The Australian island’s unusual status allows it to compete and, say its sizeable team of lawn bowlers, helps put it on the map
bout 2,000 people live on Norfolk Island, an Australian external territory 1,400km off the coast of New South Wales. Remarkably, 10 of them – fully half a percent of the entire population – are currently in Birmingham representing the island at theA 35 square kilometre dot of land amid the vast Pacific Ocean, between New Zealand and New Caledonia, Norfolk Island was initially settled as a prison colony in the early 1800s.
, which might permit greater autonomy . Norfolk residents have even petitioned the United Nations, represented by eminent barrister Geoffrey Robertson QC, seeking to be added to the body’s list of non-self governing territories, which have rights to self-determination under international law., former ACT chief minister Jon Stanhope criticised the reforms for returning the island to “what is, in effect, colonial status”.
One Norfolk Islander to march under the flag in Birmingham was Shae Wilson, who bowled her way through to the semi-finals. Wilson, 23, is competing in her second Games – she is considered a rising star in the Norfolk lawn bowls community. Back home Wilson works as an early childhood teacher. “I just do a few hours at the local bowling club in between,” she says.Wilson came up against an Australian opponent, Ellen Ryan, in the semi-final.
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