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Getting there
QantasLink fl ies to Lord Howe
Island from Sydney and Brisbane,
with a seasonal weekly service
from Port Macquarie from
February to June, and September
to December. qantas.comStaying there
ARAJILLA RETREAT (arajilla.com.au)
is the perfect island getaway, with
a luxuriously laid-back ambience
that encompasses friendly
service, great food and generous
hospitality. Its Banyan Suites are
lovely spaces with king beds,
spacious and sleek bathrooms
and mezzanine treetop lounges
for relaxing in. All meals are
included, plus pre-dinner drinks
and canapes, as is airport
transfers and wi-fi.
CAPELLA LODGE (lordhowe.com)
is an ultra-luxe offering with
unparalleled views of Mt Gower
and the Tasman Sea.Playing there
Book an excursion to wonder
at the base of Ball’s Pyramid
with REEF N BEYOND ECO
TOURS (visitlordhowe.com.au);
there’s not much captain Dave
Gardiner doesn’t know about
the waters here including the
best places to snorkel.Making a di erence there
While the public cannot take
part in the Weed Eradication
Volunteer Program, you can
get involved in Lord Howe
Island’s independent Citizen
Science scheme to help keep
this paradise paradisiacal.
lordhoweisland.info/things-to-do/
citizen-sciencethe road that runs past the end of the airport’s runway,
where the grassy reclaimed swampland opposite is a
popular location to spot all kinds of birds. While not as
robust as the volunteers I worked with the other day
(I am the youngest in the group by far), my binoculared
companions are nonetheless taking part in a volunteer
program of their own, helping Ian count the di erent
birds for a central register kept back on the mainland.
As the majority of them fan out in search of their
designated species, volunteers are sought for the walk to
nearby Muttonbird Point to see if any young masked
boobies can be found among the birds nesting there.
Addicted to the sense of accomplishment I felt the
other day, I immediately agree to be included in the
exploration party. I am rewarded with the sight of at
least two downy avian youths, a haul my fellow booby
hunters seem pleased with.
By the time I fl y out of Lord Howe Island, craning
for my last glimpse of Mt Gower and Ball’s Pyramid,
I feel like I have helped maintain the paradise on Earth
that the island is. And I have the mud stains and satisfi ed
grin to prove it.WEEKENDS |Lord Howe Island
PHOTOGRAPHY: LEIGH-ANN POW (MT GOWER, KENTIA PALMS, BASALT ROCKS) DESTINATIO
N NSW (ROCK POOLS)
I almost feel the
presence of the hulking
t ower behind me,
so complete is its
presence from every
corner of the island.