Lord Howe Island: Lagoon, walking trails and island history

Lord Howe Island is a narrow volcanic strip of land and the remnant of a shield volcano that became extinct millions of years ago. The Lord Howe Island Group World Heritage Area includes the island’s northern and southern mountains. The lagoon, walking trails, wildlife watching and island history offer different ways to spend your time here. When looking for a hotel for your trip, you can first decide whether to focus on water activities, walking tours, or nature and cultural topics.

The lagoon and marine life

The waters around Lord Howe Island are home to more than 500 fish species and more than 90 coral species. At Ned’s Beach, you can observe coral, fish and marine life close to shore. In the Special Purpose Zone at Ned’s Beach, visitors can hand-feed fish. Snorkelling is also one of the activities in the Lord Howe Island Marine Park.

Lord Howe Environmental Tours uses glass-bottom boats in the lagoon’s protected, crystal-clear waters. The two-hour Coral Viewing and Snorkelling Tour explores the lagoon’s diverse coral landscape and introduces visitors to the endemic Double-header Wrasse, stingrays and turtles. If you’d like to paddle yourself, you can hire kayaks from local tour operators and explore the lagoon. The lagoon offers sheltered conditions for stand-up paddling, and boards can be hired from tour operators at Lagoon Beach.

Walking trails and wildlife watching

Lord Howe Island has dozens of well-signposted walking trails. The climb to Mt Gower reaches 875 metres and is considered one of the world’s best day hikes. Visitors may only access Mt Gower with a licensed guide. From March to November, the Little Island Track can be walked to watch the courtship flights of the Providence Petrel.

Hundreds of thousands of seabirds from 14 species breed on the island. More than 130 resident and migratory bird species occur in total, including the endemic, flightless Lord Howe Island Woodhen. Local conservation efforts saved this species from extinction. The island’s birdlife and the seasonal opportunity to watch birds along the Little Island Track offer different points of interest for nature lovers.

Cycling and other activities

There are 13 kilometres of scenic roads and tracks for cycling. The Lord Howe Golf Course is a 9-hole course that runs through a Kentia palm forest and down to the water’s edge. A public tennis court opposite the Blue Lagoon is open to all island visitors. Visitors can play lawn bowls at the Lord Howe Island Bowling Club.

Island history and visitor information

Exhibitions at the James Dorman Historical Gallery trace the island’s history, from its discovery and early settlement to shipping, the Kentia palm industry, flying boats, tourism and administration. The Lord Howe Island Museum presents the World Heritage environment, the community and the island’s history up to 1788.

The Lord Howe Island Visitor Centre is located in the museum foyer. There, you can get information about activities, events and dining. This brings together information about what the island has to offer and insights into its history and community.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Medowie, Red Rock, Kosciuszko National Park, Dignams Creek, Monkerai, Varroville, Kingsgrove, Peak Hill.

For the regional travel overview: New South Wales.