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Lord Howe Island is situated around 700kms north-east of Sydney, roughly due east of Port Macquarie.It is one of the world's most beautiful islands, recognised internationally as a World Heritage site as an example of superlative natural phenomena and containing important and significant habitats for in-situ conservation of biological diversity.Lord Howe Island and its surrounding islets are the eroded remnants of a large shield volcano that erupted from the sea floor about seven million years ago. Marine erosion has reduced the main island to approximately 1/40th of its original size, leaving a spectacular landscape, including cliffs and mountains of up to 875 metres high. |
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The island was discovered in 1788 by Lt.
Henry Lidgbird Ball, commander of the British ship
H.M.Supply enroute from Sydney Cove to Norfolk Island. The
first settlers arrived in 1834 and existed by trading with
passing ships. Sales of the famous "Kentia" palm provided a
major source of income from the late 1800's until tourism
become established in the 1930's. |
