Destinations

Newcastle Herald

Tuesday October 9, 2007

Chris Watson

Life is relaxed and unhurried on Lord Howe Island: There's no

high-rise buildings, no mobile phone reception, few cars and no

power or telephone lines to mar the views.

The island has been a tourist haven since a flying boat service began

from Sydney in the 1940s, and restrictions these days means that at

any one time there can only be 400 guests joining the islands 320

residents, most using bicyles to get around. There's no doubt it's a

great place to cast off the stress of modern living.

On the water there's sunset cruises and kayaking in the island lagoon,

glass-bottom boats, fishing, sight-seeing trips around the island or a

sea journey to Balls Pyramid, the spectacular, eroded remnant of a

volcano formed around seven million years ago.

On land you can discover the island on foot

through any number of round-trip walks, eached

graded to an international system so you can fi nd

the exertion level that suits you.

Lord Howe is one of only four island groups

in the world with World Heritage status, granted

because of its geology and collection of rare bird,

plant and animal life, all surrounded by the world's

southern-most coral reef, protected since 1999

as a marine park.

The island's main street has cafes, a post office, hall, general store,

banks, art, craft and clothing shops, you can stroll through native

kentia palm and banyan forests, walk the beaches, snorkel the reefs,

scuba dive more than 50 sites or take the eight-hour trek up Mt Gower,

considered one of the best one-day hikes in the world.

Mt Gower stands over the lagoon at the southern end of the island,

and its 875-metre rope-assisted walk is not to be taken lightly. Because

of its dangers it can only be done with a guide. The trail skirts the southwest

of the mountain where you creep along a narrow ledge clinging to

a rope. The ascent takes you through habitats found nowhere else on

the island and presents unparralleled views, including Balls Pyramid

rock spire erupting 600 metres out of the ocean and Wolf Rock, which

hit the headlines in 2002 when HMS Nottingham came to grief at its

edge. Nearer at hand you have to keep your eye out for the Lord Howe

Island woodhen, a fl ightless bird kept from extinction by the world?s fi rst

successful captive breeding program.

The kentia palms on the island are one of the backbones of the

economy and the island?s major export. The

palms are the world?s most sought-after indoor

palm species and income from their cultivation is

second only to tourism on Lord Howe. The Kentia

Palm Nursery, where guided tours are provided,

is run by the island board which returns all profi ts

to the community.

Lord Howe is a nature wonderland. It has

more than 100 plants that are unique to its rich

volcanic soil.

For birdwatchers there?s more than 130

permanent and migratory bird species with 14 species of breeding

seabirds including petrels, shearwaters, terns and masked boobies,

the largest of the island?s seabirds.

At Balls Pyramid in 2001 scientists found a small colony of giant stick

insects that for 80 years were believed to be extinct.

Scuba divers face choices from ?resort? dives in shallow waters

near the beach to trenches, caves and volcanic drop-offs, and for

experienced divers Balls Pyramid, with visibility usually between 30

and 40 metres, is alive with fi sh including Galapagos sharks up to four

metres long.

in the area

Nothing but water and

a few smaller islands

such as Admiralty Islets,

Roach Island, Mutton Bird

Island, Gower Island and

Blackburn Island, and

they're all 700 km northeast

of Sydney.

ASK A LOCAL

What is the one "must-see" attraction

in your area?

"Snorkel and see the fish at Ned's

Beach."

- John Green, owner of Humpty

Mick's Cafe, Lord Howe.

"Take a boat out to Balls Pyramid - the

world's tallest oceanic rock spire. Marvel

at the enormity of the sheer cliffs and

immerse in one of the great seabird

islands on the planet."

- Dick Smith's daughter Hayley Baillie,

from Baillie Lodges, which has Capella

Lodge on Lord Howe.

ROAD TRIP

There are only two roads on offer on

Lord Howe and the speed limit is 10

kph, so the best way to tour this part

of the world is by bicyle or on foot.

Basically bicycles rule, and there are

13 km of scenic roads and tracks to try.

EATING OUT

Lord Howe Island Visitor?s Centre

recommends Arajilla Restaurant,

with modern Australian cuisine

open for dinner seven nights. Often

considered ?the? place to dine on

the island with - naturally - seafood

often starring on the menu. Bookings are

essential. Capella Lodge is also excellent

but is confi ned to lodge guests.

Lord Howe IslandIsland time

FAST FACTS

? Lord Howe Island was added to the World Heritage

List in December, 1982, for its rare collection of

plants, birds, marine life and natural beauty.

? There are often more fi sh and bird species on the

island than people.

? There is a maximum of 400 tourist beds on the

island.

? Lord Howe has the southern-most coral reef in the

world.

? The island is 11 km long and barely two kilometres

at its widest point.

? The waters around Lord Howe are home to 500

species of fi sh and 90 species of coral.

? There is no mobile phone reception on the island.

? Ball's Pyramid is the single highest oceanic rock in

the world.

? The island has 64 unique species of flowering

plants.

? There's fish feeding at Ned's

Beach that attracts mullet,

wrasse, garfish, silver

drummer, spangled

emporer and metre-long

kingfi sh.

? In October each year

the Gosford to Lord

Howe Island Yacht Race

is held.

MUST DO AND SEE

? Take on Mt Gower with Jack Shick's Sea to Summit tours. Mt Gower

is a gruelling but rewarding eight-hour exercise described as one of

the best one-day hikes in the world.

? Tee off at the Lord Howe Island Golf Club. Where else can you

play a round on World Heritage-listed turf?

? Explore the world?s southern-most reef from above or below

- jump on a glass-bottomed boat, scuba dive or snorkel more

than 50 sites teeming with more than 500 species of fi sh,

colourful coral and green turtles. The island attracts diving

enthusiasts from around the world.

? Become a "twitcher" - with 14 species of seabird breeding on the

island, Lord Howe is Australia?s premier bird-watching destination

You can learn all about the island's native bird life with Lord Howe

Environmental Tours or Lord Howe Nature Tours.

? Fire up the barbecue and cook the freshest of kingfi sh overlooking

Ned?s Beach, and watch the shearwaters come in for their clumsy

beach landing at dusk.

? Tourism NSW

© 2007 Newcastle Herald

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