📖 About Palmerston

Palmerston is one of the world's most remote inhabited islands, a tiny coral atoll in the Cook Islands where every resident descends from one man—William Marsters, an English ship's carpenter who settled here in 1863 with his three Polynesian wives. With only about 35 residents today, all share the surname Marsters and speak Victorian-era English mixed with Polynesian influences.

The atoll consists of several small islands on a reef ring; the main island is just 2.6 square kilometers. There is no airport—supply ships visit a few times yearly, and visiting yachts are the main contact with the outside world. The community lives largely self-sufficiently from fishing and coconuts. Palmerston offers the ultimate remote island experience—a unique human story on a tiny speck in the vast Pacific.

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💼 Economy & Culture

Palmerston's economy is subsistence-based. Fishing provides food and some income from parrotfish sold to passing ships. Coconuts produce copra for occasional export. The community shares resources communally. Money is scarce; most needs are met through self-sufficiency. Government support from Rarotonga provides basic services. Occasional tourists on yachts bring some income through hospitality.

The culture is unique—a blend of Victorian English traditions and Polynesian ways. The Marsters speak an archaic English dialect. Three family branches descended from William's three wives maintain distinct identities. Christianity (Cook Islands Christian Church) is central. Traditional skills—fishing, boat building, copra production—continue. The community is tight-knit by necessity. Hospitality to visitors is legendary—guests are welcomed into homes. The culture preserves a 160-year family history in isolation.

📜 History

Palmerston was uninhabited when William Marsters arrived in 1863. The Englishman—a carpenter, trader, and adventurer—brought three Polynesian wives from different islands and established his family. He had 23 children and many grandchildren before dying in 1899.

The island became part of the Cook Islands under New Zealand administration. Over generations, some descendants migrated to Rarotonga or New Zealand, but a core community remains. Cyclones and isolation have challenged survival; the community has been as low as a few dozen. Today Palmerston continues its unique existence—the Marsters family maintaining their ancestral island in the remote Pacific, welcoming rare visitors to share their extraordinary story.