Info wanted on History of Isle of Pines

While recently on the Isle of Pines and enjoying the magnificent Kanamera Bay,I noticed that on the western shore towards the wharf,there were some remnants of what looked to be buildings and steps or a demolished wharf. The sea has now caused a good deal of erosion with a number of trees fallen into the sea.The concrete is cracked and broken ,falling into the sand.Did boats or sea craft use this once as the port?
I was hoping someone who knows the I of P history could tell me a little of the history of these relics and if the erosion is an indication of rising sea levels.
Has the island been hit by a cyclone in recent years? I noticed on a walk around the peninsula ,west of the wharf starting near the Gendarmerie, that there are quite a few of the large pines having been up rooted and damage to vegetation on the south side.
I also walked into Rolla Bay by the dirt road with the intention of returning one day to camp there.I was confronted by an aggressive(at first) woman who said that it was a private road.After I explained to her my intentions she was a little more welcoming.Take note if you are expecting to find it as free & easy as it appeared on a segment on the Getaway TV programme last year,then it isn't and nowhere as welcoming to campers as Nataiwatch which has lovely camp grounds and amenities,just off Kanamera Bay.It surprised me how rough the sea was at Rolla,although nothing worth surfing.
While I am on here,have the strikes that Noumea has been experiencing in recent months abated?It can be very disruptive to travel plans and personally has put me out of pocket quite a few dollars as a result.
Be warned that you can find yourself stuck at very short notice with no recompense.

I assume that these buildings have someting to do with the military and/or prison. Certainly out near the bakery , there are ruins of the old jail.

My understanding is that it is the remnants of a Club Med that was supposed to be built there but was torn down by the locals incensed at having a Club Med there.

manja,no you have the location wrong,I did visit the jail ruins opposite the Kuto bakery,and tropic girl,this isn't the Club Med site either. It is on the western side of Kamumera Bay,on the narrow isthmus near the Gendarmerie/Cleo's(Hilary's Boutique).Where the junction of the road to the wharf meets the Kuto Bay/Kou Bougney Lodge Road.
I have read up on the history on Isle of P in Lonely Planet book,but these relics are not mentioned. I would say by looking at them they would be less than 20 to 30 years old since they were in use.

The ruins of the wharf in the Kanumera bay area were built by 200 American soldiers in the middle of the second world war. they only stayed 15 months but improved the roads and built an airstrip.
Thye remains of the old wall with the gun slots dates from the time of the penal colony and a much larger number of buildings and prison cells can be found about 1.5 km from Kuto heading towards Ouro.
In 1872 the French goverment exiled 3000 political prisioners to the Island from the Paris commune. The Kunies, who lived on the Island were told to leave by the govoner however they refused to go and the island was split into half prision and half abbey. A large number of buildings were erected by the prisioners. Many of them commited suicide and a lot died from ilness in the hot climate.
In 1879 those that were left were granted amnesty and offered land on the island but not one opted to stay. The prision closed in 1912 when the Island was handed back to the kunies.

The prision ruins especially the enclosed series of cells with small one man enclosures and solitary confinement cells with no windows, give some indication of the suffering imposed on the inmates. Visiting the area you can feel the atmosphere.

For those with ineterest in the ruins I have posted pictures on my Flickr site ( see my web address )

Please contact me if you have further information on the ruins especially a plan of the settlement

Cheers gary ( ohig@xtra.co.nz )