The cows of Norfolk Island

Just a word about the very important workers of Norfolk Island, who keep all the verges, reserves and any unfenced area on Norfolk well groomed and fertilised!

Cows are very important members of society here and have right of way on all of the roads. Should you drive into one you are in big trouble. Every year a number residents apply for pasturage rights and pay a fee per cow to the government of Norfolk to allow them to range the island, this covers any calf they may have also. These are published in the gazette and this year there 252 cows with rights. They are ear tagged and once a year the are rounded up and checked over, any due for butchering are sent off and the others are sent out again to rove the roads and parks. Our bovine residents know they have right of way and move only slowly out of your way if they are in the road and you wish to go by.

The only place they cannot go is the township, which has cattle grids either end and of course your fenced off property, most houses have cattle grids in their gateways. There are herds of cows also in paddocks all over the island, but these are the non rovers.