Lord Howe Island: Escape to paradise...

Lord Howe Island is often referred to as ‘the last paradise’, yet this is not simply a clever marketing strategy. It is likely one of the few remaining place in Australia, and indeed on earth, that remains so pristine despite human inhabitation and tourism.

One could easily put this down to the small population and remoteness of the island, and this is no doubt a contributing factor, however given its heavily restricted tourism industry, is also due to the kind of visitors such a place appeals to, “The Island attracts those that care about our environment as much as we do. You don’t see any trash around, or any deliberate damage. It’s important that you know it is not just us who live here that you have to thank for the beauty you see, but those who choose to visit too”.

The waters around Lord Howe are protected by a Marine Park that extends 3 nautical miles around the island, reaching to include the waters around Balls Pyramid. The island’s pristine waters are a sanctuary for marine life, and an abundance of species call it home. The unique subtropical marine park makes Lord Howe a mecca for marine enthusiasts, both professional and recreational.

One of the best ways to see what the ocean around the island has to offer is to take a guided tour of the lagoon. Heading out for a snorkel with Marine Adventure Tours in their glass bottom boat is more than just a trip to the reef; it is an informative and owing to its operator Ken, surprisingly entertaining tour of one of Lord Howe’s greatest treasures.

Leave your flotsam and jetsam behind at the beachfront office and board the boat with just a complimentary wetsuit and camera in tow for a tour you won’t forget. As the boat motors out into the lagoon you become aware that you are in for more than just a ride when Ken starts his show; a combination of knowledge about the island and its marine sanctuary and a dry humour that jerks you from your reverie to give him as much attention as you are giving to the scene displayed below.

“Ours is some of the healthiest reef in the world and I don’t mind bragging about it” he says as the boat slows over an outcropping of coral, and the vision on display beneath the glass bottom of the boat supports his claim.

The colours are deep and rich and hundreds of fish swarm across it like birds on flowering trees. There is no evidence of coral bleaching here as there is on much of the Great Barrier Reef today, and despite the cooler temperature of the water, many species of coral are in abundance.

“Our reef is so healthy it keeps the bad stuff away. Up there on the Great Barrier Reef there are a lot of bad things being done. There is a delicate balance; if you tip the scale too far one way, the environment will respond”. He then goes on to make a point of the many differences between the two places, so as not to give the impression that they are directly comparable.

As we come upon a large cluster of Staghorn coral, barely centimetres from the glass of the boat, Ken can’t help but share his enthusiasm with the group, “Look at that healthy coral. The colour! Like the tips of lavender” and he is right.

Beneath the glass bottom is a sea of bluish purple that does indeed resemble the flower we grow for its fragrance. The boat drifts for several moments before we see the edge of the ‘garden’, showing just how large this one cluster is.

“You may be asking yourselves if we have the crown of thorns here and the answer is yes, but they are out there” he gestures toward the waters beyond the lagoon, “it is as if someone put up a sign that says ‘no crown of thorns in here please’, and they happily obliged”.

It comes as a surprise that even in the lagoon that fronts the most popular area of the island seems as unspoiled as a remote reef that sees no frequent visitors. This makes the underwater splendour of Lord Howe accessible to everyone, whether or not you wish to actually get in the water, although it is highly recommended that if you are able to that you do.

For those who like their adventures on land rather than at sea; ascending to great heights rather than descending to the depths, Mount Gower offers the perfect challenge.

Dominating Lord Howe’s Landscape at the northern tip of the isle, Mount Gower rises at a breath-taking 875 metres, its tip often shrouded in cloud, making it appear even higher. An estimated 8 hours is required just to reach its peak, making it one of the world’s most renowned one-day climbs.

Much of the trail is the actual cliff-face of Gower, making it so that a great deal of the hike is rope-assisted. Although it is a favourite with hardcore hikers, every eager explorer are encouraged to give it a try.

No matter how experienced you are, a guide must be used when tackling Mount Gower, and there are a couple locals who traverse its face daily. Their guidance is not only for safety purposes but ensures that while you are focused on clinging to the trail, you are also reminded of taking in its beauty.

Reaching the summit is a triumph not only of physical kind; the views of the island, the sea and in the distance, the incredible sight of Balls Pyramid rising sharply from the ocean are a reward that is hard to describe.

For those who like their hikes a little less hardcore, the island has several other trails that are less challenging but not necessarily less rewarding. Even though the island is only 11 kilometres long and 2 kilometres wide, there 12 hiking and walking trails that weave throughout is protected forests, along coastal walkways and reach to the lookouts that mark its highest points.

The walks showcase the island’s incredible diversity and unique subtropical environment. Much of the island is dominated by the spectacular Kentia Palms that have come be an icon of the island. Since Lord Howe was settled in 1800s the palms have been the islands main export, popular in Europe and the United States as an indoor plant.

The high demand for the palms, that are endemic to Lord Howe, and their protection due to the island now being 2 thirds permanent park reserve has made it so that the only Kentias that are exported now are the ones commercially grown at the Lord Howe Island Kentia Palm Nursery.

Another dominating feature of the landscape are the incredible Lord Howe Banyan Trees. Also endemic to the island the trees, which are giant sprawling wonders, their many roots and trunks resembling a strangler fig but several times the size, are dotted here and there throughout the island, but are best seen in the spectacular Valley of the Shadows.

A visit to this very special place will most definitely take your breath away. Guaranteed to be one of the most majestic forest walks you will ever experience, a walk through the Valley of the Shadows will make you feel like to have stepped into a fairytale. Banyan Trees are characterised by their thick horizontal branches that shoot giant roots down to the ground as they grow, giving them their informal name ‘walking trees’.

The colossal trees tower above you and the thick foliage and crisscrossed branches work to create a canopy through which filters the sunlight and creates and incredible play of shadows on the forest floor, giving the majestic place its name. Kentia Palms are also abundant here; the two species creating a place that literally exits nowhere else on the planet; without a doubt a last paradise.

http://au.totaltravel.yahoo.com/promotions/lord-howe/Read about Lord Howe's premier resort, Arajilla Retreat

Click here to visit Arajilla Retreat on Lord Howe IslandClick here to visit Arajilla Retreat on Lord Howe Island

http://www.lordhoweisland.info/Click here for more information on Lord Howe Island tourism

The writer stayed on Lord Howe Island courtesy of Arajilla Retreat.