 to 1887Stephen Christian1st term1888 to 1888Henry Seymour Buffett1889 to 1890Stephen Christian2nd term1891 to 1892Byron Stanley Mitchell Adams1st term1893 to 1893Stephen Christian3rd term1894 to 1894Francis Mason Nobbs3rd term1895 to 1896Byron Stanley Mitchell Adams2nd term1896 to 1898Warner Wright SpaldingAdministrator1898 to 1903Charles McArthur King1903 to 1907Walton Drake1907 to 1913Charles Sinclair ElliotUnder the Norfolk Island Act 191321 August 1913 to 30 August 1920Michael Vincent MurphyAdministrator1st term1 September 1920 to 30 June 1924John William Parnell1 July 1924 to 16 October 1926Edwin Thomas Leane1926 to 1926Henry Stephenson Edgar1st term1926 to 1 February 1927Michael Vincent Murphy2nd term1 February 1927 to 25 January 1928Victor Conradsdorf Morisset Sellheim25 January 1928 to 6 June 1928Henry Stephenson Edgar2nd term6 June 1928 to 21 January 1929Charles Edward Herbert1 May 1929 to 30 June 1932Alfred Joshua Bennett1 July 1932 to 3 December 1937Charles Robert Pinney4 December 1937 to 31 December 1945Sir Charles Rosenthal1 January 1946 to 31 December 1952Alexander Wilson1 January 1953 to 30 April 1958Colin Hugh Boyd Norman1 May 1958 to 1962Reginald Sylvester Leydin1962 to 1964Robert Wordsworth1964 to 1966Roger Nott1966 to June 1968Reginald MarshJuly 1968 to August 1972Robert Nixon DalkinAugust 1972 to 31 August 1975Edward Thomas Pickerd1st term1 September 1975 to 31 May 1976Charles Ivens BuffettActing Administrator1 June 1976 to 4 September 1976Edward Thomas Pickerd2nd term4 September 1976 to 4 September 1979Desmond Vincent O'Leary AdministratorUnder the Norfolk Island Act 19795 September 1979 to 19 March 1981Peter ColemanAdministrator19 March 1981 to 10 May 1981Ian HutchisonActing Administrator11 May 1981 to 27 January 1982Thomas Ferguson Paterson28 January 1982 to 28 April 1985Raymond Edward TrebilcoAdministrator29 April 1985 to 31 December 1988John Alexander Matthew31 December 1988 to 12 April 1989William McFadyen CampbellActing Administrator13 April 1989 to 12 April 1992Herbert Bruce MacDonald Administrator13 April 1992 to 30 June 1997Alan Gardner Kerr1 July 1997 to 3 August 1997Ralph Alexander CondonActing Administrator4 August 1997 to 30 July 2003Anthony John MessnerAdministrator30 July 2003 to 1 November 2003Michael StephensActing Administrator1 November 2003 to September 2007Grant TamblingAdministrator1 October 2007 to 2 October 2008Owen WalshActing Administrator2 October 2008 to 1 April 2012Owen WalshAdministrator1 April 2012 to 30 June 2014Neil Pope1 July 2014 to 31 March 2017Gary Hardgrave1 April 2017 to 31 May 2023Eric Hutchinson1 June 2023 to 31 May 2026George Plant 1 June 2026 to presentFiona McKergow

See also History of Norfolk Island List of heads of government of Norfolk Island

References