Located northeast of Sydney, 320 mi/515 km off the coast from Port Macquarie in the Tasman Sea between Australia and New Zealand, Lord Howe Island is part of New South Wales, though it is partly administered locally.
Lord Howe Island boasts the world's most southerly coral barrier reefs. It has also been awarded UNESCO World Heritage listing. Attractions include pristine beaches, rare collections of plants, birds and marine life and very friendly people. Only service vehicles are permitted on the island, which is a magnet for nature lovers and those who truly want to get away from it all.
The range of activities on the island appears sedate compared with some locales. Visitors go there for nature, walks, scuba, snorkeling, bird-watching and life in the slow lane. No more than 800 people are on the island at any one time (including locals and visitors).
Once dangerously affected by introduced animals, which decimated the local and unique flora and fauna, determined conservation efforts have restored the island's natural balance. Travel there to witness 13 endemic bird species found nowhere else in the world.
Neighboring Norfolk Island is administered as a federal territory.
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