Nomuka Island

Nomuka is a small island in the southern part of the Ha’apai Group of islands in the Kingdom of Tonga. It is part oif the Nomuka Group of islands, also called the ‘Out Mu’omu’a.

Nomuka, is 7 sq.kms. in area and contains a large, brackish lake in the middle. There are approximately 400-500 inhabitants who subsist on fishing, farming, and remittances from family members abroad. The island has a secondary school, two primary schools, and a kindergarten. It also has seven churches.

The island is accessible only by boat that leaves weekly from Nuku’alofa and Lifuka on Ha’apai. There is one guesthouse on the island and three small fale koloa or convenience stores.

Notable historic visitors include Abel Tasman, Captains Cook and Bligh and William Mariner. Abel Tasman made the first European discovery of the island on 24 January 1643. A party went ashore to get water, and the description of the huge lake they brought back afterwards leaves little doubt about the identification. Tasman called it Rotterdam island, after the major port in the Netherlands, and noted in his maps the indigeneous name of Amamocka, a misspelling of ʻa Nomuka.

Captain Bligh in the Bounty spent 3 days wooding and watering at Nomuka in April 1789. The mutiny aboard the Bounty occurred the day after they left.