Norfolk Island Home Tour: Author's Private Sanctuary

You step inside the actual house where The Thornbirds was written.

This two-hour escorted tour takes you through Out Yenna, the Norfolk Island home where internationally acclaimed author Colleen McCullough lived for almost 36 years and created some of her most powerful works. You walk through the private residence where she researched and wrote, viewing her and husband Ric Robinson's collection of art, artefacts and books gathered from around the world. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included for selected hotels in Burnt Pine township, and a guide shares stories of Colleen's life on the island and her connection to the community. The tour suits literary travellers and anyone drawn to character-filled homes with real history.

Step-by-step itinerary

Visit Colleen McCullough's home

• Arrive at Out Yenna property
• Be escorted through the home
• View collection of artefacts and books
• Learn about Colleen McCullough's life and work

The experience

Out Yenna opens exclusively to Baunti Escapes customers, so access to this private home is not something you can arrange on your own. Colleen McCullough, author of 24 books including Tim, The Thornbirds and Morgan's Run, chose Norfolk Island as her sanctuary for nearly four decades. She and Ric Robinson built the house as a luxurious hideaway where she could write undisturbed, and many of her most significant titles were created within these walls. The tour lets you see the actual spaces where that work happened: her writing environment, the rooms where she entertained, the collections they assembled together.

Your guide walks you through the home and explains the artefacts and art pieces Colleen and Ric gathered during their travels around the world. The house itself tells the story of how she lived on Norfolk Island, the choices she made to protect her creative time, and how she became woven into the island community despite her need for privacy. This is not a museum display of memorabilia. It is the real home, filled with the objects and spaces that shaped her daily life and work.

Hotel pickup and drop-off are arranged for hotels in the Burnt Pine township, and you'll need to visit the Baunti Escapes office in Burnt Pine before your tour to confirm the pickup details. The tour runs two hours. Children from age 2 are welcome, though infants must sit on an adult's lap.

What’s included

• The tour includes a driver and guide who shares stories of Colleen's life and work.
• hotel pickup and drop-off for selected hotels in Burnt Pine township.

Before you book

Days and timesTuesday to FridayDepartures at 09:30 and 13:30

Book up to1d before

AgesAdult (13 to 95 years) · Child (2 to 12 years)

GroupUp to 15

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.You can choose from 11 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Baunti Tours

Is this one for you?This tour suits readers of Colleen McCullough's novels and anyone drawn to the homes and lives of writers. The exclusive access to Out Yenna (a private residence not open to the general public) means you see the actual spaces where she created her work, something you cannot do anywhere else on Norfolk Island.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (2 to 12 years).

What books did Colleen McCullough write while living on Norfolk Island?

Colleen McCullough wrote 24 books during her time on Norfolk Island, including some of her most acclaimed titles: The Thornbirds, Tim and Morgan's Run. Many of her most powerful works were created in Out Yenna, the home you visit on this tour.

How long did Colleen McCullough live on Norfolk Island?

She and her husband Ric Robinson made Norfolk Island their home for almost 36 years, building Out Yenna as a private sanctuary where she could focus on her writing and maintain the peace she needed for her creative work.

What will I see inside Out Yenna?

You'll walk through the private home where Colleen researched and wrote, viewing the collection of art, artefacts, books and treasured items she and Ric gathered from their travels around the world. The tour includes the actual spaces where she lived and worked.

Is hotel pickup included in this tour?

Hotel pickup and drop-off are included for selected hotels in the Burnt Pine township. You'll need to visit the Baunti Escapes office in Burnt Pine before your tour to confirm your pickup details and time.